How do I get my mother to answer the phone?
My (widowed 10 mo) mother lives alone. She's 84.
For several years, getting her to answer texts or phone calls from myself and my sisters has been a problem. At one time, she and my father had 4 phones between the 2 of them and they would not answer any of them for hours on end. My father was bad about turning off his phones "to save the battery" instead of simply charging them daily.
She knows how to answer the phone and text. Anytime I am actually there visiting, she will answer EVERY phone call, including telemarketers!
She always claimed she could not hear the phone well, so I set the ringer loudly on her cell phone. She keeps it on her and it vibrates too. She seems to hear it very well when I'm visiting, even if it is in another room, so hearing it is not really the issue.
All she cares about concerning her phone, is Facebook.
You seem to indicate she hears the phone very well.
I think you may be overwhelming her.
Time to start a phone tree. One of you calls one day, and the other another day, then report and text to ONE ANOTHER instead of her. See if that helps.
I am certain you already discussed this with her, but do so again, and ask her if that might not work.
I myself am 81. I would go nuts with that much texting and calling from my family. That's just me.
Finally, in fit of frustration, I was going to bring it up with her. While I was 'visiting' her, she got 3 or 4 calls from FRIENDS. She grabbed the phone for THEM.
It was then I realized she was putting up her own boundaries with me!
Well, good for her. I quit fussing about it and if I was really concerned about her, I'd just go to her apt and talk to her. We rarely had phone conversations. And she NEVER once texted me back, but would do so with friends.
Hey, at least your mom can access FB. That's a way to keep up with the world.
I finally reached her after my original post. She had her phone turned OFF while charging it. Yet another thing she has gotten into her head, that "the phone must be turned off while charging." I'm sure my father taught her that.
Good to see you XenaJada.
OR if this continues, tell her that you'll have no other option than to have EMS do a welfare check. Actually this was what I told my mother when she wasn't answering her telephone. Her response - "I was situated before I said hello." I told my mother that I will have to assume she is on the floor or otherwise incapacitated.
but maybe she doesn’t want to talk to people.
My mother will answer every call from a telemarketer as well and will have a conversation with them, even though I have repeatedly shown her how to immediately block them.
For an elder living alone, thats more worrisome. There are some phones that can be set up to essentially auto-answer when called. YOu could look into that.
Or, next level, set up an intercom system in her house, whether just audio, or if you want, video too. Then with an intercom, she will hear you automatically, and you can set it real loud.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-use-iphone-auto-answer
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