Adaptive phone technology for the elderly keeps evolving with various combinations of hearing amplification, large type / low vision, picture enabled phones (for those with dementia), and the latest and most popular entrant to the field: caption enabled phones which scribe audio messages into text on the phone display. These CapTel phones require 1) a high-speed internet connection and 2) a home phone connection (analog, VoIP, FIOS, DSL or cable - cannot be cellular service) – and as this new technology is regulated by the FCC it takes a few weeks from order to receipt in order to clear regulatory checks. Despite the 2 & 3 week regulatory lead-time, the response to and reviews of CapTel phones has been enthusiastic, with the most ardent reviewers describing restored levels of communication with elderly loved ones. Here are our PG Picks for the Best Phone Technology for Seniors.
