THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, NOVEmbER 3, 2023 Page 29 Say nr Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Top TV Remotes for Elderly Seniors Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some simplified universal television remotes for seniors? My 88-year-old dad, who lives in a retirement community, has some dementia and gets confused with all the buttons on his remote. As a result, he keeps accidently reprograming his TV set. Searching Son Dear Searching, Most modern TV remotes – that come with dozens of unnecessary buttons – can be confusing for anyone to operate but can be especially challenging for elderly seniors. Fortunately, there are several universal TV remotes available that are specifi cally designed for older adults with vision, memory, or confusion issues, as well as those that are technologically challenged. These remotes have bigger buttons and paired down options that make them much easier to see and use. Here are three top choices to consider. Senior-Friendly Remotes The two most popular simplified TV remotes on the market today are the “Flipper” and the “EasyMote.” Both of these are infrared (IR) only remotes intended for those who use traditional cable/ satellite boxes or their TV’s internal tuner. They are not designed for people who use streaming media devices and will not work with devices that are controlled via Bluetooth or radio frequency (RF). If you’re not sure how your dad’s TV is controlled, point his remote at the ground in the opposite direction from the device, and then press a button. If the remote still executes the command, then it’s using Bluetooth or Radio Frequency (RF) signals. The Flipper, which is a top-rated remote, works with all major TVs including cable, satellite and digital TV receiver boxes. Available for $40 at FlipperRemote.com, this lightweight, remote has a tapered design that makes it easy to hold, and for simplicity it has only six large color-coded tactile buttons that are exposed to control the power, mute, volume up/ down, and channel up/down. Flipper also off ers an optional “favorite channel” feature that will let you program up to 30 of your dad’s favorite channels and eliminate the useless channels he never watches. And it has a builtin keypad hidden behind a slide-down panel. This will give your dad the ability to directly punch in a desired channel, while keeping the remote simple and uncluttered. The Flipper remote can also be locked to prevent accidental reprograming. The other popular senior-friendly remote that’s worth a look is the EasyMote (see EasyMote.us), which is available on Amazon.com for $18. This lightweight remote, which controls most TV and cable boxes, also comes with six large easy-to-see buttons (on/off, mute, channel up and down, and volume up and down buttons) that light up when pressed, which is nice feature if your dad watches TV in the dark. It also comes with a handy wrist strap to prevent misplacing the remote but can be removed anytime. Multi-Device Remote If the Flipper or EasyMote is too basic for your dad’s entertainment system, another simplifi ed remote that off ers the ability to control multiple devices is the “GE Big Button 2-Device Universal Remote” – also available at Amazon. com for $9. This IR remote has an ergonomic design with large buttons that will let him control up to 2 audio/video components such as TV, cable/satellite receiver, Blu-ray/DVD player, Roku box, Apple TV and other streaming media players and sound bars. In addition to power, volume, channel, mute buttons and number pad, this remote also off ers a previous channel, sleep timer and input buttons for convenience. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, 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. nior ior BEACON | FROM PAGE 28 TUES.OCT. 24 No House session No Senate session WED.OCT. 25 No House session No Senate session THURS. OCT. 26 House11:06 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. Senate1:04 p.m. to2:48 p.m. FRI.OCT. 27 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019. ~ Legal Notice ~ ~ Legal Notice ~ PUBLIC HEARING FOR PETITION FROM MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY D/B/A NATIONAL GRID OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS To all parties interested in the public hearing. Be it hereby ordered: Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid of North Andover, Massachusetts, that it desires to construct a line of underground electric conduits, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, under and across the public way or ways hereinafter named. The following are the streets and highways referred to: Plan # 30845584 Devens St - National Grid to install beginning at a point approximately 300 feet southwest of the centerline of the intersection of Devens St and Church St and continuing approximately 10 feet in a south direction. Install 1-4” underground duct from existing Pole # 2548 on Devens St approximately 10ft +/- southeast through the sidewalk to customer’s property at 16 Devens Street. Wherefore it prays that after due notice and hearing as provided by law, it be granted permission to excavate the public highways and to run and maintain underground electric conduits, together with such sustaining and protecting fixtures as it may find necessary for the transmission of electricity, said underground conduits to be located substantially in accordance with the plan filed herewith marked: Devens Street - Everett - Massachusetts. Hearing to be held with the Everett City Council, held on Monday at 7:00PM, on the 13th of November, 2023 at the Everett City Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, Everett City Hall. November 03, 2023 ~ Legal Notice ~ ~ Legal Notice ~ PUBLIC HEARING FOR PETITION FROM MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY D/B/A NATIONAL GRID OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS To all parties interested in the public hearing. Be it hereby ordered: Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid of North Andover, Massachusetts, that it desires to construct a line of underground electric conduits, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, under and across the public way or ways hereinafter named. The following are the streets and highways referred to: Plan # 30811248 Locust St - National Grid is petitioning to open the street in front of 339 Main Street to install (2) - 4” underground conduits located on the sidewalk for a new electric service to be located at 345 Main Street. Wherefore it prays that after due notice and hearing as provided by law, it be granted permission to excavate the public highways and to run and maintain underground electric conduits, together with such sustaining and protecting fixtures as it may find necessary for the transmission of electricity, said underground conduits to be located substantially in accordance with the plan filed herewith marked: Locust Street - Everett - Massachusetts. Hearing to be held with the Everett City Council, held on Monday at 7:00PM, on the 13th of November, 2023 at the Everett City Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, Everett City Hall. November 03, 2023
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