For a parent in assisted living, ask the community about Wi-Fi in the apartment, phone jacks and TV service first. Then set up a phone your parent already knows. Save family numbers as favorites and in large print, plan a charging spot by the bed, and keep video calling simple. Consider a captioned phone for hearing loss, check Lifeline eligibility, and set scam rules together.
Key facts
- The FCC's Lifeline program gives eligible low-income subscribers a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on qualifying phone, internet or bundled service. (FCC, n.d.)
- A household can qualify for Lifeline with income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and the FCC states that eligible residents of group living facilities can receive Lifeline as separate households. (FCC, n.d.)
- Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) lets people who can speak but have trouble hearing over the phone read captions of what the other person says, nearly at the same time, on a captioned phone, smartphone or computer. (FCC, 2024)
- The Federal Trade Commission says legitimate tech companies won't contact you by phone, email or text to say there's a problem with your computer, and real security pop-up warnings never ask you to call a phone number. (FTC, n.d.)
- The National Institute on Aging suggests keeping a large-print list of emergency numbers near each landline phone and saving them under favorites on a mobile phone. (NIA, 2022)
The phone that worked fine at home now needs a new Wi-Fi password, and the TV remote doesn't match the community's cable box. The tablet you gave your parent last year is still in its box. Technology problems in the first week are small, but they cut your parent off from the people they want to hear from most.
This post covers what to ask the community, what to set up before move-in day, and how to keep it simple and safe. Once the move is done, see staying close to a parent in assisted living from far away.
What to ask the community about Wi-Fi, phone and TV
Get these answers in writing before you buy anything or cancel service at the house:
- Is there Wi-Fi in residents' apartments? Is it included in the monthly fee? Is it a shared network or a private one per apartment?
- Can residents set up their own internet service instead?
- Does the apartment have a phone jack? Can a landline be connected, and through which provider?
- What TV service is provided: cable, antenna, streaming? What equipment do residents need?
- Does the community have staff or volunteers who help residents with devices?
- Are there rules about smart speakers, cameras or other connected devices in the apartment?
Then test it. On a visit, stand in your parent's apartment with your phone, connect to the resident Wi-Fi, and make a video call. A weak signal is far easier to solve before move-in than after.
A question for the front office: "Could you tell me how residents get internet in their apartments, and who they call if the connection stops working? My mother video-calls her grandchildren and I want that working on day one."
Setting up the phone
Keep the device your parent already knows, if it still works for them. A new phone on top of a new apartment is two things to learn at once. Set it up at home before the move:
- Save family, friends, the doctor and the community's front desk as contacts, with photos. Mark the most important ones as favorites. The National Institute on Aging suggests keeping a large-print list of emergency numbers near each landline phone. On a mobile phone, it suggests saving them under "favorites."
- Increase the text size and ring volume.
- Turn on any emergency features your parent agrees to, and show them how they work.
- Write the phone number, the Wi-Fi name and the passwords in one place that a trusted family member keeps.
Plan the charging spot as part of the room layout. NIA recommends placing a landline or well-charged phone near the bed. Put the charger on the nightstand, plugged into a wall outlet with the cord running along the wall and out of the walking path. The U.S. Fire Administration says not to overload outlets or power strips, and to replace damaged cords. Label every charger with your parent's name. Chargers look alike and are easy to mix up (see labeling belongings). On move-in day, the phone and its charger ride in the car with your parent, never in a box. Our move-in day checklist has the rest of that list.
Tech setup gets its own date on the plan
Parent Move Plan puts "sort out phone, TV and internet for the apartment" on a real date counted back from move-in. The move-in day checklist has you test the TV, phone and call button before you leave.
Get your first 3 days freeTablet, video calls and TV
A tablet is worth setting up only if your parent wants it. If they do, reduce it to the few things they use:
- One video calling app, with family as favorites, and the same app on every family member's phone.
