Walking Sticks Stoke on Trent, Newcastle under Lyme, Stone & Stafford

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Walking Sticks Stoke on Trent & Newcastle under Lyme

and all of Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire & Shropshire

The famous  -  CASTLE FOLDING ADJUSTABLE WALKING STICK  is always available at ...

A special offer price
                                                       of JUST  £10
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WALKING STICKS .. Castle Comfort of Newcastle under Lyme in Staffordshire became kind of 'famous' for the supply of walking canes when they opened their stall in a Stoke on Trent market stall.  A decade ago, quite a stir was caused when visitors to Hanley, Stoke on Trent indoor market found themselves having their 'ferrules' changed on their walking canes - FREE OF CHARGE. The ferrule is the metal or rubber stopper on the end and folks came from miles around to see if it was true.

It started, not as a gimmick as such, but the firm who obtained the ferrules from manufacturers for around 50p each - found it time consuming and uneconomical to  account for and charge 75p-£1 and write out a receipt for each one. So they gave them away. Soon it was realised that peoples appreciation of getting something for nothing (and an item that can be difficult to find) resulted in one of Castle Comfort's best ever marketing policies. The local community got to know and love this local company that was clearly not out to make every penny it could - and naturally when time came to invest in a chair, bed or a stair lift - then CCC's Wolstanton showroom became the place to visit.

Source:Walking Sticks Stoke on Trent

To this day - a posse of Castle Comfort team members make regular visits to lots of care homes, residential complexes and  a 'coffee morning ferrule change.'  They can be found at place such as  Bradeley Village, Lisbon Place in The Westlands, Newcastle under Lyme, Gordon Court, Newhouse Court, Mill Rise, Amberly House, Lea Court, Berry Hill, Garners Garden Centre and many more.  You no doubt will have seen us when out shopping at your local Morrison's and Sainsbury's stores (the latter especially on Red Nose Day).

If a similar product (and of a similar quality) is found elsewhere it will probably be around the £15 mark - thought it has been spotted retailing at up to £30 and even some suppliers may charge carriage.  Also, if people cannot get to the showroom and live within a fifteen mile radius, it will be delivered FREE OF CHARGE. Naturally if ever the ferrule needs changing- that will be free.

Details -

A height adjustable CASTLE WALKING STICK folds when not in use for compact storage or transportation. Available in SMALL or STANDARD. One or the other will be fine for a very tiny dot of a person - up to an Olympic pole jumper.  Simply try them out at  the Newcastle under Lyme showroom or in the comfort of your own home when the Castle team member arrives, of course, by appointment.

They are  made from strong powder-coated steel,  have an arthritic friendly shaped handle and have non-marking slip resistant rubber ferrules (tips.)

SO, NOW YOU KNOW WHO TO CONTACT WHEN  YOU WANT A WALKING STICK  - AND REMEMBER IF YOU ARE HUNTING AROUND FOR A LOVED ONE - THEN THERE IS NO FINER PRESENT - (AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE FOR A BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY OR CHRISTMAS)

CONTACT CASTLE COMFORT ON 01782 611411

OR VIA THEIR LINK HERE.

NOW - WALKING STICK AND CANE ENTHUSIASTS - AND WE KNOW THERE ARE MILLIONS OF YOU OUT THERE, READ ON... AND ENJOY ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING  ACCOUNTS EVERY WRITTEN ON THE SUBJECT OF WHAT MAYBE MAN'S (OR WOMAN'S) BEST FRIEND... EVEN MORE SO THAN THE DOG ................

If you thought that a walking stick was just a walking stick, plain and simple, you would be wrong. The humble walking stick, giving walking support to the aged and infirm, is anything but. Walking sticks have been seen as a fashion accessory by some and even a real, trusted friend by others with which to share life; akin to walking the dog!
Walking sticks are also becoming an acceptable self-defence tool for ladies. But if you ever bash a would be mugger over the head don´t tell the police you carry it for that purpose. Just invent ´´a little arthritis in the knee´´ - and wink at the copper. He´ll tick the right boxes.

