Handy Gadgets & Equipment for Seniors  

LOW-TECH CELL PHONES:

All the high-tech add-ons available on cell phones often end up confusing consumers. For those with no need for photos, instant messaging, and so forth, there's now a low-tech cell phone. Jitterbug phones are designed specifically for Baby Boomers and Seniors. Jitterbug ( www.jitterbug.com ) cell phones feature large buttons, bright screens, and loud ringers. Users can make calls themselves or push a button to be connected to an operator, who will place calls for them. Before shipping phones out, the company programs user's first 15 numbers, so phones are ready to use right out of the box. The company offers multiple service options and nationwide coverage.

HEARING AIDS WITH COOL DESIGN:

The baby-boomers may be healthier, fitter and younger-looking than any generation before, but the Boomers still experience mild to moderate hearing loss that goes with middle age.  Extremely sensitive to the stigma of hearing instruments, Boomers seem to reject traditional models as an obvious sign of age and infirmity. Audéo is set to dispel those prejudices with an innovative blend of cutting-edge engineering and award-winning design that offers effortless listening, even in the most difficult environments. A host of high-profile Boomers, including Bill Clinton, wear hearing aids. Some hearing devices are getting downright hip, such as the ones by a Swiss company that aims to remove the stigma associated with hearing aids. Phonak's small new Audéo Personal Communication Assistant comes in multiple colors and features names like Pinot Noir, Green with Envy, and Lunar Eclipse.  For more information on hearing testing and choosing hearing aids, please visit the consumer guides section of the American Academy of Audiology's website, www.audiology.org/aboutaudiology/consumered/guides

 . . . more to come soon