- A shared photo album the family adds to, so new pictures appear without anyone having to send them.
- Large text and simple home screen: remove apps your parent won't use.
- A stand, so video calls don't depend on holding the tablet.
- A regular call time. A standing Sunday call is easier to remember than random ones.
For TV, bring the TV only after you know how the community's service connects. Write the few things your parent does with the remote (on and off, channel, volume) on a card. Or look for a simpler remote once you know the equipment. Ask whether staff can help if the TV stops working.
If your parent has trouble hearing or seeing
If phone calls have become hard for your parent to follow, look at captioning. The FCC describes a service called Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS). It's for people who can speak but have trouble hearing over the phone. They read captions of what the other person says, nearly at the same time, on a captioned phone, smartphone or computer. Some versions can show captions in large text with different fonts and colors, the FCC notes. That helps people who also have low vision. IP CTS runs over the internet, so it depends on the apartment's connection. Ask your parent's doctor or audiologist whether it fits.
For vision, turn up text size and contrast on every device. Choose a phone with large buttons if your parent prefers physical keys, and put a large-print list of numbers by the phone. To adjust the care plan around hearing or vision, see the care plan meeting after move-in.
Keeping the cost down
Review phone and internet plans at the time of the move. If the community's Wi-Fi is included and reliable, your parent may not need their own internet service or a large data plan. Cancel or transfer the house's services once they are no longer needed (see canceling or transferring utilities at a parent's home).
If money is tight, check Lifeline. The FCC's Lifeline program gives eligible low-income subscribers a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on qualifying phone, internet or bundled service. The discount is larger on Tribal lands. A household can qualify with income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. It can also qualify through programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI or Veterans Pension. The FCC states that eligible residents of group living facilities can receive Lifeline as separate households. Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. Your parent must also prove they still qualify every year.
Set scam rules before they're needed
A new address, a new phone setup and a flood of change-of-address notices can make a scam call or email seem real. The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on tech support scams gives two simple rules to share with your parent:
- Legitimate tech companies won't contact you by phone, email or text to say there's a problem with your computer.
- Real security pop-up warnings never ask you to call a phone number.
The FTC also warns that scammers ask for payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or payment app. It adds that anyone claiming to be from the government who says to move money to "protect it" is a scammer. It suggests talking to someone you trust before acting.
The rule to give your parent, in words like these: "If anyone calls or a message pops up saying something's wrong with your phone or your money, don't press anything and don't pay. Call me first, every time. I'd rather get ten calls about nothing."
Frequently asked questions
Does assisted living have Wi-Fi?
Some communities offer Wi-Fi, but whether it reaches residents' apartments, whether it is included in the monthly fee, and how reliable it is varies. Ask for the details in writing, and test the signal in your parent's own apartment with a phone before move-in day.
Should a parent in assisted living have a landline or a cell phone?
It depends on what your parent can use comfortably. A cell phone works anywhere in the building and on outings. A landline or home phone with large buttons can be simpler. Ask the community whether apartments have phone jacks and how a landline would be set up.
What is a captioned telephone?
Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) lets a person who can speak but has difficulty hearing on the phone read captions of what the other person says, on a special phone, smartphone or computer. It is regulated by the FCC as a form of telecommunications relay service, and it needs an internet connection.
Can assisted living residents get Lifeline phone discounts?
Possibly. Lifeline is an FCC program that gives eligible low-income subscribers a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on phone or internet service, and the FCC says residents of group living facilities can qualify as separate households. Eligibility is based on income or participation in programs such as Medicaid, SNAP or SSI.
Sources
- National Institute on Aging: Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room (accessed Sept 2026)
- Federal Communications Commission: Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service (accessed Sept 2026)
- Federal Communications Commission: Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications (accessed Sept 2026)
- Federal Trade Commission: How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams (accessed Sept 2026)
- USFA: Appliance and Electrical Fire Safety (accessed Sept 2026)