“When you have no companion, look to your walking stick.”

(Albanian Proverb)

“The best, the most exquisite automobile is a walking stick and one of the finest things in life is going for a walk with it.”

(Robert Coates Holliday)

“Speak softly and carry a large stick; you will go far.”

(Theodore Roosevelt)
Edward VII (1841-1910) was the son of Queen Victoria. He served as heir apparent and held the title Prince of Wales. It is not hard to draw at least some comparisons between Edward and Charles, Prince of Wales. Both princes had mothers as reining monarchs endowed with longevity. Elizabeth 11 became Queen on the death of her father, King George V1, in February 1952. She was only 25 years old. The coronation was held in June 1953. Her remarkable 60 years on the throne, her Diamond Jubilee, was one of the triumphs of 2012. Elizabeth 11 is the second longest reigning monarch. Victoria was Queen from June 1837 to January 1901, a total of 63 years.

To be Heir Apparent, or monarch in waiting, must be one of the most unenviable of roles. When most people are looking forward to retirement, Charles, and Edward before him, cannot take on the role which destiny has assigned them until their latter years, and then not until the death of the parent!

Queen Victoria had a passion for all things Scottish and this was epitomised by her choice of interior design at Balmoral Castle. This is of course where the Royal Family spends their summer holidays. The pursuit of all things Scottish is still a feature of senior Royals and highland dress, with a stout walking stick, is a part of the holiday at Balmoral Castle. Prince William apparently preferred jeans!

Source:Wikipedia Public Domain

Edward VII at Balmoral. Note the Scottish attire. The photograph is thought to have been taken by his wife, Alexandra.

Look at the pictures of the two Heirs Apparent. What do you see in common? The answer is a walking stick, a stylish accessory for the gentry of the day. Edward VII (Albert Edward) was born on 9^th November 1841. He was King on the United Kingdom and all of the British Dominions. He was also Emperor of India from January 22 1901. Edward is thought to have been a champion of human equality and at times derisory of the Government. He undertook a tour of India which lasted an incredible eight months. It was noted that he treated all people equally, with no exclusions on the ground of race, colour or religion.  In an outspoken and unpopular attack of the treatment of Indians by the British officials he wrote “Because a man has a black face and a different religion from our own, there is no reason that he should be treated as a brute.” At the end of the successful tour, the title ‘Empress of India’ was bestowed on Victoria by the British Parliament, thus creating Edward as the future Emperor when he ascended the throne.

His family route was the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and he was the first British monarch from that dynasty. The name, with its Germanic associations, was changed by his son, George V, to the House of Windsor and the name remains in the present day monarchy. During the long reign of his mother, Queen Victoria, he was largely excluded from affairs of State and became the personification of the fashionable playboy with a taste for the high life; fine wines, food and of course mistresses. Victoria spoke harshly of him “I never can, or shall, look at him without a shudder.”He was nothing like her beloved Albert whom she worshipped all her life.

Edward was no ‘dedicated follower of fashion’; rather he established the fashion for the gentry. He it was who made the wearing of tweed, Norfolk jackets and Homburg hats the fashion in men’s wear Outdoors, he was always accompanied by a walking stick, some styles for town and others for the country.

Edward was responsible for some traditions which still are followed today. These include the wearing of a black tie with dinner jackets and leaving the bottom button of a waistcoat unfastened. I think that this was born more from girth than fashion! Walking sticks too became the fashion and there are some fine examples spanning the centuries.

I include at this point an aspect of country life of which I have a loathing. Shooting living creatures in the guise of a ‘sport’, together with fox hunting with dogs. This walking stick shows the head of a Retriever returning the quarry. The fox hunting ban in Britain is still in force and will, I hope, remain so. I am visited by urban foxes every night which solve my food recycling! In common with the majority of the aristocracy and a rural way of life style of the less ‘well bred’, Edward had a passion for hunting. The rooms of Balmoral, with tartan drapes and carpets, adorned with stags heads, bare macabre testimony to the cruelty of a particular form of ‘Scottish’ tradition, so passionately embraced by Victoria. It is a regrettable anomaly that some senior Royals of today, Patrons of Wild Life Conservation, continue to hunt.

