Tech advice

[twinpossible]

I am hard of hearing but recently I can no longer hear normal conversation. In person I am a decent lip reader, my job is teaching ASL and my hubby and my girls sign so everyday life is just normal for me. However, I am beginning to adjust to technology use. I cannot hear on the phone anymore, the speakers on the lap top are too low to hear so I must have captions, the TV gets loud enough with our added speakers but then it is too loud for everyone else so I turn on the captions. I am starting to need extra help to understand what is going on.
What technology have you found useful and worth the purchase? Are there any volume enhancing ideas? Is it even worth it to buy a TTY anymore?
Thanks!

 

[PowerON]

Keep volume at high, your hearing ability will keep decrease in years. It's best to not turn that loud anymore.

It's good thing you're prepare to use another language once you lose hearing.

 

[Jane B.]

I am hard of hearing but recently I can no longer hear normal conversation. In person I am a decent lip reader, my job is teaching ASL and my hubby and my girls sign so everyday life is just normal for me. However, I am beginning to adjust to technology use. I cannot hear on the phone anymore, the speakers on the lap top are too low to hear so I must have captions, the TV gets loud enough with our added speakers but then it is too loud for everyone else so I turn on the captions. I am starting to need extra help to understand what is going on.
What technology have you found useful and worth the purchase? Are there any volume enhancing ideas? Is it even worth it to buy a TTY anymore?
Thanks!

I am one of the few on this site it seems that still really likes my TTY for home use. Your post reads such that is makes me think you have no trouble speaking so might like what I use — my state relay service which is reached by dialing 711 using a TTY and regular phone chained together. When they answer you can voice the full phone number of the person you are calling & request VCO for the call. That way when the other party answers you talk to them but the CA sends to your TTY exactly what is heard from the other end of the line (they will even tell you about typing noise, that there is conversation in background, or dogs barking). Someone that wants to call you can do so almost the same way. That is by calling 711 and giving them your full phone number. Unless you have left notes for every call to have VCO you may have to ask for that when you answer.

In Illinois you can get a TTY (or certain other equipment) free with just certification from a doctor or audi that you cannot use a voice phone; income does not make a difference. There are different programs in different states with differing requirements.

If you have a cell phone that uses at least the 2.2 version of the Android operating system you can get captions for your calls. The app I am just getting familiar with is from Sprint but is not restricted to the Sprint network. Here are a couple of sites you might want to look at. Wireless CapTel by Sprint | Sprint800 and/or Hamilton CapTel: Mobile CapTel