Able to use the telephone at last!

One of our supporters, Ian Crimond, writes about his experiences with some of the products we sell in our shop.

Read how buying equipment such as an amplified doorbell and screen phone transformed Ian's life.

Never heard my doorbell

For almost 30 years, I have been deaf and in that period I have been unable to use a telephone, never heard my doorbell and of course never been able to emulate the fashion geeks who use mobile phones.

I only passed my teaching medical because the doctor was more deaf than myself and came from the same part of Scotland as myself.

Using Text Relay

In 2004 I was able to take legal action against my Primary Care Trust, and as a result, they bought me a Geemarc screen phone, using Text Relay, from the Action on Hearing Loss shop. For those readers unfamiliar with Text Relay, when I use my phone an operator joins the call and types on my screen what the other person is saying..... Oh the joys of being able to use a telephone at last.

Living in the backwoods of Lincolnshire, we do not have high street shops or access to a hearing aid/accessories shop, so Action on Hearing Loss is; believe me, a life saver, with its diverse range of products.

Amplified doorbell

A267 Byron plug-in door chimeLast week I saw on the Action on Hearing Loss shop an amplified doorbell A267 Byron, which I purchased. To be able to hear your own doorbell for the first time in 30 years defies description. The first caller was the post girl, who broke down in tears when I answered the door. This doorbell can be moved around the house as it plugs into any 3 pin socket and needs no batteries.

I also saw mention of the world's loudest mobile telephone, a Geemarc 83000. I phoned Geemarc and they confirmed anyone should be able to hear on it. Besides the minimal facilities of call/receive, it has very large buttons, SMS text and an amazing emergency button on the rear, which when pressed, will send a predefined help message to 6 nominated people before calling an ambulance.

So after 30 years thanks entirely to Action on Hearing Loss, I can use a telephone, a mobile phone, hear my doorbell and lie in bed without the worry of what happens if I take ill during the night.

It would not in any way be an exaggeration to say that Action on Hearing Loss has totally transformed my lifestyle and to them I remain very grateful.

Visit our shop

Visit our online shop to see the wide range of hearing loss products we sell.

Our dedicated Customer Service team can help recommend telephones, textphones and mobile phones, doorbells or any of our products. We’ll always recommend the most suitable product rather than the most expensive.

Article by Tony Kinson

28th March 2012