Edward did not restrict his guns to Balmoral. His passion led to a bizarre ‘naughtiness’ when resident at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. It seems that he had the clocks altered to run an hour fast to create more time for the morning shoots.  ‘Sandringham Time’, only ceased in 1936 on the express orders of Edward VIII.

People who shoot game birds need a stable platform from which to fire, hence the design of another type of walking stick, the aptly named shooting stick. The handle opens out into a two part canvas or leather seat, mounted on a single leg with a ground spike. The user perches on the seat and supports their body with their legs for greater stability.

Pheasant shooting sticks and walking sticks

Collectors of antiques do include walking sticks. Many are exquisite pieces and demand very high prices. One such walking stick, dating from 1780, is a fine example. The stick itself is built from Bark Malacca with a highly decorative handle in fine German Meissen pottery. Malacca, referred to by makers as the “King of Canes”, is a species of rattan palm, found along the coast of Sumatra. It is an ideal medium for walking sticks; light weight but very strong. This opulent stick is valued at a staggering £9000. The Malacca is of course a factor, but far more so the fine Meissen.

source:Flickr

Meissen began production of fine porcelain in Dresden. (Germany, not Stoke-on-Trent).

The ware can be authenticated by the crossed swords back stamp, patented in 1720.

Alongside‘Meissen’, the name ‘Wedgwood’ is world famous. Josiah Wedgwood was born in 1768 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. In childhood, Wedgwood contracted smallpox which left him with a severely weakened knee. It was this weakness, rendering him unable to use the pedal on a potter’s wheel, which caused him to change direction towards design. He revolutionised the firing process with the invention of the pyrometer, to give accurate temperature readings in the kilns, for which he was recognised by the Royal Society. Being a son of Newcastle-under-Lyme, adjacent to Stoke-on-Trent, I thought that I had a reasonable knowledge of Josiah Wedgwood’s life. However, as in the adage,’one is never too old to learn!’ I did not know that in 1768 his knee problem resulted in the amputation of his right leg. Wedgwood was a perfectionist. It is recorded that he would tour the Etruria factory, closely inspecting the ware for the slightest imperfection. If the quality was not to his standard, he would raise his walking stick and smash the pot in pieces whilst shouting loudly “This will not do for Josiah Wedgwood.”

Modern day walking sticks may lack a little in elegance but they are a functional aid to mobility. Many are available in a telescopic design, and some effort is made to make them decorative for ladies! In common with their Malacca ancestors, the walking sticks are light weight and yet give strong support for those who need assistance when walking. The added advantage is that they can be collapsed and stowed in a shopping bag.

Walking sticks feature in Folklore and Fantasy. Fairies and ‘little people’ are more the stuff of Ireland, but one old tale comes from Wales.

A farmer from Cwmllan was tending his sheep in the hills. He heard a cry for help. Only people cried and he could not remember seeing people on the remote hill. He discovered a young girl. She had fallen and was trapped on a ledge above a rocky cliff. With no thought for his own safety, the famer climbed down and rescued her. A little old man appeared from nowhere, saying that the girl was his daughter, and thanked the farmer profusely for saving her life. The old man rewarded the farmer by insisting that he accepted his most valued possession, his walking stick. Within a moment, both the old man and the girl were gone from sight. It was as if they had never been.

From that day on, the farmer’s life changed and he became rich. His sheep always gave birth to two ewes. No accidents or diseases struck his flock. Sheep stealers were thwarted. Birds of prey never took a lamb. In the worst of winter, sheep buried in snow drifts always survived. In due season, his flock produced the finest wool. It seemed that the old man’s walking stick had brought good fortune indeed.

