If it’s hard to see the keypad on a telephone, making phone calls can be a hassle.
Dialing without sight
Rather than relying on your sight, try using your touch.
First, make the 5 button your starting point. If you have a home phone with physical buttons, the 5 button usually has a raised bump on it. This is where you place your middle finger to start your dial. Then:
- If right-handed, place your index finger on the 4, middle finger on the 5, and ring finger on the 6. This row is your home base. You move each finger up or down the keypad to reach the other numbers.
- If left-handed, ring finger on 4, middle finger on 5, index finger on 6.
If there isn’t already a raised bump, add a bump dot or small piece of Velcro to the 5 button to make finding your home base easier.
With practice and patience, it will get easier. Hadley member Sammy says, “This technique comes in very handy if you don't have a phone with large buttons.”
Did you know?
You can use this touch technique on other tools with numeric keypads: television remotes, calculators, and keyless door locks, to name a few.
More helpful tips on adapting your phone for vision loss
For more info on touch dialing, check out Hadley’s Dialing the Phone video workshop. The Resources for that workshop include where you can buy large-button phones and a downloadable and printable handout with instructions for dialing the phone. Just scroll a little below the workshop video to find the Resources button.
Call us at 800-323-4238 with any questions or send an email to [email protected].
What other devices might you find this technique useful for? And do you use any other methods or aids to help with dialing the phone?