PHONE OFF THE HOOK

[Karen F]

Hi, I've seen this on old threads but has anyone got any current advice, my Mom keeps leaving the phone off the hook, it has to be a cordless phone as I have to get her to walk around the house checking doors are locked and helping her in the kitchen, by means of Ring cameras. But at the end of the call, after standing in front of the 'little hole' it is hit and miss if the phone actually goes back in the cradle. I've tried googling for ideas, I was looking for either a phone with just an off /on button so I could say press the Red button, she doesn't know how to ring anyone now so doesn't need dialling buttons, or a phone system where we can end the call, not too worried about it recharging as it wouldn't go flat by the next day and we have another cordless phone in the house. It's just when it's left connected nobody can ring her again, we have tried to explain through the Ring cameras how to put it back, but I'm sure others understand how much of a nightmare this is!

 

[My Mum's Daughter]

I went back to an old fashioned corded phone, which Mum seems to cope with. If I'm helping her remotely, I have to do step by step instructions such as with tablets it's, get a drink and come back to the phone, now get your tablets and back to the phone.
Not sure this would work for you

 

[Miss Elli]

We had to go back to a corded phone as Mum was hiding the hand set which is just as inconvenient as not putting the phone back on the receiver - it can be such a worry as communication is everything. Have you looked at Amazon Echo (other brands are probably available), we haven't got one but so many people have recommended them, how I understand it is you can dial in yourself and pop up on the screen and your Mum won't need to do anything, I think you could buy smaller versions and maybe have a few in the house ... not sure if this would help. Also we have Blink cameras in Mum's house and we could talk to Mum through them, again you wouldn't need to use the phone and they are very reasonably priced....we haven't used the talk function with Mum as she doesn't even know we have cameras in the house!!!

 

[Karen F]

I went back to an old fashioned corded phone, which Mum seems to cope with. If I'm helping her remotely, I have to do step by step instructions such as with tablets it's, get a drink and come back to the phone, now get your tablets and back to the phone.
Not sure this would work for you

Thank you for your reply, sadly Mom is beyond that, she wouldn't remember to come back to the phone, I have even been left in the bathroom before now!

 

[Karen F]

We had to go back to a corded phone as Mum was hiding the hand set which is just as inconvenient as not putting the phone back on the receiver - it can be such a worry as communication is everything. Have you looked at Amazon Echo (other brands are probably available), we haven't got one but so many people have recommended them, how I understand it is you can dial in yourself and pop up on the screen and your Mum won't need to do anything, I think you could buy smaller versions and maybe have a few in the house ... not sure if this would help. Also we have Blink cameras in Mum's house and we could talk to Mum through them, again you wouldn't need to use the phone and they are very reasonably priced....we haven't used the talk function with Mum as she doesn't even know we have cameras in the house!!!

Hi, yes we have Ring cameras and often have to talk through them when the phone isn't put back, but it is a nightmare, and sometimes tries to walk off with the cameras instead. Not sure if the Echo would work but I'll have a think on it, thanks for the reply

 

[Miss Elli]

Hi, yes we have Ring cameras and often have to talk through them when the phone isn't put back, but it is a nightmare, and sometimes tries to walk off with the cameras instead. Not sure if the Echo would work but I'll have a think on it, thanks for the reply

Try placing the cameras up high so your Mum couldn't possibly reach them, our Blink cameras are well out of reach but angled so we can see what we need to see - you could place so you can see each door that needs locking and one that covers all of the kitchen - it may work better than the phone and maybe worth trying.

 

[Weasell]

@Miss Elli is correct in my opinion.
An echo show with the biggest screen you can afford.
I love YI cameras (Amazon ).
That way when mum doesn’t answer the phone you can think ‘ ok, you were well enough to make yourself a cup of tea ten minutes ago.
Also a web site called ‘ask Adam ‘
sorry I don’t have a link but if you include the word dementia with your search you should find it. Is very good !

 

[Weasell]

ADAM - About Digital and Me | Alzheimer Scotland

ADAM is a platform that can help you to find the right pieces of technology at the right time.

www.alzscot.org

 

[nitram]

But at the end of the call, after standing in front of the 'little hole' it is hit and miss if the phone actually goes back in the cradle.

Is it possible to devise some kind of funnel like guide which allows aim to be less precise?

 

[Adoralan]

Don't know if this is any help whatsoever, but during a recent hospital stay I got a Doro mobile for my mum, simple and designed for elderly/hard of hearing. Even confused as she was she managed to answer it and return missed calls, because it was like the phone she was familiar with from home. She can't use a smartphone as she holds them to her ear and accidentally switches them off. It holds charge for several days, so depends on how often you could get to charge it. Of course, that might get left somewhere as well!

 

[Banjomansmate]

This thread brings back so many fraught memories - you have my utmost sympathy, I never solved the problem. The best I ever managed was to get one of his friends who lived nearby to go a couple of times and make sure he put the phone back in the cradle!

 

[Optia]

I think I have just found a simple solution to this problem.

My father in law has exactly the same problem leaving the phone line in the engaged condition.

He has Panasonic cordless phones.

I have fitted a smart plug to the basestation unit.
When we are unable to contact him and are getting the engaged signal we can use our smart phones to switch his basestation off and on again remotely from our home.

When the basestation resets all the handsets reset too and the phone line becomes available again.

I have also tried it on a BT cordless 3 phone system and this worked too.

It should be easy to set the smart plug to switch off and on again automatically several times a day as required.

 

[nitram]

When the basestation resets all the handsets reset too and the phone line becomes available again.

What happens if the handset is not on the basestation?

 

[Cat27]

I think I have just found a simple solution to this problem.

My father in law has exactly the same problem leaving the phone line in the engaged condition.

He has Panasonic cordless phones.

I have fitted a smart plug to the basestation unit.
When we are unable to contact him and are getting the engaged signal we can use our smart phones to switch his basestation off and on again remotely from our home.

When the basestation resets all the handsets reset too and the phone line becomes available again.

I have also tried it on a BT cordless 3 phone system and this worked too.

It should be easy to set the smart plug to switch off and on again automatically several times a day as required.

Welcome to TP @IanFoster
I’m glad you found something that worked for you.

 

[Optia]

What happens if the handset is not on the basestation?

If the phone is not in the base station this method still works! It is the base station that connects to the phone line - when the base station has a power interruption it drops the line and when it reconnects the line has been released.
The location of any of the handsets, on the base or charging point or just sitting alone is irrelevant. On of these smart plugs only cost about £15. Give it a try