Wednesday, June 24, 2015
The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.com
| Scenes from Liberty Mountain
mon's column on page 1 for more details.
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend some basic simpli-
fied cellphones for seniors with hearing
loss? My 82-year-old father needs to get
a new cellphone for occasional calls or
emergencies, but he needs something
that’s easy to use and one that he can
hear on.
Looking Around
Dear Looking,
There are several simplified cellphones
on the market today that are specifically
designed for seniors, or for people who
just like things simple. These are basic
cellphones — primarily used for talk and
text — that come with big buttons, easy to
navigate menus, SOS emergency buttons,
enhanced sound and are hearing aid com-
“patible too. Here are some top options.
Senior-Friendly Phones
If your dad isn’t locked into a cellphone
contract, there are three senior-friendly
options to consider, all from no-contract
cellphone companies.
One of best is GreatCall’s Jitterbug5
(greatcall.com, 800-918-8543). This cus-
tom designed Samsung flip-phone offers a
backlit keypad with big buttons, large text
Torrence Photography took these pictures at dress rehearsals for “Liberty Mountain” which
opens this weekend for four shows at Joy Theatre. A large cast of characters has been busy
putting the final touches on the drama for opening night on Friday. See Director Caleb Sig-
on a brightly colored screen, and “YES”
and “NO” buttons to access the phone’s
menu of options versus confusing icons.
It also offers voice dialing, a powerful
speakerphone, a built-in camera, and a va-
riety of optional health and safety features
like the “5Star” medical alert button that
would let your dad call for help and speak
to a certified agent 24/7 that could identify
his location and dispatch help as needed.
“Urgent Care,” which provides access to
registered nurses and doctors for advice
and diagnoses. And “GreatCall Link,”
which keeps family members informed
- through your dad’s phone activities.
The Jitterbug$ sells for $99 with a one-
time $35 activation fee, no-contract, and
calling plans that start at $15 per month.
If you're looking for something a little less
expensive, the Doro PhoneEasy 626 sold
through Consumer Cellular (consumercel-
lular.com, 888-345-5509) is an excellent
option.
This flip phone offers a backlit, separated
keypad that can speak the numbers as
you push them, which is a nice feature
for seniors with vision problems, It also
SUMMIT PLACE
OF KINGS MOUNTAIN
RE
Page 9
North School Awards
Kathy James, Physical Ed-
ucation teacher at North Ele-
mentary School for 31 years
and with 39 years of service to
Cleveland County Schools, re-
tired June 11. The gymnasium at
North School was dedicated in
her honor and named the Kathy
James Gymnasium.1
A Honor Roll
1st Grade: Chloe Anthony,
Syniah Bailey, Carson Bell,
Madison Canipe, Lathan Feem-
ster, Uriah Gunnon, Anfelinne
Hernandez, Justin Lawson, John
Bradley Ledbetter, Mallory
Sims, Colston Wright, Kadan
Campion, Macey Carico-Wil-
son, Sarah Glen Eagle, Bradley
Floyd, Josiah Hill, Raenisha
Lytle, Brasdin Moore, Sila
Murdan, Viviana Tinoco, Bran-
* don Vance, Jordan Torres, Ali-
cia Williams, Kegan Anderson,
Aiden Biddix, KHamauri Da-
vidson, Tayler Elliott, Sabrina
Howell, Bree Rogers, and Kayla
McSwain.
2nd Grade: Aiden Evans,
Tyler Furman, Madison Lucas,
Kaydence Smith, Samuel
Yelton, Jeremiah Amaya-De-
‘ras, Brei-ahnna Canipe, Sakhia
Boswell, Amir Boyd, and Will
Varner.
3rd Grade: Owen Jones,
Elliot Habel, Matthew Morrow,
Latiah Caldwell, Taylor Canipe,
Chance Habel, Jaidyn Moses,
Anthony Anselmo, Reed Coo-
per, Samantha Harrelson, Olivia
Massagee, Christopher Mere-
dith, Cheyanne Reynolds, and
Noah Smith.
4th Grade: Shyanna Peeler,
Payton Slycord, Kieth St. Clair,
Julianna Williams, Tyasya Bell,
Holly Campbell, Colby Car-
roll, Briana Dennis, John Wil-
liam Eagle, Alex Eaton, Lydia
Owens, Nicholas Spencer.
AB Honor Roll
1st Grade: Precious Adams,
Kody Cannova, Chloe Carrin-
ger, Dakota Harrelson, Ahmad
Leggett, Bobby Moses, Xavier
Adams, MyShawn Littlejohn,
Sean Lowe, Mckenzie Lowery,
Brandon Bolen, Hayvn Boyce,
Bryce Davis, Jamie Herron,
GYMNASIUM DEDICATION - The North School Gymnasium
is now the Kathy James Gymnasium in honor of the North
School Physical Education teacher w ho has retired after 39
years with Cleveland County Schools, 31 at North Elemen-
tary School.
Cameron Laye, Hope Mullinax,
Shaelah Rice, Wesley Turner,
and William West.
