Landline phone keyguard: Are there any products to help someone with tremors dial a phone without accidentally hitting the wrong numbers?

Keyguards can be very useful for people with tremors to prevent pressing other buttons accidentally. Keyguards are typically customized to fit keyboards, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, or specific apps on touch screen devices. Unfortunately, there appears to be a significant gap in the area of providing keyguards for landline phones. In fact, a study commission by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 2011 found that “people with less severe tremors may be able to benefit from… guarded/recessed hardware controls… except that these are not widely available.” 

As keyguards are typically very customized to the phone, and we were only able to identify a keyguard (at keyguardat.com) for a specific Teletypewriter (TTY) telephone (at chs.ca) Since, we have been unable to identify a device or technology that appropriately addresses the challenge you are experiencing we have included a few other options.

To have a keyguard customized for your client’s landline phone, you may want to reach out to CanAssist and submit a technology request form. Please visit CanAssist’s website to learn more about how you can make a request.

There are a few other commercially available options to consider. For example, a big button landline phone can be useful in cases where the user has mild tremors. The FC-1507 Big Button Phone by Future-Call (at Amazon Canada) is an amplified landline phone that features large clear buttons and a flashing ringer. It costs about $50 (CDN), plus shipping fees.

Another option is voice dialing, these products can be built into a landline phone or attached to the existing landline phone. The Totally Hands Free – Voice Activated Telephone by Assistive Technology Services is a landline phone system that allows for voice dialing and hands-free speakerphone. Once the phone is set up, you can dial and talk on the phone without touching the phone at all. This product costs about $300 (USD), plus shipping fees. Vocally Freedom by Activocal (at specialneedscomputers.ca) is a voice-activated dialer attachment for landline phones. It can store up to 60 different phone numbers and dial new numbers using voice commands. This product cost about $325 to $375 (CDN), plus additional shipping fees.

Finally, using wrist weights can sometimes be effective in dampening a tremor, possibly allowing the user to accurately dial a phone number. These Adjustable Ankle and Wrist Weights by Sportneer (at Amazon Canada) can hold between one to five pounds each and are made of a soft breathable neoprene. This product costs about $40 (CDN).