Guest Author - Kelli Deister

Since a person with a moderate or severe degree of hearing loss cannot rely on the various sounds which alert them to phone calls, fire alarms, alarm clocks etc., they must rely on the use of alert devices. An alert device is basically a piece of equipment that lets the Deaf person know when someone is at the door or calling them, when their alarm clock is going off etc. It even alerts emergency workers so that when they arrive at the person’s home or building, they will be able to quickly locate them.

There are many types of alert devices for the deaf and hard of hearing. There are those that are used for driving, those to alert the individual that someone is at the door, those that signal a fire etc. I will highlight a few of these assistive and alert devices.

There are devices that serve much like a regular light bulb; however, when an alert is necessary, it flashes to alert the Deaf individual. I’m currently using the type of alert device in which a desk lamp plugs into the back of the device. When someone rings the doorbell, the light flashes so that I’m alerted. The light bulb, in my opinion, sounds much easier to use and is more practical, since it screws into any lamp just like a regular light bulb.

Another alert device is one that alerts the deaf person to severe weather storms and systems. This piece of equipment also has an option that allows for the individual to hook it up with a pillow vibrator, in case something happens while they are asleep. Another device that could be used alongside of this one is the one that flashes so that ambulances, firefighters, and police officers can easily find the deaf person in case of an emergency.

Lastly, there are strobe light devices, as well as vibrators that can be placed under the pillow to alert the Deaf person to the ringing phone, smoke alarm, or alarm clock. The strobe light can be used during waking hours while the vibrator can be used during sleeping hours. This way, regardless of the time of day, the person is alerted to everything occurring in their home.

All of these alert devices can be effectively used to alert the deaf person within the confines of their home. They are all reasonably priced and well worth the investment. For more information, please visit the website provided below.