One night, having brought the sheep off the hill, the famer walked to a nearby village to a cock fight. He set off for home very late. A dreadful storm blew up with high winds and rain in sheets. He had to cross a swollen stream, using the stick to find a safe footing. Somehow the walking stick slipped from his hand and was washed away by the torrent. Exhausted, the farmer finally reached his cottage.

The next morning the storm had abated and the farmer set out to assess any damage and to look for his stick. Nearly all of his sheep had gone, washed away with the stick by the power of the torrent.

The farmer was ruined. His wealth had gone, as it came, with a walking stick.

(Adapted from ‘Welsh Fairy Book’ (1907) W. Jenkyn Thomas)

Fantasy is perfectly adapted to the cinema. Looking at the momentous success of the ‘Harry Potter’ films who could question that?

‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’

The original film, ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’, was made in 1971 with Gene Wilder in the star role as Willy Wonka, It was based on the book of the same title, written in 1964, by one of the greatest of children’s fantasy writers, Roald Dahl. It was not a success. A second adaptation, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ was begun in 1991 and first screened in 2005. Willy Wonka played by Johnny Deep. A young boy, Charlie Buckett, wins every child’s dream, a tour of a candy factory. It turns out to be the most wonderful candy factory of all, run by the wildly eccentric Willy Wonka. The sugar corridors are not as sweet as they seem. The story unfolds with fantastical plots and intrigues but Willy and Charlie triumph. The whole design is a colourful extravaganza with every imaginable candy colour and shapes made in incredible ‘Heath Robinson’ machinery.

The musical (chocoholic) fans amongst us will not be surprised to know that a new stage

version of the story will be premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in May 2013. The show is directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes. Music is by Marc Shaiman with choreography by Peter Darling, who choreographed the poignant film ‘Billy Elliot’.

Source:flickr

It seems then that the story of walking sticks is far from being a boring mundane topic. However, as with sweets, I like to save my favourite ‘til last. It is Willy Wonka who created perhaps the most irresistible walking stick of all; a candy stick filled to the handle with confectionary goodies!

Bath Lifts | Bathing Solutions | Newcastle | Stoke | Staffordshire

Elderly Bathing Solutions and Bath Lifts in Stoke on Trent and Newcastle under Lyme

Call us 01782 611 411! 

Continue Enjoying a Long, Warm Soak

Walk in baths and bath lifts available to view at our Stoke on Trent Showroom

There’s nothing more refreshing than a long, warm soak in the bath.  It’s about much more than just getting clean.  Recent research from Yale University published in Psychology Today suggests that the warm feeling we get from a bath or any other warm comforter also makes us feel happier and less lonely.  Who’d have thought?  The problem comes if due to old age or disability that getting into the tub becomes a real struggle or even dangerous.  That is why we have walk-in baths and showers or a simple bath lift which can enable you to have a soak in the bath even if you can't lift your leg over the side.  The bath lift will help you in and out.

We have both a walk in bath and a bath lift on display in our everyday independent living aids showroom. 

Call us today to find out more - Call us 01782 611 411! 

A lengthy soak in the bath has also long been an aid for relieving aching muscles too.  And of course immersing yourself in a warm bath in a steam filled room is good for your skin and pores keeping them healthy.

Imagine not being able to enjoy a long, lingering bath or worse still, not being able to get in and out of the bath.  This is often the case for those with disabilities or those who are less nimble due to ageing, so a little help is needed.

There are a number of aids from bath seats combined with grab handles to swivel chairs to help users get in and out of the bath.  However if mobility is a real problem, then a bath lift is probably the answer.

Here 's how to find us:-

N.B. Bath boards usually just fit across the top of the bath as do bath seats.  Both allow the user to sit and then lower themselves into the water or indeed, sit on the board/seat and wash from there if they don’t feel safe lowering themselves into the water.

Here's Keith demonstrating a bath lift - an inexpensive alternative to a walk in bath.

The first bath lift

It was as recently as 1980 that Dave Garman invented the first pneumatic-based bath lift.  He was inspired to invent this aid when his own ageing parents were having problems getting in and out of the bath and there seemed to be nothing on the market to help.

