My mother is in AL and cannot seem to use the phone very well so we didn't put one in for her. I see her regularly and can contact staff if I'm worried, but my brother would like to be able to call and talk to her.
We've tried several phones in the past, but nothing seems to work. Frankly, I think most of them are too complicated and she's hard of hearing. I would like to find something very basic where the volume doesn't have to be adjusted every time she uses the phone (assuming she will). AND if she wants to dial out, she should just be able to pick up the receiver and hear a dial tone, "dial" the number and have it ring the other party. It seems like most of them now want you to press a "send" button, similar to a cell phone and that's too difficult for her to remember.
I wish I could find a basic push button phone, with no extra gadgets to confuse her!
Florida also has a program for free phones for hard of hearing but they don't work when power is off.
Walmart sells something called Clarity Ameriphone that seems to get good reviews. I'd get something like that, then set up your mom's favorite people in the speed dial function. That way your mom only has to push one button. The one at walmart has a little card on which you can write the people's names and have names next to the button. I think it is a corded phone, which is fine, I never did find a wireless phone that could do what we wanted.
Good luck.