Enter the Clarity Grandparents Day Giveaway!

Grandparents Day is a time for us to recognize the loved ones in our lives who have made an impact.  So this year, to celebrate Clarity is giving away three free Clarity C900 mobile phones!

Each week between August 23 and September 10, you have the opportunity to win a Clarity C900 mobile phone for seniors (regular price $269.95) through a social media contest.  This is for the Clarity C900 mobile phone only, and does not include any service agreement.

Entering and winning is easy.  Just follow these simple steps:

For Twitter: 1) Simply follow @clarityproducts on Twitter.  2) Send a tweet including @clarityproducts, the hashtag #GPDay and a link to this post.

For Facebook: 1) Become a fan of Clarity on Facebook.  2) When you see the contest offer on your news feed, comment on the post from Clarity.  3) Share the post from Clarity on your wall.

One winner will be picked weekly from both combined groups.  Clarity employees or Clarity’s employees’ family members are not eligible to win.

This week’s hearing and arthritis tips – Part III

As we head into the Memorial Day weekend we say goodbye to May, Arthritis Awareness Month, and Better Speech and Hearing Month. Here are our tips for this last week; we hope you took away a few of tricks that help!
While the tips wrap-up today we post information and news regularly on Facebook (Facebook.com/ClarityProducts) and Twitter (Twitter.com/ClarityProducts). Have a great–and safe–holiday.

Arthritis Awareness Month Tips and Facts

2-hr Pain Rule: If you experience above normal arthritis pain 2 hours after exercise, then you have over-done it. http://bit.ly/aOkRu6

Reduce arthritis pain by distributing a load over a greater area and on stronger joints. http://bit.ly/9VZpX2

Water workouts are great options for arthritis. The buoyancy takes the pressure off joints & makes it almost pain free.http://bit.ly/aOkRu6

Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be sure to pace themselves by balancing rest and activity. http://bit.ly/aTpmcs

Avoid stress on arthritic joints by minimizing stooping & reaching. Store frequently used items at waist to eye level.http://bit.ly/9VZpX2

Better Speech and Hearing Month Tips and Facts

DYK? 36 million (17%) American adults have some degree of hearing loss. Third only to heart disease and arthritis.http://bit.ly/9EVUpN

Better Speech & Hearing Month – Three things to consider about noise: How loud. How long. How close. http://bit.ly/ckCNAe

Everyone reads lips & facial cues to better understand conversations. Stand where lighting is good to help yourself.http://bit.ly/duZdH4

Don’t speak too fast. Don’t mumble. If asked to repeat yourself, try using different words than the first time. http://bit.ly/aNbD0X

If you notice a change in your hearing, contact your doctor. Your regular doctor can refer you to an otolaryngologists. http://bit.ly/ceZMhb

This week’s hearing and arthritis tips – Part II

This week we continued sharing ways those with arthritis or hearing loss can improve their comfort and communication. We hope you have found some of these posts helpful and that you check back here or on Twitter.com/ClarityProducts to find more next week.

Do you have a trick or tip for those with arthritis or hearing loss? Leave a comment below.

Arthritis Awareness Month Tips and Facts

Those with arthritis should avoid being in a position too long. Get up and stretch or move joints while sitting. http://bit.ly/9VZpX2

DYK? 67 million (25%) adults 18 years and older will have doctor-diagnosed arthritis by 2030. http://bit.ly/9Fd8zd

Choosing exercise you enjoy to counter arthritis will make it easier to become and stay more active. http://bit.ly/alh8qU

A soothing soak before bed can relieve arthritis-related muscle tension, aching joints and help you sleep. http://bit.ly/do6Lc3

Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be sure to use assistive devices to preserve joints. http://bit.ly/aTpmcs

Better Speech and Hearing Month Tips and Facts

Better Speech & Hearing Month–Keep the volume low when using headphones or when listening to the radio or television. http://bit.ly/ceZMhb

Better Speech & Hearing Month – Maintain eye contact as you are talking to someone with hearing loss. http://bit.ly/a2jtyk

Use simple words & expressions. Plain language can make it easier to comprehend what is trying to be said. http://bit.ly/a2jtyk

Remind people of your hearing problems and mention that they need to get your attention before beginning to speak.http://bit.ly/duZdH4

Get hearing checkups if you’re exposed to loud noises regularly, like if you work at a factory. http://bit.ly/ceZMhb

This week’s hearing and arthritis tips – Part I

May is both Better Speech and Hearing Month and Arthritis Awareness Month, two causes very important to Clarity. To help the 36 million Americans dealing with hearing loss – and their families – as well as the 19 million with arthritis, Clarity is posting tips and facts all month on its Twitter feed. We will share these tips here on Fridays this month, or you can get them instantly by following us attwitter.com/clarityproducts.