It was an instant success and won a TV award for innovation almost immediately.  He was recognised for an industry award (British Healthcare Trades Association) about 5 years ago when he was 85 for his invention.

History of bathing

Taking a bath seems perfectly natural to most of us but bathing hasn’t always been a necessity or taken in the privacy of your own home.  Here’s a brief history:-
As far back as 2000 BC, the Egyptians loved bathing.
In fact, Egyptians obsessed with bathing and thought foreigners dirty.
The first known heated bath was in Egypt in 600 AD
Romans knew that cleanliness reduced disease
Roman aqueducts brought clean water to their public bath houses
Many towns all over Europe had bath houses in the Middle Age
Edward III installed a bathroom in the Palace of Westminster in the 14^th Century

Public domain

Others who could afford it had wooden tubs which were manually filled with water.
In Tudor times, people sometimes used the rivers to bathe in during the summer months.
Henry VIII had a bathroom at Hampton Court Palace.
From 1800 people used portable metal tubs.
In Victorian times some middle class homes had bathrooms.
It wasn’t until the 1900 that homes in general began to get bathrooms and then not all. 
Some houses didn’t get bathrooms until half way through the 20^th Century.

Bath lifts

Getting into the bath with the greatest of ease ... no, you don’t need a flying trapeze, just a bath lift.  With personal bathing a fairly recent thing for the masses, bath lifts are a relatively modern invention.  Most bath lifts are operated either hydraulically or by battery power.  They can be taken in and out of the bath so that other people can use the tub.

They are usually seat shaped i.e. with a seat and back rest.  Their highest point is level with the bath top so that access is relatively easy.  Once the person has sat on the seat and their legs are in the bath then it can be lowered into the water.  Some bath lifts have reclining backs so that users can get to immerse as much of their bodies as possible.

Battery operated bath lifts will need regular charging.  Some have a safety feature which will not allow the bath lift to lower into the water unless there is enough power to come back out again.  This is very important as no one wants to be stuck in the water!

Bath lifts do make it possible for those with mobility difficulties to retain some independence and bathe alone.  For those who need care, it is easier for carers to work with a bath lift rather than having to physically help someone into the bath when slipping or back injuries to the carer can be a risk.

Many bath lifts are ‘mobile’ so they can fold up when out of the bath and not in use.  There are also bath lifts that are fixed to a vertical pole positioned outside of the bath.  This allows the user to transfer onto the seat and then swivel round and lowered into the bath.  Battery operated or electric versions can usually be operated by the user with a handset.  If the bath lift is operated manually (hydraulically), they usually have a handle that needs turning and are intended for a carer to use.

There are overhead track sling hoists for those who are severely immobile.  These hoist the user right up and then immerse them into the water, and would be operated by a carer.

Types of bath lift

The seats of bath lifts should be comfortable and easy to clean but there are several different materials used to make them.

Moulded plastic is lightweight and easy to clean and pretty sturdy

Polished wood is comfortable and easy to slide onto and clean.  The polish can wear away and may need attention with wear

Wooden seat with cork top feels warm to sit on and the textured surface will mean bathers don’t slip off.  However users will need to be able to lift themselves off and wear may make it more difficult to clean

Painted or plastic coated wood are easy to slide onto and clean.  Surfaces may chip in time and will need attention or even resurfacing

Coated metal is easy to slide onto and will withstand long use.  Metal coated boards are also stronger and heavier and will take larger weights

Padded seats add extra comfort especially for those in pain or the very thin

Slatted or perforated seats allow water to drain away easily and are less slippery

Cut away fronts allow easier personal washing

This factsheet will give you much more information about bath lifts, alternative baths and other bathing aids, and when you are ready to buy then why not come and see a walk in bath in the showroom at Wolstanton? 

They can be designed to fit into a small or larger space so you could raing in your measurements or call into the showroom to have a look.  Also we can get our approved bathroom installation company to come and give you a no-obligation quote for you to consider as well. 
Our number is 01782 611 411

Telephones For The Elderly With Big Buttons

Special Phones For The Elderly or Disabled - with Big Buttons - for Stoke on Trent folk.

