Hearing Aids

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
What is your take in people that have trouble hearing, but refuse to get or wear hearing aids?

Deafness is people over 70 seems endemic around here. There are many people in the church I attend or to whom I used to deliver meals that are obviously hearing impaired, yet do not wear hearing aids. I find it frustrating to try to have a conversation with them. I have to keep repeating what I say or end up shouting. Then when I shout, they look offended. The ones that have hearing aids are always fussing with them and sometimes they start squealing (the aids, not the people). What's that all about? Even I am starting to have trouble understanding people in a place where is a high noise level or outdoors in an open area. It's like the wind just blows tehwords away. I can hear, just not understand what's being said. I'm okay in a quiet, indoor situation. But I can her a fire station siren that's 5 miles away when it sounds - a very faint whining noise.
 

I'm probably one of them. I hate the thought of having to use them and if my hearing had declined back in my 60's or 70's I might have have them. But now, in my late 80's, I can still hear and understand people speaking at a normal level. I have to agree that with too much background noise, such as at a party, I'm lost. Watching TV, I tend to use "closed caption" when watching a movie but don't have much of a problem with single speakers such as news broadcasts.
 
My wife was diagnosed with Tinnitus, perception of sound when no corresponding sound is present, and after several recommendations is was by popular diagnosis that hearing aids would help if not eliminate the humming sound. We purchased and she tried them for several months.....Did not work.
 

Guilty as charged. I maybe probably should get checked out - in the future. The tv has to be louder from a distance, some people are harder to understand. Not too much of a problem in ideal conditions. It’s just the one ear. DH’s voice has softened, so I’m making him repeat things.
 
I wear hearing aids when I go out & when I watch all my favourite shows, like Gunsmoke. However, most men don't & they should. I have friends that their wives cannot get them to wear the aids no matter how hard they try. I think some men are about as stubborn as those proverbial mules.
 
Tinnitus person here,, mine sounds like steady hiss,,,air pressure leaking from my brain?
Used to sound like birds tweeting.

Hubby had his ears checked out 20 years ago by an insurance related program that PA governor tried to get started.
My husband is deaf in one ear , 1% hearing in the other.
He's tried a couple brands of hearing aids,, has been disappointed with them.
 
My husband finds his hearing aids make his ears tender when he wears them for awhile. Also, he has to keep fine-tuning them according to his environment. He prefers to wear headphone and used closed-captioning to watch t.v. programs - otherwise, the t.v. is very loud.

We rarely watch t.v. together, as I stream content on my widescreen monitor, so, there's no issue there.
 
Packerjohn said:
I wear hearing aids when I go out & when I watch all my favourite shows, like Gunsmoke. However, most men don't & they should. I have friends that their wives cannot get them to wear the aids no matter how hard they try. I think some men are about as stubborn as those proverbial mules.
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Packer,
I'm a Gunsmoke fan as well. I especially like Festus. I also watch Rawhide, most every night. My father in law was very deaf and refused to wear hearing aids. He was a avid Gunsmoke fan as well and you could hear Gunsmoke was on when you pulled in the driveway.
 
Pinky said:
My husband finds his hearing aids make his ears tender when he wears them for awhile. Also, he has to keep fine-tuning them according to his environment. He prefers to wear headphone and used closed-captioning to watch t.v. programs - otherwise, the t.v. is very loud.

We rarely watch t.v. together, as I stream content on my widescreen monitor, so, there's no issue there.
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My GF's husband got hearing aids. She says they're pretty good when he has them on, but he doesn't love them. Also, she says his hearing declined swiftly once he got them.

They think the hearing aids are over amplifying sound to the point of doing even more damage to his hearing.
 
Aren't hearing aids very expensive, like thousands of dollars? And not covered by Medicare? I hear, but don't always make out individual words. Have had tinnitus since 1986. It's loud but I can usually ignore it.

Sometimes bad hearing is an excuse I use for tuning folks out and off. It's an isolating problem.
 
I wear hearing aids. I'm very happy with mine even though they cost a small fortune and I don't even have the most expensive.
They do nothing for my tinnitus. I don't think any hearing aid does.
@Pinky, my ears get tender also but I found that a smaller dome helps. The cons of that is that air gets around the dome and like Deb said they then squeal.
I guess you have to pick your poison.
I don't wear them when I'm around home which the audiologist said I should. She says it teaches the brain to hear better. She isn't the one forking up the bucks.
I also hate the constant phone calls I get from the office of the audiologist to come in to have them checked. When I have a problem I will make an appointment.
Hearing aid companies are extremely competitive which I suppose is the reason for the constant calling.
Cheaper hearing aids are only amplifiers. True hearing aids do much more than that. Tone is very important and must be adjusted.
The most expensive hearing aid that I didn't buy actually could determine where the sound is coming from. I'm rarely am in with large groups of people so felt I didn't need that feature. A few dollars saved.
TV is always a problem. Most all TV sets have speakers in the back. Makes hearing even harder.
I also get free batteries so that helps.
My dad and grandpa were dead set against wearing hearing aids. They missed so much.
 
Pepper said:
Aren't hearing aids very expensive, like thousands of dollars? And not covered by Medicare? I hear, but don't always make out individual words. Have had tinnitus since 1986. It's loud but I can usually ignore it.

Sometimes bad hearing is an excuse I use for tuning folks out and off. It's an isolating problem.
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I paid 1800.00 for her set, but provided almost no relief. It disguises the hum or attempts to, by amplifing other sounds. For her, like I said, was not worth it.
 
Pappy said:
Mine do nothing for Tinnitus either. I’m on my second pair of hearing aids and these are due for replacement. I have an appointment with the VA in two weeks and hope to get a new pair.
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@Pappy, I take you have established a Service Connected Disability with the VA for your hearing loss? I just printed the application form (VA form 21-526EZ)yesterday. should have done it years ago, but the "process" sounds a bit intimidating.
 
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
 
'Partner' has tinnitus but was never suggested hearing aids by his doctor!?

He believes one has to live with it but not focus on it. His is usually a swishing sound.

I did buy a Sound Therapy Machine for him which he used for a while and then dismissed. But on the positive side sounds include ocean, tropical forest, brook and others which I enjoy sometimes at night. Indian giver ???
Just got to know where you put your pennies for a 'calculated' return :rolleyes: ;)
 
Nathan said:
@Pappy, I take you have established a Service Connected Disability with the VA for your hearing loss? I just printed the application form (VA form 21-526EZ)yesterday. should have done it years ago, but the "process" sounds a bit intimidating.
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I waited a long time before I applied too. Glad I did. Get a lot of my meds there and of course hearing aids. Go for it Nathan.
 
Pepper said:
Aren't hearing aids very expensive, like thousands of dollars? And not covered by Medicare? I hear, but don't always make out individual words. Have had tinnitus since 1986. It's loud but I can usually ignore it.

Sometimes bad hearing is an excuse I use for tuning folks out and off. It's an isolating problem.
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Pepper, the best buy for hearing aids is from Costco. Less than $2,000 Canadian. However, if you go anywhere else it's definitely "Buyer Beware" or it could cost you thousands more. Best to check out Costco 1st. Buy the way they have nice packs of batteries for a fraction what you would pay in any drugstore. Don't believe me, eh! Check it out yourself.
 

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