2nd Grade: Shawnette
Adams, Hayden Gleason, La-
_ tarionna Black, Logan Fowler,
Jarvis Guyton, Ty’shonna Whit-
tenburg, Bryston Plank, Naryia
Edwards, Samuel Hanvy, Tyler
Talbert, Zariah Covington-Rod-
gers, Josh Davis, Jeremiah
Hunter, Tyler McIntyre, Kylee
Whetstine.
3rd Grade: Matthew An-
thony, Kaley Arter, Jayden
Byers, Levi Carson, Ashely
Herron, Kagan Kopruch, Jor-
dan Whetstine, Justice Wesley,
Turner Brown, Immanuel Feem-
ster, Hannah Myott, Rikard
Ploeger, Kadence Raines, Javon
Smith, Tucker Cash, Adam Cox,
Megan Dennis, and Kaleb Sur-
ratt.
4th Grade: Abigail Whis-
nant, Makayla Bennett, Felipe
Lara-Garcia, AJ Richardson,
Deniah Young, Kaitlyn Biddix,
Bryce Hall, Alexis Jackson, Me-
Kayla Lynch, Taylor Mcswain,
and Zamir Williams.
Kindergarten Top Tigers:
(This award is for Kindergarten
only. Given to Hard working
and high achieving students)
Layza Black, Kaylei Brophy,
Kammyah Caldwell, Zachariah
Deaton, Alexis Glover, Illiana
Gonzalez, Aziania Kilgore,
Analia Lara-Garcia, Lincoln Mc-
Daniel, Grant Romesberg, Julius
Rudisill, Peyton Strange, A’Ni-
yah Brooks, Kalashja Womic,
Leah Crowell,Vianey Duran,
Alaina Hayden, Na’Zarion
Hemphill, Gavyn Hutchins, Zac-
chaeus Jeter, Betsy Lara-Garcis,
Wesley Rayfield, Brady Shelton,
Landon Smith, Aubri Adams,
Matthew Coleman, Bastiaan
* Flores-Deras, Rasjlyn Smith,
Jariah Guyton, Javarein Jackson,
Noah King, Luis Hernandez,
Noah Rhodes, Lucas Donovan.
Terrific Kids:
Kindergarten: Kammyah
Caldwell, Analia Lara-Garcia,
Bradley Canipe, Gracie Car-
son, Ethan Crawford, Brayden
Shuler, Kody Cannova, Colston
Wright, Kateyly McDonald,
Alicia Williams, Shaelah Rice,
Aiden Biddix, Ty’shonna Whit-
tenburg, Samuel Yelton, KeSean
Ellington, Brei-ahna Canipe, Ha-
leigh DeWeese, Tyler McIntyre,
Jayden Byers, Emily Whitmire,
Rikard -Ploeger, Javon Smith,
Kenia Davidson, Olivia Mas-
sagee, Shyanna Peeler, Blake
Shuler, Bryce Hall, Colby Car-
roll.
Simplified Cellphones for Seniors with Hearing Problems
RST ETE
From he Tent you GSD Hiought he,
door, you'll feel right at home.
Discover the Summit Place difference.
* 24-hour care team’
Five Star restaurant-style dining
e Supportive assistance with activities
of daily living
* Award-winning Bridge to
Rediscovery™ memory care
neighborhood
e Full social calendar
Call 70 )
for a personal tour
1001 PHIFER ROA * KINGS Von, NC 28086
has a big easy to read color display screen
that offers large text with different color
themes.
Other handy features include two speed
dial buttons, shortcut buttons to texting
and the camera, a powerful two-way
speakerphone, and a ICE (in case of emer-
gency) button on the back of the phone
that will automatically dial one prepro-
gramed number.
The Doro 626 sells for $50 with service
plans starting at $10 per month, and no
long-term contract. They even offer dis-
counts to AARP. members.
Another budget-friendly cellphone you
should look into is the Snapfon ezZTWO
for seniors (snapfon.com, 800-937-
1532), which costs under $20, with a $35
activation fee, no-contract, and monthly
service plans that start at $10. If you don’t
want the Snapfon service plan (you can go
through AT&T or T-Mobile), the phone is
$80.
This is a bar-style phone that provides big
buttons, a color screen, enhanced volume
with a speaker phone, a speaking keypad,
and an SOS emergency alert button on
A.7 39 86772 2 $0
©2015 Five Star Quality
Care, Inc.
the back of the phone that can sound an
alert when pushed and held down for five
seconds. It then sends a text message to
as many as five emergency contacts and
calls those contacts in order until the call
is answered. Or, for an additional $15 per
month you can subscribe to their SOS
monitoring service that will dispatch help
as needed.
Shared Plan Options
If you want to get your dad a simple cell-
phone through your cellphone provider,
most carriers — like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
and T-Mobile — still offer a few basic cell-
phones that are inexpensive and hearing
aid compatible.
If you're an AT&T customer the option is
the “LG A380.” For Verizon users, there’s
the “Samsung Gusto 3” and “LG Revere
3. If you're a Sprint customer there’s the
“Kyocera Kona” and “Alcatel OneTouch
Retro.” And for T-Mobile users there’s the
“LG 450.”
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Se-
nior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070,
or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a
contributor to the NBC Today'show and
author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
4
2 ®, Pot
& Friendly