Advice please - how good is your hearing aid?

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  Jumpingphil2 years, 10 months ago #1Show comment toolsReply

  ???
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  sickly sweet2 years, 10 months ago #2Show comment toolsReply

  My father has a hearing aid, it was privately paid for as he got a subsidy by going through a work scheme and he wanted one of the hidden in-ear ones which at the time (not sure about now, it was maybe 8 years ago) weren't available on the nhs.
  They have really improved his life, he had early old age hearing loss - by that I mean it's caused by old age but he was in his 50s which is probably a bit earlier than most - and he can now hear the birds singing, the tv volume is sooo much lower, he feels more included as he can join in conversations he previously couldn't hear, he is very prone to ear infections and actually gets less now he has the hearing aids, but when he doesn't wear them jeez it's annoying! He goes back to making up what he thought he heard and catching only parts of conversations.
  After 8 - 10 years the hearing aids are on their last legs, but Mary Hare who you should defintely look into, it's a hearing charity who also sell, fix and service hearing aids and they have been absolutely brilliant. When the hearing aids broke they charged £40 and had a year long warranty so when they broke again they just fixed them (different problem to first one) for free. So helpful too.
  I think they cost over a thousand pounds each, could be a couple of thousand but look into government schemes that subsidise them for people at work, not sure if they still do it but they used to.
  My sister has a hearing aid, in her 20s, a private one again and a loop one, it's great as she has long hair so not that noticeable.
  They can take a bit of getting used to, and things like being in a loud, busy, echoey room (like at a bistro or restaurant with a big room and wooden floors) it can be hard to decipher all the noises, it can be a bit overwhelming I think or when it is windy the ears 'whistle' or if the phone is too close to the hearing aid they can 'whistle' but overall I'd say go for it.
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  sickly sweet2 years, 10 months ago #3Show comment toolsReply

  Also, what did the hearing specialist say? I think some style of hearing aids are more suited to different types of hearing loss so ask the specialist and they should have information about the styles, prices, nhs or private etc.
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  Butterbean2 years, 10 months ago #4Show comment toolsReply

  People I have known who have had hearing aids have said that the aids amplify all the background noises as well as the sounds that they actually want to hear. In some circumstances, such as sitting in your living room watching tv when background noise is limited, this can be really helpful and they can have the tv on much quieter. But in a noisy pub when they are struggling to take part in a conversation with a group of people, it doesn't help at all over all the other noise going on around them.
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  magicjay1986[mod]2 years, 10 months ago #5Show comment toolsReply

  Pardon?
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  jamstaruk19722 years, 10 months ago #6Show comment toolsReply

  whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
  
  
  youl have to speak up
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  diabeticguy2 years, 10 months ago #7Show comment toolsReply

  ..ay? (I can appreciate these flippant comments are annoying, but your question was gagging for a punchline)
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  chunky2 years, 10 months ago #8Show comment toolsReply

  I take it you have been referred to the audiology department by your doctor?
  
  I would contact the RNID helpline, they'll give the most up to date advice.
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  doogan92 years, 10 months ago #9Show comment toolsReply

  sickly sweet

  My father has a hearing aid, it was privately paid for as he got a subsidy by going through a work scheme and he wanted one of the hidden in-ear ones which at the time (not sure about now, it was maybe 8 years ago) weren't available on the nhs.
  They have really improved his life, he had early old age hearing loss - by that I mean it's caused by old age but he was in his 50s which is probably a bit earlier than most - and he can now hear the birds singing, the tv volume is sooo much lower, he feels more included as he can join in conversations he previously couldn't hear, he is very prone to ear infections and actually gets less now he has the hearing aids, but when he doesn't wear them jeez it's annoying! He goes back to making up what he thought he heard and catching only parts of conversations.
  After 8 - 10 years the hearing aids are on their last legs, but Mary Hare who you should defintely look into, it's a hearing charity who also sell, fix and service hearing aids and they have been absolutely brilliant. When the hearing aids broke they charged £40 and had a year long warranty so when they broke again they just fixed them (different problem to first one) for free. So helpful too.
  I think they cost over a thousand pounds each, could be a couple of thousand but look into government schemes that subsidise them for people at work, not sure if they still do it but they used to.
  My sister has a hearing aid, in her 20s, a private one again and a loop one, it's great as she has long hair so not that noticeable.
  They can take a bit of getting used to, and things like being in a loud, busy, echoey room (like at a bistro or restaurant with a big room and wooden floors) it can be hard to decipher all the noises, it can be a bit overwhelming I think or when it is windy the ears 'whistle' or if the phone is too close to the hearing aid they can 'whistle' but overall I'd say go for it.

  
  
  Many thanks - will follow up.
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  arcangel1112 years, 10 months ago #10Show comment toolsReply

  magicjay1986

  Pardon?

  
  
  damn beat me to it...........(_;)
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  missismop2 years, 10 months ago #11Show comment toolsReply

  my son wears hearing aids and you can get the back ground noise blocked out

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