CA Telephone Access Program [CTAP] Presentation a success

The "Demonstration of Telephones for the Hearing and Mobility Impaired" by Love Miller at the Hear! Here! general meeting held at the Davis Senior Center on April 21st  was wonderfully clear and concise. Ms. Miller covered about 10 different phones currently offered to California Residents through the CA Telephone Access Program [CTAP]. The phones cover a variety of needs for people who have difficulty seeing, hearing, speaking, remembering or moving.  Even though there was a lot of information available about the phones Love still managed to made it very easy to understand the differences between the various phones that are now available.

Some of the features offered on the phones were:

• Volume Control
• Tone Control [making the sounds clearer]
• Amplification
• Speaker phones
• External Bell [can be placed so when the phone rings it can be heard]
• Cordless
• Lit Keys
• Ring Alert [flashes so you know the phone is ringing]
• Pager [beeps so you can locate the phone if it is not on its cradle]
• Memory Dials
• Talk Back [Vision-tells you what number you have dialed]
• Big Buttons [Vision-Arthritis-Parkinson's]
• LED screen that displays the words been said by the other party [godsend to those that miss words over the phone]

These specialized telephones and devices are free to qualified individuals and are available through local CTAP Service Centers. Ms. Miller emphasised that selection of the right kind of phone was essential for customer satisfaction. There are three easy steps to file for a phone:

1. Complete the application [available on the web-site address below] providing your name and address and contact information
2. Have the second part of the application form completed by an authorized certified agent [MD, Audiologist, Hearing Aid Dispenser amongst others]
3. Mail, Fax or bring the form into the Service Center nearest you [see below for the Sacramento Center's Information].

If mailing or faxing in the information allow a week before contacting the Center. You will then be asked some questions over the phone to determine which is the right phone for you. If you bring the application into the center yourself then staff will help you test the phones. The Service Centers and all their staff members are committed to helping you try out and test the phones ahead of time so you end up with the phone you really need. There is rarely a wait and the help is one to one...so important when hearing is an issue!

The cost of this program is covered by a small surcharge that all telephone users in California pay as part of their telephone bill and anyone who needs one should be aware of and make use of this excellent program.

Ms. Miller also pointed out that if you have had a phone through the program for any length of time you may want to look at the newer models, it may be time trade in for an upgrade.

These phones definitely make it easier to hear, to dial and to stay connected. Thanks Love for making this a very interesting and useful presentation!

SACRAMENTO SERVICE CENTER
2033 Howe Avenue
Suite 150
CA 95825

1-800-806-1191

Check out CTAP's website for more information:  http://www.ddtp.org/