Helping Staffordshire and Cheshire retired and disabled people, stay connected to those they may need to contact - and be contacted by.

Public Domain Image

Telephones have certainly come a long way since that first one developed by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.  Now we expect to be able to speak to people any where in the world or at least text them.  You’ll have noticed that many people are always speaking or texting on the phone even when walking through the streets, in a restaurant, at home, everywhere.  Nowadays we expect to be connected at all times!

People in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire were perhaps ahead in the mobile telephone revolution in the 1980s as local entrepreneur, John Caudwell created one of the world's biggest mobile companies

Source:Wikipedia Pbroks13

Telephones are a way of keeping in contact with people who live a long way away or a lifeline to help or just for going about your daily life.  Test yours out by giving us a ring! 01782 611 411

The developments in telephones have certainly made it possible to advance phones with special applications that can make them easier for those with disabilities or mobility issues.  Now that landlines have cordless handsets and there are mobile phones that connect to a network wherever you are – most of the time – a telephone means that you can easily be connected to whoever you need to speak to at anytime.

Features and benefits of the telephone for those with disabilities

• Cordless handsets: this means that you can keep the telephone handset close to you especially if you are slow to get to the telephone base holder or hard of hearing
• Hands-free telephones have built in microphones and loudspeakers which means you can speak to them and hear the caller without lifting the handset
• On-hook dialling allows you to dial a number without lifting the receiver
• Digital or caller display telephones have a small screen on which the number of the caller (or their name if you have their number stored on your phone) comes up when they call.  This means you know who is calling before you answer the telephone
• Telephone memory allows you to store important numbers on your phone
• Last number redial or call-back allows you to call the last number that called you by pressing just one button
• Inductive couplers can be built-in to the phone or a small add-on box that can be attached to the handset.  They allow hearing aids that have a ‘T’ switch to pick up the ring tone
• A pulsator gives a vibrating sound when placed on the bone in front or behind the ear.  This helps some people to hear the conversation of the caller better
• Keys with a raised dot on the ‘5’ help people to navigate around the keypad.  The 5 is the central button so those who can’t see for instance know this key is in the middle
• A phone with a ringer volume control allows the user to turn the volume of the ringer up or down
• Built-in volume control allows the user to turn the volume of the conversation on the phone up or down

Telephones for those with disabilities

A number of the specially developed features for those with disabilities can be useful for several disabilities.  Others have been developed specifically to focus on a particular problem

Telephones for the visually impaired
There are some features that can make it easier for those who find it difficult to see.

• For instance a larger keypad with larger buttons and more space between them helps to avoid misdials; a contrasting colour to define the space between keys will also help to avoid misdials. One of the main brands is the Doro.

• Number memory allows frequently used telephone numbers to be stored in the phone.  This is really useful for quicker dialling for those who have difficulty seeing clearly

• The raised dot on the ‘5’ as we’ve already mentioned helps to identify where you are on the keypad as 5 is the central figure

• Either a wall mounted telephone so that it is at eyelevel or a cordless handset which you can bring closer to your eyes are both a help for those whose eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be

• An added bonus can be a voice prompt that is available in some answer phones.  This could give you a voice message when a message has been left on the answer machine for you.  Some of these also give you voice-prompts when you are retrieving messages left for you or trying to record outgoing messages

Telephone for those with impaired dexterity

There are several adaptations of telephones for someone with limited movement especially in their hands:

• Large concave buttons and more space between them
• Hands-free set so that you can just use your voice
• On hook dialling so that the handset doesn’t need to be lifted to dial the number
• Telephone headsets to enable private conversations i.e. not on speaker phone but still leaving your hands free
• Number memory to store frequently used numbers
• Pre-dial allows you longer to key in the number and then just press the dial button i.e. gives you more time and makes it easier
• Last number redial which allows you to call the last number that called you with one key
• An automatic answering phone allows the person dialling in to manage the call as long as they are a pre-recognised number.  All the user has to do is listen and speak into the provided clip-on microphone.  The caller has to activate the phone with a 3-digit PIN.  This also means that only those with given permission can get through
• Telephone conversation recorders allow the user to record conversations.  This is a particularly useful feature if the user is unable to take notes
• Holders and stands are available for the handset so that the user doesn’t have to pick up or hold the handset for any length of time – nor put it back on the receiver!

