Supporting an elderly relative

JWL

Member
Location
Hereford
There are plenty who figure that any use of a phone is a distraction and start spouting driving without due care and attention. Your answerphone is there for callers to leave a message. What is the desire to be at the beck and call to whoever has decided to phone you? When you phone someone you have put aside time to do so, it doesn't necessarily mean that the person you are calling wants to spend that time, if it's spare, to talk back.
 

Cowslip

Member
Mixed Farmer
My mum is also deaf and finds it really hard when she has to contact the hearing specialist at hospital and there is someone on the end of the phone with a foreign accent. I now do all her calls as it's so frustrating for her.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
My mum is also deaf and finds it really hard when she has to contact the hearing specialist at hospital and there is someone on the end of the phone with a foreign accent. I now do all her calls as it's so frustrating for her.

I have taken this up with staff and put in a complaint. How stupid for an audiology department to insist on telephone calls only and refuse to use email. They are actually required to make "reasonable provision" for people's disabilities under the Equality Act 2006 as I remind them at every opportunity. But I suppose we must make allowances in the current circumstances.

The latest bit of nonsense is having to send the little yellow log book in if we need more deaf aid batteries. That is fine for those who can drive or have easy access to the postal service, but not so sensible for those who live miles from the nearest post box and have a problem using the postal service.
 

Cowslip

Member
Mixed Farmer
My mum is hopefully going to have a cochlea implant if she can ever get an appointment due to covid they are only dealing with emergencies. My mum is 65 and she can't hear at all unless both hearing aids in and sitting directly in front of her. She mostly lip reads but her confidence has really taken a battering because of it. Her hearing has been deteriorating since she was 40.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
That is fine for those who can drive or have easy access to the postal service, but not so sensible for those who live miles from the nearest post box and have a problem using the postal service.

Every rural postman or woman I know would be happy to take a letter from you - just flag down the van or give it to them when they deliver.

You’re not that remote though, are you? A bit under three miles to the nearest large town/ post office.
 

anzani

Member
I've a Doro which is recommended for senile old farts like me. I liked the emergency button on the back, also GPS, and the main reason I bought it as I am regularly working alone with young horses.
If you are "Pay as you go", you are likely to have to make at least one call per month, otherwise the provider assumes it (or you!) are lost. I had a Doro, which was fine but not able to survive the washing machine.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
If you are "Pay as you go", you are likely to have to make at least one call per month, otherwise the provider assumes it (or you!) are lost. I had a Doro, which was fine but not able to survive the washing machine.

No, I had a contract at £3.50 a month!

Tested the battery today which reads 4.5v so I think the fauklt must lie elsewhere. Built in obsolescence. Carefully designed to last out the warranty after which you'll be forced to buy another.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
No, I had a contract at £3.50 a month!

Tested the battery today which reads 4.5v so I think the fauklt must lie elsewhere. Built in obsolescence. Carefully designed to last out the warranty after which you'll be forced to buy another.

You left it charging all the time. That’s what killed it, not some built in obsolescence.

Just go buy a cheap Nokia and charge it when it’s flat - probably once a week or less if you get the right one.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
You left it charging all the time. That’s what killed it, not some built in obsolescence.

Just go buy a cheap Nokia and charge it when it’s flat - probably once a week or less if you get the right one.

The battery has a voltage of 4.5v which doesn't sound dead to me. But I am by no means an expert! Something is stopping the phone from working and I am guessing it is not a bad battery.
 

anzani

Member
No, I had a contract at £3.50 a month!

Tested the battery today which reads 4.5v so I think the fauklt must lie elsewhere. Built in obsolescence. Carefully designed to last out the warranty after which you'll be forced to buy another.
I paid £10 for mine, got first £10 top up for free. When phone drowned, I bought another for £10-no freeby, kept the sim and therefore my number which worked in the new phone. Have since used about £3 of the 'free' credit' and 1 paid for top-up. But remember to use phone at least once a month
Something like this:
 
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Sharpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
No, I had a contract at £3.50 a month!

Tested the battery today which reads 4.5v so I think the fauklt must lie elsewhere. Built in obsolescence. Carefully designed to last out the warranty after which you'll be forced to buy another.
My Dad can't break a Doro. This tells me you are doing something wrong.
 

anzani

Member

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Well you can but at the price, is it worth it?

Exactly. And is it the battery? Shouldn't the phone still work if plugged in with the recharging lead or on the charging cradle? It doesn't!

When first plugged in, I can feel a slight vibration as if some mechanism is starting up, then the charging screen comes on, then that goes out and I see the flashing neon, then that stops -- and then nothing works.

Doro repairs are contracted out to SDE Ltd, but I suspect that is going to cost money. Why should I pay to repair a phone that died after 8 months? I hardly used it anyway, so maybe I can do without, as I did before! Cheat me once, shame on you. Cheat me twice, shame on ME.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
When first plugged in, I can feel a slight vibration as if some mechanism is starting up, then the charging screen comes on, then that goes out and I see the flashing neon, then that stops -- and then nothing works.

Silly question, but have you tried turning it on? A phone plugged in will alert you that the charging cycle is starting with a vibration, then put on the charging screen followed by the green charge light. Once it’s full, they’ll all switch off and it will go back to sleep.

Edit - may be worth giving it to a teenage neighbour for half an hour.
 

anzani

Member
Silly question, but have you tried turning it on? A phone plugged in will alert you that the charging cycle is starting with a vibration, then put on the charging screen followed by the green charge light. Once it’s full, they’ll all switch off and it will go back to sleep.

Edit - may be worth giving it to a teenage neighbour for half an hour.
On mine, one has to touch the top left button once (to unlock?), then depress the second right button(red) until the brand logo appears.....
 
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Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Silly question, but have you tried turning it on? A phone plugged in will alert you that the charging cycle is starting with a vibration, then put on the charging screen followed by the green charge light. Once it’s full, they’ll all switch off and it will go back to sleep.

Edit - may be worth giving it to a teenage neighbour for half an hour.

What a ridiculous suggestion! Are you seriously implying that I can't use this phone? Just to be sure, I shall look up the manual and carefully go through the 'turning on' sequence...........!





Oh! Erm. Highland Mule seems to have cured the problem, remotely. The man is a genius! (And someone this end has a very red face!). Thank you for solving it. Next time I shall follow my own advice and read the bloody manual! :ROFLMAO: It's a bachelor problem. No teenagers here.:oops:
 

2wheels

Member
Location
aberdeenshire
Thanks for all your advice and comments.

I've got some jigsaws sorted, plenty of farming programmes lined up to watch and have accessed help to a befriending service through his GP. He comes up to the farm 3 times a day to help where possible, it is mainly in the evenings that he is a bit lost.

As we dont have a pub, or any amenities in the village it is difficult and he isn't a social person as has lived a very solitary life.

Appreciated all your comments
sorry but i hope nobody gives me jigsaws when i'm on that road. haven't the patience for them. :(
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
What a ridiculous suggestion! Are you seriously implying that I can't use this phone? Just to be sure, I shall look up the manual and carefully go through the 'turning on' sequence...........!





Oh! Erm. Highland Mule seems to have cured the problem, remotely. The man is a genius! (And someone this end has a very red face!). Thank you for solving it. Next time I shall follow my own advice and read the bloody manual! :ROFLMAO: It's a bachelor problem. No teenagers here.:oops:

Your phone has a manual? I don't think I've had a manual with a smartphone since, well, not for years and years. I do purchase more phones than many people, because I buy and set them up for the whole family. iPhone and Androids and even a [now broken] Windows phone.
If I have a problem, I either Google or YouTube it. The answer is almost always out there.
 

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