Arthritis Awareness Month Tips and Facts

• Not just for those with arthritis: Sit with feet flat, lower back with curve, knees higher than hips, upper back straight. http://bit.ly/9VZpX2
• Arthritis Awareness Month – DYK? 19 million (9% of adults) have arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation. http://bit.ly/9Fd8zd
• If you suffer from arthritis back pain, consider replacing your pillow. It should place your head, neck & shoulders straight. http://bit.ly/do6Lc3
• Fight arthritis by stretching regularly to improve your range of motion; it will keep the stress off of the joints. http://bit.ly/aOkRu6
• Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be extra sure to get a full 8 hours of sleep a night. http://bit.ly/cBxBUP
• Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be sure to put each joint through its full range of motion everyday. http://bit.ly/aTpmcs
• Regular, gentle exercise can help range of motion, reduce joint pain and ease sore muscles for people with arthritis. http://bit.ly/cjLLWd

Better Speech and Hearing Month Tips and Facts

• Better Speech & Hearing Month – Wear earmuffs/earplugs when you are exposed to high levels of noise, like mowing.http://bit.ly/ceZMhb
• DYK? It is estimated that more than 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job. http://bit.ly/pNwyZ
• Don’t speak for or answer for a hearing impaired person when talking with others. Give them time to respond. http://bit.ly/aNbD0X
• Better Speech & Hearing Month – Don’t be passive. If hearing or understanding a conversation is unusually difficult, say so. http://bit.ly/duZdH4
• Be expressive! Hand gestures and facial expressions can help give clues about what you’re saying. http://bit.ly/aNbD0X
• Instead of saying “What?” when you don’t understand what you heard, repeat the parts of the statement that you did hear. http://bit.ly/duZdH4
• If you can’t hear or be heard by someone within 3 feet because of a noise, it is too loud.http://bit.ly/aCySMz

Clarity Offers Big Help in Texas

Today, Clarity teamed up with Texas Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP) to make the Clarity XL40D available to 3.8 million Texans with hearing loss. This is just the latest example of Clarity working with state programs across the country.

Austin, Texas – The Clarity XL40D, a new amplified telephone designed by Clarity, a division of Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), is now available through the Texas Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP).  The new phone makes conversations easier to understand for the estimated 3.8 million Texans with hearing loss

The Clarity XL40D can be obtained at no-cost by Texas residents who are certified as having a hearing loss by calling 1-866-525-2748. Callers will be directed to distribution centers in their area.

The Clarity XL40D amplifies incoming sound up to 50 decibels while reducing distracting background noise using a technology traditionally found only in hearing aids.  Dubbed Digital Clarity Power™, the technology improves conversations by not just making words louder, but making them clearer and easier to understand. Additionally, outgoing speech can be amplified up to 15 decibels.  The XL40D is an ideal solution for those with a severe hearing loss.

“Nearly 4 million Texans struggle with hearing loss. STAP is doing a tremendous job by providing these individuals with a means to connect with friends and family,” said Carsten Trads, president of Clarity.  “We are honored to provide STAP with the XL40D—we’re confident this phone will make a tremendous impact on residents across Texas.”

Among the features of the XL40D is ClarityLogic®, the latest technology from Clarity that allows for simplified customer support that provides accurate and immediate results. Phone users simply call an 800-phone number and a Clarity representative can remotely evaluate their phone to provide feedback or adjust settings.

“ClarityLogic gives a new meaning to ‘smart phone’ and is unlike anything available in today’s standard phones,” continued Trads. “One call to Clarity and our customer service team can remotely diagnose and adjust the settings of the phone.  The STAP program enables residents of Texas to get the benefit of this smart phone.”

The XL40D features four tone settings for a customized listening experience and an extra loud speakerphone for hands-free conversations. It also has large backlit keys that speak the number when dialed and offers 12 speed dial buttons.

About STAP

The STAP is a voucher program offered by the state of Texas for the purchase of specialized assistive equipment or services by Texasresidents whose disability interferes with their ability to access the telephone network.  For more information about this program please contact the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services at 512-407-3250 orstap@dars.state.tx.us or visit www.dars.state.tx.us/dhhs/stap.shtml

Savvy Seniors: Senior-friendly phones

Jim Miller, the Savvy Seniors, spotlights Clarity phones during a segment for the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City.  Watch:

 

more about “Savvy Seniors“, posted with vodpod

 

A Wireless World for Seniors

The world is shifting quickly towards wireless. From computers to phones, wireless counterparts of tried and true hard-wired devices are being created to account for this growing trend. In fact, nearly 90% of the U.S. population owns a cell phone according to CTIA, the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry. This is up drastically from 70% of Americans in 2005 and 40% in 2000.