For those with speech impediments

• Hands-free is a useful feature especially if the user is using a computer or other aid with a keyboard and synthesised speech
• Speech amplification on out-going calls means that a user with a weak voice can be heard
• A fax machine allows the user to communicate in writing rather than by voice
• Caller display allows the user to see who the caller is without speaking to them
• Recording or using a recorded message on an answer phone or voice mail box can invite callers to leave a message so that the user doesn’t need to speak
• If the user’s speech is difficult to understand a textphone allows the conversation to be typed rather than spoken
• SMS or texting is widely available on mobile telephones and allows the user to send a written message to another similar phone
• Video phones come into their own if you need to use sign language for instance as both parties can see one another

Communicating by telephone if you have a hearing impediment

• Use a telephone that is ‘hearing aid compatible’ i.e. has an earpiece with an audio magnetic field
• Using a hearing aid with a T setting affords a clearer sound as long as the aid is switched to T
• Use the ringing volume control to ensure you hear the phone ring
• Or add on a telephone bell unit to increase the ringing volume.  These units are usually mains electric or battery powered and will need a telephone socket to plug into
• A telephone with a flashing light when the phone rings helps for those who have no or very poor hearing.  Be aware that often these flashing lights are small so you may need to position the phone near to you
• Again add-on flashing units can be installed.  These are usually powered by mains electricity so will need a nearby plug and telephone socket
• There are systems available that can cause lights in the house to flash when the phone rings.  These should be installed by an electrician

For those who find it difficult to hear the telephone conversation

• Using an inductive coupler with your hearing aid turned to T will help to clarify the voice of the caller and also cut out background noise.  These don’t actually amplify the volume though
• Inductive couplers can be built-in or bought as an add-on unit
• Pulsators can help some to hear the conversation more clearly.  They operate by vibrating the sound when placed on the bone in front or behind your ear

Wikipedia:Ben Schumin Zach Vega

Mobile phones for older people

Pros - developed in the 1980s, the mobile phone can be useful for those with disabilities. As well as text messaging and caller recognition, many of them now accept the voice as a way of communication.  For instance you can ask a new smart phone to call a number in the stored phone book.  The internet can also be activated from many mobile phones too.

Cons – sometimes people who are less dexterous find mobile phones too small and fiddly to use and they usually take longer to set up than a landline phone.  Just as you have to remember to put your cordless handset back in its base to ensure it is charged, a mobile also runs on battery and must be plugged in and charged regularly using a special plug and cable.  Digital mobile phones can cause bad interference to analogue hearing aids but this can be addressed by wearing headphones or a headset.

• There are a number of additional services that are available to those who have problems:
• If you have a BT landline, they will supply an extension ringer to help you hear the telephone ringing
• A free Directory Enquiry service is available to those who cannot use the directories due to a disability as long as it is backed up by your doctor
• Several telephone service providers offer an ‘assisted call service’ if the user has difficulty using the keys to dial
• Vulnerable customers (disabled or older) should let their service provider know of their condition so that when an engineer visits they can be given a pre-arranged password so that you know it is OK to let them in.
• Literature and bills in accessible Formats – suppliers are legally obligated to ensure you get bills and other literature in a format you can read i.e. Braille, large-print and multi-media.  Many now provide Internet access so that bills can be seen online or there is a service where your bill is read to you over the phone.

If you are having difficulties or want more detailed information this factsheet produced by the Disabled Living Foundation should help.  And if you want something locally give us a call at Castle Comfort Centre and we will help.  Call us today or pop in.