A big button phone highlights larger buttons with bigger text designed to make dialing easy for users with low vision or manual dexterity limitations. The phone may also include large LCD screens and backlit buttons to make viewing the numbers and caller ID even easier.
Some big button phones may also feature amplified calling and amplified or flashing ringers, to make them easy to use not just for users with low vision but those who have both low vision and reduced hearing, which is a great option for elderly users in particular.
A big button phone is a telephone that features oversized buttons and text, making it easier for people living with limited dexterity or low vision to dial and answer the phone. Often, these phones also include backlighting on the buttons and on-screen read-outs to make reading easy.
Especially helpful for the elderly and for anyone with hearing and/or visual impairments, larger buttons are also a great solution for users with manual dexterity disabilities and conditions.
Some big button phones also include features that make them easier to use for those with decreased hearing as well, including amplified talk-back and flashing or amplified ringers, plus amplified answering machines. This can be a great solution for aging users living with both decreased vision and hearing.
Big button phones are available in models with either a corded and cordless handset, ideal for users with a range of preferences. This allows them to be used as the perfect addition to any household.
If you experience vision or hearing loss, daily tasks such as using the telephone can often become quite a challenge.
The embarrassment of dialing incorrect numbers, the inability to hear the phone ring, or the frustration of not being able to hear the person on the other end can often make hearing or vision impaired users refrain from using the phone altogether.
Health conditions, injuries, and other disabilities that cause a loss of manual dexterity may also impede users from participating in regular phone communication as they can no longer accurately manipulate the buttons.
Confidence and independence with phone communication can be restored by utilizing a big button phone. Not only are the buttons a larger size for simpler dialing, but they are often illuminated and printed with high contrasting color combinations for easier viewing.
The caller-ID screen is often bigger and clearer to read, and may even offer auditory/talking capabilities to alert the hard of hearing user as to who is calling.
For added accessibility, big button phones are often also configured to accommodate hearing-impaired users. Often they include amplified or flashing ringers, amplified talk-back, and amplified answering machines.
Another great thing about a big button phone is that there is a range of models with either a corded or cordless handset, so you can easily choose the style that best fits your needs or your household.