Basic communication with hearing loss / tech phobia!
Discussion
Evening,
Bit of a tricky one but I have an elderly relative, lives many many miles away on their own and doesn't use tech at all. Sadly their hearing is fading to the point using a phone is no longer viable even with hearing aids which is proving a challenge.
I'm trying to explore options for basic communication. Currently we're exchanging letters but it's a slow process so whether there's a very basic, Granparentvproof option in the way of a tablet with an app that could potentially convert spoken word to text on the screen so I could call / video call and it'd in essence, show subtitles?
They do have an internet connection but that's it, no mobile or PC usage at all. I could get them help to set up a tablet of some sort but ideally I'd order and send it to them and a trusted neighbour to help them get it running. Bug having searched, seems Teams is the go to but not sure how useful friendly it is.
Is there anything that works / any personal experience?
Thanks
Bit of a tricky one but I have an elderly relative, lives many many miles away on their own and doesn't use tech at all. Sadly their hearing is fading to the point using a phone is no longer viable even with hearing aids which is proving a challenge.
I'm trying to explore options for basic communication. Currently we're exchanging letters but it's a slow process so whether there's a very basic, Granparentvproof option in the way of a tablet with an app that could potentially convert spoken word to text on the screen so I could call / video call and it'd in essence, show subtitles?
They do have an internet connection but that's it, no mobile or PC usage at all. I could get them help to set up a tablet of some sort but ideally I'd order and send it to them and a trusted neighbour to help them get it running. Bug having searched, seems Teams is the go to but not sure how useful friendly it is.
Is there anything that works / any personal experience?
Thanks
Apologies for maybe suggesting something already tried, but have they tried using a phone on speaker?
My dad was very deaf with 2 aids and he found he could hear it better when it was on speakerphone. You can also get phones designed for people with hearing loss which have everything amplified (the ring and the speaker).
An elderly person with no experience of tech will struggle with any tech. I'd try the different phone route first, personally.
My dad was very deaf with 2 aids and he found he could hear it better when it was on speakerphone. You can also get phones designed for people with hearing loss which have everything amplified (the ring and the speaker).
An elderly person with no experience of tech will struggle with any tech. I'd try the different phone route first, personally.
Hearing aids - bluetooth connection and/Made for iPhone https://support.apple.com/en-gb/106341 will be better than an amplified phone on speaker.
Teams, Zoom and Google Meets all have live captioning. Some of them offer the ability to have them on by default (Teams does) or to turn them on for all users (Zoom/Google Meets does I believe). Not hugely user friendly.
iOs/iPadOS/MacOS, Android and Windows 11 all have built in system wide live captioning. They can be on by default.
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iphb2...
https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/a...
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/use-li...
All of these solutions though are vulnerable to falling over and needing IT assistance from you. You would need remote access to help them (obivously can't do anything if their internet connection goes down).
Ideally display them on a TV for large format and more comfort. but this would introduce further steps, more devices to turn on etc.
FaceTime on a large iPad is probably the simplest. Consider an easy way to keep it charged and turn on so that you can initiate the calls most of the time (but also make it easy for them to find and call you).
Teams, Zoom and Google Meets all have live captioning. Some of them offer the ability to have them on by default (Teams does) or to turn them on for all users (Zoom/Google Meets does I believe). Not hugely user friendly.
iOs/iPadOS/MacOS, Android and Windows 11 all have built in system wide live captioning. They can be on by default.
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iphb2...
https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/a...
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/use-li...
All of these solutions though are vulnerable to falling over and needing IT assistance from you. You would need remote access to help them (obivously can't do anything if their internet connection goes down).
Ideally display them on a TV for large format and more comfort. but this would introduce further steps, more devices to turn on etc.
FaceTime on a large iPad is probably the simplest. Consider an easy way to keep it charged and turn on so that you can initiate the calls most of the time (but also make it easy for them to find and call you).
Its a common issue but the Apple / Android tablet is not a sensible idea for someone who has no tech experience. Talk to Age Concern, an audiology clinic or other such organisation they will be able to point you I the right direction.
Edited by Steve_H80 on Saturday 27th December 16:57
Thanks. Though probably should have added video calling / photo sharing would be massively advantageous so hence leaning towards a tablet of some description. Have a couple here so will try a few options as far as what platform works well.
Not sure on the BlueTooth hearing aids but they've not long since invested in new ones which I think helped a bit, but phone calls are still a no go even with speaker facility... hence leaning towards something that could display in text.
EMail is the obvious answer but that brings it's own set of challenges and the distance between is a massive factor, I can't just pop round and do basic crash course... or more to the point, send my 5yr old round.
Not sure on the BlueTooth hearing aids but they've not long since invested in new ones which I think helped a bit, but phone calls are still a no go even with speaker facility... hence leaning towards something that could display in text.
EMail is the obvious answer but that brings it's own set of challenges and the distance between is a massive factor, I can't just pop round and do basic crash course... or more to the point, send my 5yr old round.
I have a 97 year old family member who can now communicate successfully on FaceTime. Basic steps from memory... and he has a broadband router which I installed (plugged in and switched on).
I purchased an iPad
I deleted every app and moved the permanent ones a few pages away - leaving only one app visible.
Disabled all FaceID stuff - he just has to turn it on.
Created a Gmail account for him (which he doesn't use) but needed for AppleID.
Created an AppleID for him.
Set up FaceTime on his iPad.
Created his address book with family numbers and emails
I think that was it. He now uses it exclusively to talk to family members every day and it's a bit of a Godsend for him to be honest.
In your case you can set all this up without needing to visit him - and then he just needs to receive the iPad, log onto his router/wifi and have someone show him how to make and receive a call. This can be a bit tricky, but my family member who has zero tech experience manages it.
Hope this helps.
I purchased an iPad
I deleted every app and moved the permanent ones a few pages away - leaving only one app visible.
Disabled all FaceID stuff - he just has to turn it on.
Created a Gmail account for him (which he doesn't use) but needed for AppleID.
Created an AppleID for him.
Set up FaceTime on his iPad.
Created his address book with family numbers and emails
I think that was it. He now uses it exclusively to talk to family members every day and it's a bit of a Godsend for him to be honest.
In your case you can set all this up without needing to visit him - and then he just needs to receive the iPad, log onto his router/wifi and have someone show him how to make and receive a call. This can be a bit tricky, but my family member who has zero tech experience manages it.
Hope this helps.
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