Cell phones for the signt-impaired

[ffutures]

My aunt, who is in her nineties and slowly losing her sight, has decided that she needs to carry a cell phone. The problem is that (a) she needs one as simple as possible and (b) she can't read the display on most phones - the numbers are too small, and they use green or blue backlighting which doesn't help her eyes much.

Does anyone know of a phone that has a BIG display with numbers as large as possible, preferably doesn't do a lot of other things, will work on UK networks, and isn't ridiculously expensive?

Comments

[sbisson.livejournal.com]

The Vodaphone Simple range sounds just what you're after...

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I'll take a look.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

Would Help the Aged or the Blind charity whose name is elluding me at the moment be able to give recs? This must be a problem lots of older people come up against, so I think they'd have something about it.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Probably - she only told me about this an hour or so ago and I haven't really had time to investigate yet.

[timill]

I don't know, but blindpew_faldo might...

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Got an email address for him?

[timill]

Not that I can lay my hands on currently. Drop him a comment in his LJ?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

It feels a bit like spamming, but I suppose if there's no alternative...

[jilltanith.livejournal.com]

I know that there are very simple phones designed for kids (generally progammable with one button for Mom, one for Dad, maybe one or two others), at least in the US. Maybe something similar would work for your aunt?

Cell Phones

[blindpew-faldo.livejournal.com]

Sorry I cannot be of much help, however Royal National Institute for the Blind have a telephone help line which is based at their depot at Peterborough. Also you will have a local Association for the blind which should have a display area of useful equipment for the visually impaired.

The only mobile that I know of is one of the Nokia's that has been developed by ONCE (onthe) the spanish blind association which has speech and no display but this costs around £500, products for the disabled are never cheap.

Hope this helps

Rebel the black intelligent one and Blindpew who hangs onto the handle.

Re: Cell Phones

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[jilltanith.livejournal.com]

Here's a URL for the phone I was talking about (it was mentioned in the February issue of Consumer Reports): http://www.fireflymobile.com/

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thanks!