Decent loud ringer and light alert for phone and doorbell?

itm2

My 96-year-old Mum has difficulty hearing her (landline) phone ringing, and also her doorbell. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a reasonably-priced solution which would provide a loud alert, as well as something like a flashing light whenever the phone or doorbell rings? She would need at least 2 units - one for upstairs and one for downstairs.
I've come across the Geemarc Amplicall 20, which seems to do what I am looking for, but the only place that is still selling it is charging £60 (compared to its original sale price of £40 on Amazon until May last year), and the need for a 2nd unit would push the overall cost up to £120. The uncertainty over how effective the device would be makes that quite an expensive gamble.
I was wondering if anyone out there was using a device which they have been happy with, and can recommend? (ideally something more reasonably priced than the Geemarc Amplicall 20!)

Savvy_Sue

You could speak to her local council and ask if anyone can do an assessment. My late mum had various aids to ensure she could hear the doorbell and phone, all supplied free of charge. 

Also see if you have either a centre for the deaf or a general disability advice centre nearby, they will certainly know what's available.

Also https://rnid.org.uk/ and https://www.connevans.co.uk

itm2

Savvy_Sue said:

You could speak to her local council and ask if anyone can do an assessment. My late mum had various aids to ensure she could hear the doorbell and phone, all supplied free of charge. 

Also see if you have either a centre for the deaf or a general disability advice centre nearby, they will certainly know what's available.

Also https://rnid.org.uk/ and https://www.connevans.co.uk

Thanks - I hadn't thought about contacting the council. Are these sorts of benefits usually means-tested?

I had seen the www.connevans.co.uk site - thanks. They are the people that are charging £60 for the Geemarc Amplicall 20 (which was £40 on Amazon last year) :0(

Savvy_Sue

itm2 said:

Savvy_Sue said:

You could speak to her local council and ask if anyone can do an assessment. My late mum had various aids to ensure she could hear the doorbell and phone, all supplied free of charge. 

Also see if you have either a centre for the deaf or a general disability advice centre nearby, they will certainly know what's available.

Also https://rnid.org.uk/ and https://www.connevans.co.uk

Thanks - I hadn't thought about contacting the council. Are these sorts of benefits usually means-tested?

I had seen the www.connevans.co.uk site - thanks. They are the people that are charging £60 for the Geemarc Amplicall 20 (which was £40 on Amazon last year) :0(

I don't think anything was means-tested: Mum shouldn't have qualified ... It may take a bit of tracking down, because I am not sure if it was through Occupational Therapists or Social Services. I think I'd start with asking about OT when you phone the council. 

Also note that it was all very well for my Mum to know the phone was ringing: she couldn't then hear what anyone was saying. We used Text Relay, now Relay UK it seems. Mum had a special handset for this, it seems now you can get a smartphone app - that may or may not be progress, depending on whether you can use a smartphone. 

Another thought, but I think the local fire brigade also visited to install smoke alarms, and offered vibrating alarms to go under pillows. Whether they are still able to do this, I am not sure. 

And a final thought for tonight, if your mother ever goes away and stays in a hotel, it's worth making them aware if she won't hear the fire alarm. Premier Inn, for example, have vibrating alarms which they will give you, and they then check whether you'll need help in the event of an evacuation. 

[Deleted User]

What you can get for free

There are some services the council has to provide free of charge if you've been assessed as needing them. These services aren't means-tested and it doesn't matter what your income is. These include:

• small bits of equipment or home adaptations that each cost less than £1,000
• care after you have been discharged from hospital – this is a mix of social care and support with help from NHS staff

Read more about care and support you can get for free.

knightstyle

RNID has an advice service.   https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/technology-and-products/doorbells/