Mthr was calling me every few minutes when she had a phone. She did not remember calling me just before. We decided to let her use only the landline provided for residents. She did use that several times by herself, but the same thing happened - she did not recall calling 5 mins before. Once she forgot where the resident phone was, we were all happier. The staff gives her the wireless phone when I want to call to her or when she asks to call home, and that limits the unneeded interruptions.
My mother texts and likes to get pictures texted, etc. I can't imagine her not having a phone. Since the NH is only allowing $40 a month for her personal expenses we've decided to add her to our family plan.
so the taxpayers not only have to provide food, shelter, aides, doctor visits, medicines, shampoo, toothpaste, arts/entertainment, public libraries, transportation, but also a free cellphone?
GraceH, Shame on you. Believe me, the elders in these nursing homes have paid dearly . You should visit them and then you would not be so mean spirited. Remember, you may be old, helpless, and need help someday.
Grace how selfish & mean. I would not want you as my caregiver. My dad pays for his own room and board at the home. My brother who is power of attorney for my dad doesn't want him to have a phone in his room because he doesn't want me to call him and because he is selfish just like you. My dad`s want`s a phone. He can afford it. One way or another, a phone is the connection with the outside word and every senior in a home should have one, whether they can afford one or not.
Our elderly loved ones deserve a phone. The nh takes most of their money. I can't afford my bills plus my moms. I bought her a great TV, and pay for her cable.
Most NH used to have landline phone in their room, but there was always a charge for it. Now the NH don't automatically put a phone in room--because most come there with their own cell phone. So there is a charge to connect the landline, and anyhow the senior would have to provide their own physical phone. Everyone has to pay their own phone bill.
While not simply the category of seniors, there is something within the industry called TAP in most states in the US and probably something else in quite a few other countries.
TAP stands for telephone assistance program and while qualifications vary state by state, they hold in common a certain income level or other state aid programs as qualification.
This assistance will either subsidize or outright make free a cell phone with a certain number of minutes per month or it will subsidize the cost of a home phone via a land line.
One thing I had lots of patients doing was signing up for whats called a POTS (plain old telephone service) line through their local provider and have them hook it up into the room (often already wired for such).
This allowed the individual unlimited local calling for a set monthly price with the options for family to setup the service to block the access to long distance etc.
I don't know how useful this is in relation to your question but it came to mind and I thought I'd share.
I have looked and haven't found any. My brother and his wife added my mom to their plan. The NH my mom is at doesn't even have a landline phone in the room. It's either cell phone or nothing.
With T-Mobile they have a plan where you can add a simple cell phone for only $5/month, this is what my mom used. Of course there's taxes on that. Maybe the whole family could chip in a buck a month and get grandma a cellphone, someone must have an working flip phone around. No need for a smartphone or 4G.
My Mom's phone in an assisted living facility was disconnected during a renovation. Now they want a reconnection fee. My sister is local but I am not. Mom has no phone service and I couldn't call her on her 86th birthday. I'm far away, yesterday was her birthday and I wanted to wish her a Happy One..my sister's who's local is wrapped up in her own life and said, you can talk to Mom when I visit her. That doesn't get it! I need to find an expensive way for incoming calls because Mom's about to forget me too!
In my opinion, elders in nursing homes and cellphones do not mix. Old fashioned landlines are the easiest for them to use as such landlines have been ingrained in their minds for the past 80 some years.
My Dad's mind is pretty sharp for someone in his 90's, and is a former electrical engineer but he is all thumbs when it comes to using a regular remote control for a TV, I cannot imagine him using a cellphone, especially having bad eyesight. In fact, I had him use a portable landline phone couple years ago and that was a mess.... he would forget how to answer it, how to turn it off, and would forget to place it back in the cradle to recharge. To him, that isn't how telephones should work. The landline has never been a problem for him :)
Unfortunately there is no land line available at that nursing home. :( but we are moving soon and the new home for my mom will have one so no cell phone needed anymore! :)
GraceH: Are you serious? My mother is 72 and has worked her whole life since she was 16. He and my father often worked 2 or 3 job each to make sure their 5 kids and ailing parent were taken care of. This was back before the days of getting refunds on your taxes and earned income credits that make tax paying now days a joke. These elders worked hard their whole life with a lot less breaks than our over pampered, spoiled generations get now. You included. My parents worked hard to put into the system and didn't get it back in BS tax breaks at the end of the year and government programs that take the responsibility off the person. They clawed, scraped and sweated for every penny you now think they are given for no reason. People like you make me sick. You - a caregiver? Obviously you are in the wrong field of work if you feel like that. I feel sorry for anyone receiving your care. Instead of saying things like that about elderly people who worked far harder than you do without any real help why don't you find a website about healthy, young people who are bilking the system for millions every month for disability because they have an attitude problem, lazy and don't want to work!
