My Dad and I live in different states and his hearing makes it very hard to communicate by phone. Any suggestions for devices or technology?

If it’s set on speaker it’s louder.

Another great idea would be a headset. I have a really old Uniden cordless telephone system and use a Antek headset and can hear really well with it even without my hearing aids. What I really like is that it’s hands free and I can multitask while talking on the phone.
Ive used headsets for years until I finally got some decent hearing aids and they really made a difference. I was an inexpensive option at the time and worked out well.

I have a friend that is deaf and texting on a cell phone helps her greatly. It's easier for her to do this than talking on a phone.

She also works for caption call. It provides captioning service when using a Landline phone for those who are deaf/hard of hearing and that have broadband/cable internet service. Maybe that's something that your dad can use.

Perhaps he should revisit his ENT to get different aides. If his current ones don't help, there are many that will.

It's all going to depend on his level of technology. If not so good, then a regular telephone with enhanced sound is what he needs. Start with the phone company to see what they have. If nothing, look on like for telephone (landline or portable type phone with features for hearing impaired.

I have used both the CapTel system and the Phonak lanyard.

I believe the CapTel system only works with a Land line. My parents had the CapTel and I found it useful; however, they didn’t learn to use it well. They tended to use a mobile handset. When they got up to see the CapTel display, they often were confused, or didn’t have their glasses, etc.

I use Phonak hearing aids with a bluetooth lanyard coupled to my cell phone. It helps a lot, but there are some people I still cannot understand.

Consider purchasing an iPad tablet for both of you. They cost about $300 each. We communicate with 92 yr old m-i-l this way. All the difference in the world! She learned how to use it easily. In fact all her (60-70 year old children use them to regularly FaceTime her. The sound is excellent, it rings like a phone and seeing each other is wonderful and helps with communication.

As someone with severe hearing loss, I just got the Marvel by Phonak hearing aids and they are truly fantastic! Although not cheap by any stretch. Hearing aids today are nothing like they used to be. I can even take calls and listen to music, podcasts and tv with these all hands free. There are no batteries to worry about or knobs to adjust they do it automatically. Plus if you get caught in the rain they are water proof. These hearing aids literally gave me my life back.

My daughter moved out west to be a forest fire fighter, I communicate with her thru my iPad with text messages and face time. She has an iPhone and I have and iPad which costs me nothing to chat with her, except the initial cost of the device.
The nice thing with the Apple products is that there is no cost to communicate between them.
There are many options out there you just need to find what works for you.
Personally I don’t like the captioned telephones as there is a third party involved translating your conversation.

There are hearing enhanced phones - in California you can get for free from phone company - or Best is CAPTEL phone - it's hearing enhanced but also prints out conversation in real time as people speak. What my Mom could not hear - even with louder controls - she could always read.

My mil is the same. Dr says she has a huge buildup of earwax. You might want to check that. When we clear the wax she can use her hearing aids with better success.

He can get a closed captioned phone for a small fee, but otherwise free of cost. My Mom has one. The trick is getting her to use it.

Purchased a Panasonic land line for my sister 2 years ago. Not only could she hear me; bot also, I could hear her much clearer. It had all the features of any landline phone. Cost about $125. Got it on line.

I think hearing aides are getting better so suggest he go try other models.

There are options out there for phone use. I am more concerned that he doesn't think his hearing aids help. If he doesn't use his hearing aids, the nerves that conduct sound impulses to the brain will stop working and he will be irreversibly deaf. Please impress on him that you want him to enjoy sound for as long as possible and to use his hearing aids. Also, ask him to "test drive" several models to find the ones that help him the most. Good luck!

There are companies that will supply the phone for hearing-impaired, free of charge. I had one for my DH. But he didn't use the captions, only the telephone. At 96, he had too much trouble reading, but the phone was awesome for his hearing.

Hearing aids must be reconfigured on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the hearing will tend to become more and more impaired as time goes on. I was recently advised to get hearing-aids but my friend suggested I hold off as long as I can for just that reason - it will slowly be determined worse and worse and she said as long as I am able to hear, "don't fix what ain't broken."

I was thankful for her advice and I manage quite well.

Cap Tel phone for the hearing impaired. Tried to send a pic but this site won't let me. Mom lost her hearing aide and while we are going thru the motions to replace it, I even use it in the same house. She literally can't hear me. It types the conversation, the ringer is very loud and there is a gizmo that you plug into the phone and a lamp and the lamp will blink when the phone rings.

My husband uses special phones but they don't really work in long conversations. There is a phone called Captel that when u talk it comes up on a screen as text. Dad talks into a regular head set.

https://www.captel.com/

There are phones that code the spoken word into print, and that might work.

There was a demo of clearcaptions.com at our local senior citizens meeting this afternoon, and my husband said it looked very helpful.

I have a phone for the hearing impaired. It is free for those who qualify. How old is the hearing aides? My mothers lasted 7 years and now she has new ones. She is pretty deaf without them. I would take your dad back to get his hearing checked again, some adjustment or new ones might be advised. I noticed batteries needed to be changed more frequently, so had my mother retested. Skype works better than the phone for my mother when she talks to my brother overseas. It is free and can be set up in a day or two. I love it and communication face to face is much better for both mom and son.

I haven't used them but I've seen ads for phones with audio boost.    The AT&T land line phones had a nominal ability to raise or lower the volume; that's what we used.  

It also depends on the spectrum of hearing loss.   My father couldn't hear higher pitched female voices as well as lower pitched females or male voices.  

I've seen some land line phones at Office Max that had volume adjustments, including ones for higher volumes.   I never bought one or tried one though, so I don't know how they work.

You might try searching on the AARP site; it was in their bulletin ads that I saw some of the volume adjustment phones.

Grandpad is the latest technology for seniors to face time call. Suppose to be easy to use and costs the same as a regular cell phone.

What sort of technology can Dad use? If he can type you can use Facebook Messenger, regular text apps, Whats App or another messaging app.

Skype, Whats App. Fb Messenger also allow for video chat.