By Elisabeth Aman, AuD CCC-A
Do you have trouble understanding speech on the telephone? People with hearing loss could have an extremely hard time getting enough clarity on the telephone to understand a phone conversation. This is where the CaptionCall telephone comes in to help fill the gaps of conversation that are missed.
What is it?
CaptionCall is a captioned telephone that shows the captions of what the other person is saying while you have a conversation on the phone. This allows you to read as well as hear what the other person is saying in order to follow along with the conversation seamlessly.
Who gets it?
CaptionCall is a program that offers a free captioned telephone and complimentary delivery, installation, and demonstration to those who have hearing loss and need captions to effectively talk on the telephone. There is also an option to opt for the telephone to be mailed right to you for you to install while a CaptionCall representative talks you through how to set up and use the phone.
How much is CaptionCall?
CaptionCall is a federally funded program that provides telephones to those with hearing loss that struggle to hear and understand on the phone. There is no cost to the user.
If you have hearing loss and have difficulty hearing and understanding on the telephone, ask your hearing care provider if they can send a referral to CaptionCall for you. We, at Killean Audiology and Hearing Aid Centers, can send referrals for those who have verified hearing loss and reported difficulty hearing on the phone. If you would like to discuss the option of CaptionCall or schedule a hearing test, please call one of our five locations to get your appointment scheduled!
Below is a picture of what the captioned telephone looks like. The large screen displays the captioned words while you also hold the phone to your ear. Volume can be adjusted by the volume wheel on the lower right corner of the device. A keypad is in the middle to dial out just like you would on the phone you already use. Voicemail messages can be played and a speaker function can be used on this device as well.