Clearly, more and more people are turning to wireless phones, which today is almost a misnomer as the devices now functions as cameras, computers, music players and gaming gadgets. But where does this transition leave people, such as seniors, who aren’t adopting this technology quickly? Or people who have disabilities that make using these devices difficult–or even downright impossible? These are important questions to consider for consumers and manufacturers alike, as we will soon be living in a world not cluttered with tangled wires, but driven by the next generation of wireless networks.

CELL PHONES FOR ALL

Most often, it’s seniors who suffer from disabilities like hearing loss, arthritis and poor vision–health challenges that aren’t conducive to using modern day cell phones. However, instead of living in a wireless dark age, seniors are increasingly embracing cell phones despite experiencing difficulties using or understanding them. While landlines still remain a staple for the 65 and up group, 64 percent of the adults over 65 used a cell phone in 2008 according to a national survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

A Simple Call on Grandparents Day

A simple phone call to say “thank you” can mean a lot to your grandparents this Sunday.  It’s the 30^th anniversary of Grandparents Day, just in case you didn’t know it.   It might not receive the same amount of attention as Mother’s Day & Father’s Day, but maybe it should —  check out these stats from a US News & World Report article that ran yesterday:

• Among grandparents providing financial support to their extended families — 23 percent help with daycare, 40 percent with housing (mortgage and rent), 21 percent with education, 70 percent with cash for daily expenses, and 24 percent with health care.
• They spend $52 billion a year in supporting their families, including $ 32 billion in educational and related costs; they are responsible for 45 percent of all consumer spending on gifts.
• They control three-fourths of the nation’s wealth.
• They have spent an average of $8,661 on their grandchildren during the past five years, or a total of $370 billion.
• Twenty-six percent are providing more support, due to the recession.
• Nearly 43 million households include a grandparent.
• 6.2 million grandparents had grandchildren younger than 18 years old living with them in 2007.
• 2.5 million grandparents were responsible for most of the needs of grandchildren living with them in 2007.
• 30 percent of children younger than five years of age, and whose mothers worked outside the home, were cared for by a grandparent in 2005.

At Clarity, we’re  showing our appreciation by staying committed to developing products  that  help seniors, many of whom are grandparents, live better lives longer.   Most tech companies are designing for the youth and have left seniors behind.  Not us.  We know people like your grandparents need our help and that’s why we exist.

So, join us, and don’t forget to call and say thanks to your grandparents.

Clarity Unveils New Line of DECT Cordless Amplified Phones

Enhanced Technology, Easy-to-Use Design Incorporated into New Phones to Help People with Hearing Loss, Low Vision and Limited Mobility

New amplified DECT cordless phones from Clarity

Chattanooga, Tenn. – Clarity, a division of Plantronics (NYSE: PLT) and the nation’s leading provider of amplified telephones for people with hearing loss, has launched a new line of amplified phones that utilizes Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology 6.0 (DECT). The two new phones—the D613 and the D603—include DECT to ensure crisp, clear and interference-free communication for the millions of Americans experiencing hearing loss.

The DECT phones also feature a new ergonomic design with soft touch buttons that makes the handsets easier to hold and use.  Plus, bold numbers and text helps those with waning vision. The new phones are available for purchase at leading retailers and online at www.clarityproducts.com for $89.95 (D613) and $79.95 (D603).  An expandable handset, the D613HS, is also available for $49.95.

“Our new DECT product line combines advanced amplification with a pragmatic design,” said Carsten Trads, president of Clarity. ”We have created technology for the hearing impaired for 40 years, so we have a deep understanding of the people who use and need our products.  Hearing loss is often one of several health challenges our customers face.  That’s why our new DECT line is aimed at helping people with low vision and limited mobility as well as hearing loss.”

Clarity’s Latest Cordless Amplified Telephones TIA-1083 Compliant

Hearing aid users experience reduced interference on new C4220, C4230 phones, Walker handsets

Chattanooga, Tenn. – Clarity, a division of Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), announced that its C4220 and C4230 amplified telephones, as well as its Walker handsets comply with the TIA-1083 standard—a performance benchmark for digital cordless phones. Hearing aid wearers using Clarity’s TIA-1083 compliant phones will experience significantly reduced problems with audio interference during conversations.

“Meeting the TIA-1083 standard reinforces Clarity’s commitment to improving the lives of millions with hearing loss,” said Carsten Trads, president of Clarity. “As technology advances, we integrate new and innovative improvements so our products always perform at the highest level. Soon, integrating this standard will not only be a part of our C4220, C4230 and Walker handset lines, but will become routine in Clarity’s future product development.”