Don’t have a butler?  The VTech CareLine’s Pendant might make you feel like you have one, right at your finger tips, literally. Although, he doesn’t do windows or clean out your gutters, this little guy is pretty powerful, and you won’t even have to pay him!

The CareLine’s pendant works with the other two components in the system, a corded and cordless phone, to give you some very helpful features:

• Reminders for medication, tasks, and appointments. Multiple reminders can be set for one time only or daily at a specific time. When the alarm goes off, all three units sound an alert, so no matter where you are, you will hear it.
• Remote reminder programming-you and your family members can call your phone from anywhere on the planet to add reminders.
• Make and receive calls anywhere in the house, right from the pendant’s built-in clear, loud speakerphone-no need to be near the other two phones.
• Talk hands-free with the corded pendant around your neck.
• Emergency dialing of up to 2 numbers with the two speed dial buttons. One could be 911 and the other could be a loved one or directory assistance to call even more people.
• No-Monthly Fees!
• Screen your calls with the voice announce caller ID through the pendant.
• Push the “Voice” button on the pendant and ask your “butler” to do your bidding.  Upon your voice request, he can:
  • Tell you the date/time;
  • Tell you your reminders again;
  • Tell you your phone messages;
  • Tell you who called;
  • Dial up to 4 numbers for you, two of which are the same as the emergency dialing buttons; and
  • If you forget the commands like I did, you can also ask him “What can I say”, and he states in a loud, clear, female voice (yes, it is actually a woman) all of the commands in the system.

The VTech CareLine’s other two components, the corded and cordless phones, also have some nice features.  They both have some extra amplification with the Audio Assist button, a speakerphone, and large, lighted, talking buttons so you can hear the numbers as you dial.  The corded phone even has 4 picture, speed dial buttons to reduce the memory load for dialing.

We have this system here at IPAT, and it was very easy to set up and so far it works as advertised. I believe that it could really help someone stay and feel safe in their own home. I know if my parents had this or something like it, it would make me feel better and for around $120 it would be worth it. That said, I do have two requests for the makers of this system:

• More contrast of the buttons versus the background on all three of the devices for people with vision impairments.  The only button that is great with contrast is the big, black, main answer button on the white pendant.  Other than that, they are all tone on tone.
• Actual maximum amplification level stated right on the box.

Although the CareLine Pendant won’t fix you a pannini or drizzle foam on your latte,  it can help you call someone to do it for you and so much more!