Oh wow, I never even read GraceH comment until now. there are absolutely NO landlines available for these nursing home residents, most of them have no income except for the $30 /mo the nursing home gives. There should be some alternative so they can receive phone calls and make calls when they see fit (such as a cell phone for those able to use them).
Grace I have a tracheostomy and can only send text messages to my relatives. And yes the taxpayers should pay for it. The taxpayers didn't have any problems with me breathing in all those industrial chemicals when I was working 60 hours a week on job sites all over the NY Metro area. You might live in one of the structures that helped me get here. And I hope this never happens to you Grace - it's no laughing party.
There are limitations with the "free phone", such as a maximum of minutes used for talking and doing texts, example 350 minutes which is 6 hours per month. These phones are intended for emergencies only.
President Reagan put the "free phones" into law for landlines, and eventually through the years it now cellphones.
The government gas relaxed the limitations, and will soon provide free unlimited minutes for calls, text and internet! Check out this site for information and updates: FreeGovernmentCellPhones
As of December 1, 2016 as per the FCC, the maximum talk/text time will be increased to 500 minutes per month. Any other services added to the cellphone the person would need to pay for said services.
In 2017 the number of minutes will be raised to 750, and eventually the number will go up and stand at 1000 minutes per month.
I'm afraid as far as telephones go, I'm with Grace. Why in the world does everyone think the Federal Government owes them everything from food stamps, to child care, to free dental and medical, to telephones. Billions wasted each year in fraud. Social benefits came about during FDR's term, and what started out as programs for the needy became the standard for the lazy. Not all perhaps, but far too many. But fear not, socialism continues to gain popularity, directly proportional with the decline of the working ethic and the principals that made America great.
I'm afraid as far as telephones go, I'm with Grace. Why in the world does everyone think the Federal Government owes them everything from food stamps, to child care, to free dental and medical, to telephones. Billions wasted each year in fraud. Social benefits came about during FDR's term, and what started out as programs for the needy became the standard for the lazy. Not all perhaps, but far too many. But fear not, socialism continues to gain popularity that is directly proportional with the decline of the working ethic and the principals that made America great.
Titlepage, except for the first couple of posts, this entire thread has been condemnation of Grace's comment and has added nothing to the original question and answers...and even your post continues the argument rather than focus on the initial subject. Moron eh? I choose to not lower myself to childish name calling.
To the subject at hand, the two most prevalent justification for "free" telephones as required by the Federal Government are eligibilty based on income, or being a state recipient of Medicaid. 96% of all nursing home residents fall into these categories. This qualifies them for the "free" phone, regardless as to whether the home provides a landline or not. Many long term care facilities only provide a single phone for two roomates or a centralized group phone.
TAP stands for telephone assistance program and while qualifications vary state by state, they hold in common a certain income level or other state aid programs as qualification.
This assistance will either subsidize or outright make free a cell phone with a certain number of minutes per month or it will subsidize the cost of a home phone via a land line.
One thing I had lots of patients doing was signing up for whats called a POTS (plain old telephone service) line through their local provider and have them hook it up into the room (often already wired for such).
This allowed the individual unlimited local calling for a set monthly price with the options for family to setup the service to block the access to long distance etc.
I don't know how useful this is in relation to your question but it came to mind and I thought I'd share.
My Dad's mind is pretty sharp for someone in his 90's, and is a former electrical engineer but he is all thumbs when it comes to using a regular remote control for a TV, I cannot imagine him using a cellphone, especially having bad eyesight. In fact, I had him use a portable landline phone couple years ago and that was a mess.... he would forget how to answer it, how to turn it off, and would forget to place it back in the cradle to recharge. To him, that isn't how telephones should work. The landline has never been a problem for him :)
President Reagan put the "free phones" into law for landlines, and eventually through the years it now cellphones.
In 2017 the number of minutes will be raised to 750, and eventually the number will go up and stand at 1000 minutes per month.
To the subject at hand, the two most prevalent justification for "free" telephones as required by the Federal Government are eligibilty based on income, or being a state recipient of Medicaid. 96% of all nursing home residents fall into these categories. This qualifies them for the "free" phone, regardless as to whether the home provides a landline or not. Many long term care facilities only provide a single phone for two roomates or a centralized group phone.