Hearing Aids

I have been wearing hearing aids for a while. They are also Bluetooth compatible. I have an adapter for my TV that sends the sound directly to my hearing aids. I also have them paired with my smartphone so I can talk on the phone hands free. @Kayelle is very happy that I have them, instead of me saying "what" all the time.
They are very comfortable and sometimes I forget I am wearing them.
 
I don't know why those hearing aids are so expensive. They are just electronic amplifiers. It's really a rip off, when some have to shell out thousands of dollars for them. It's very similar to eye glasses, when people spend hundreds for about $9.58 in plastic parts. And nobody wants to be an "outsider", and being hard of hearing, with visible hearing aids; pretty much puts you in that class. Most people with aids aren't happy with the performance. I never met anyone, who thought their aids worked well.

BTW When I was in the US Navy, I used to scrub up on operations where the small bones in the ear were replaced with metals ones. People would come in the OR deaf , and during the operation, as soon as the bones were replaced, the patient could hear. That was so cool. Instant cure. You really felt like you were helping people.
 

Geezerette said:
I started working with an audiologist in Dec 2019 and in Jan-Feb 2020 was just starting to work on which hearing aids would be right for me. I have nerve loss in my fingers and it is very hard for me to insert a tiny thing in my ear, so I was mainly checking the ones that the main part goes behind the ear. After I lost 2 different earrings during the first month of mask wearing over ears , I decided to postpone the aids .
As posted above they can be very very expensive $$$$ and didn’t want to take a chance on loss.
Medicare plans may cover the exam but rarely the aids.
My “take “ on the subject, debodun, is that you might consider being more patient with people who are having difficulty dealing with a disability that they have not found the solution for, or can’t afford it.It can be more painful & embarrassing for them than you realize.
I didn’t realize until “masking” how much I was relying on lip reading.
if I think I might have trouble hearing someone I take the initiative and explain why I might be asking them to repeat things
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I strongly agree. Not everyone can afford the cost of hearing aids, and there are people for whom they do not help.
 
My hearing is not as good as it once was but I'm not having any major problems yet. My grandmother had a hard time hearing and refused to get a hearing device...kept saying she was okay and that she could hear when it was obvious she was having a hard time hearing. She never did get a device to hear better.
 
My hubs has just bought the latest IPhone 12 to link it to his hearing aids, he can put the phone on the table or in his pocket in noisy social gatherings or watching TV and hear quite clearly
which is worth every cent the phone cost to be involved in chatting / socialising while out at our dance venue.
or other places
 
Although I have idea what kind Penn Jillette has, they are state of the art & extremely expensive. Obviously he has the funds & needs them for his profession. Maybe in a few short years these will be available to the rest of us.
 
I am deaf and now wear Cochlear Implants because hearing aids not longer helped me. Hearing aids can be expensive but your audiologist is the one you will receive the best advice from. Be careful where you buy your hearing aids as there are many different ones and adding extras that you may not use or need just makes the price go higher. Aids are not a replacement for normal speech but an "aid" to help hear and there are many variables. Most problems I encountered weren't with the aids but with people who didn't know how to "talk" to hearing impaired people. Speaking louder never helps as it only distorts the sound. Make sure you are facing the person and speak slower and calmly.

I have 2 sons and only 1 wears a hearing aid. I am still working on the other one. Also, both my grandchildren wear aids.

My best advice to you all: BE KIND
 
I had just been listening to his podcast in the morning. He was talking about putting on his mask before he got out of the car. The hearing aid fell between the seat & the console. He had a heck of time trying to manipulate himself & didn’t dare move the seat in fear of ripping up this ‘ridiculously expensive’ hearing aid. He’s mentioned these before & I’ve wondered what they are. I don’t think these are available to the regular market yet. May be something more advanced coming to the market eventually.
 
I got mine from the local VA clinic. When I went for a check, they put an ap on my i-phone that connects with them. If the phone rings, it rings in the hearing aids.
When they do Zoom interviews on TV the volume and clarity are very inconsistent. Also with foreign shows.
 
I have bad tinnitus and hearing loss since birth. Hearing aids wouldn't help. Tinnitus is worse in quiet environments & stuffing something in my ears would amplify it.
 
debodun said:
What is your take in people that have trouble hearing, but refuse to get or wear hearing aids?
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I understand that, probably the biggest two issues are: cost, and uncertainty as to the effectiveness. It's a gamble, unless of course your hearing loss is severe.

I've finally gotten around to filing for "service connected disability" for my hearing loss, with the VA. My health care(Kaiser-Permanente) examined my hearing and recommended hearing aids. They pay $350 per ear, I hope the VA can do better than that.
 
Pinky said:
My husband finds his hearing aids make his ears tender when he wears them for awhile.
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I have the same problem, that's why I can't wear them. I took the hearing aids back to Sam's Club. They didn't help with my Tinnitus either.
About 8 or 10 years ago I found on YouTube sounds for masking tinnitus. I found the perfect sound and the humming from the tinnitus stopped. Perfect silence. It brought tears to my eyes from the relief of hearing the constant humming for years. A few days later that YouTube video was removed, why I don't know. I haven't found another video since. :(
 
I love my hearing aids. so does my wife. They are Bluetooth enabled, and I have them paired with my smartphone so I can talk hands free. I also have the little adapter that plugs into our TV so I can listen to the sound without turning the volume up.
 
Vanity maybe one of the reasons for not wearing hearing aids, cost for hearing aids custom fit to your ears another.

I've used behind the ear Phonak Audeo B-R Belong B90-R (Rechargeable)for two years now. I wear them from when I get up to when I go to bed. They are so comfortable quite often I forget to take them out when I shower.

Other than the shower I take them out to watch TV.As I explained in a post in "what have you bought recently" & the "health thread" I use a headset paired to the TV. The clarity of sound & voice using the headset is better than using the surround sound, sound system. I could have paired them to the TV but that would defeat the ability for my wife & I to listen at a sound level for our individual need.
 
Nathan said:
I've finally gotten around to filing for "service connected disability" for my hearing loss, with the VA. My health care(Kaiser-Permanente) examined my hearing and recommended hearing aids. They pay $350 per ear, I hope the VA can do better than that.
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I got a phone call from a V.A. rep on Saturday, they wanted to verify my mailing and email addresses, and advised me of the Covid procedures required for when they have me come for an in-person appointment.
The ball is rolling...
 
My experience with the VA and hearing aids has been top-notch.
( Service-Connected hearing loss )

They gave me a choice of types, behind-the-ear, In-the-canal, etc.
to fit my lifestyle and comfort.

First pair were Siemens and next set were Starkeys.
Both were top of the line models and as a side note,
free batteries for life.

It's worth the effort to file for them if you qualify.
 
funsearcher! said:
I was quoted $6000 for hearing aids-which I cannot afford and which would do little for my tinnitus. Have lived with hearing loss for 17 years
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Oh, that is a lot- mostly I've heard of heaing aids being in the $3500 range. I've been hard of hearing all my adult life, with tinnitus as well. I'm pretty sure there is no remedy for tinnitus, but I hope my claim goes through, as what hearing loss I have does have an impact.
 

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