topic Re: Hearing Aides in Wellness

Hearing Aides

hovis — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 21:45:55 GMT

I will have to get a hearing aid soon. I want one that no one will see. I heard about one that even has a remote control that you keep in your pocket and you can lower or raise the sound just by touching it. The thing is the cost. I know they can be expensive but I guess they are worth the money. Thanks.

Re: Hearing Aides

violann — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 23:27:04 GMT

@hovis wrote:
I will have to get a hearing aid soon. I want one that no one will see. I heard about one that even has a remote control that you keep in your pocket and you can lower or raise the sound just by touching it. The thing is the cost. I know they can be expensive but I guess they are worth the money. Thanks.

A few points- The cost of a thorough comprehensive exam by a REAL AUDIOLOGIST should be your first step. You will know the audiologist is qualified by seeing the letters AUD.CCC following his or her name.

How do you know you will need to get a hearing aid?

Consider this- there is NOTHING EMBARRASING about hearing loss, but if you are not hearing social conversation, you can wind up in some VERY embarrassing predicaments.

Please don't approach a hearing aid as something that detracts from your appearance.

There are wonderful hearing aids being built that are VERY inconspicuous, but the end gal of a hearing aid is HEARING. Trust your audiologist to offer you appropriate choices.

Please don't sell yourself short on this. Do your research and buy yourself the aid that is best for you.

Re: Hearing Aides

ALRATIBA — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 17:10:27 GMT

For the past 10 years, I've been wearing Widex brand in-the-ear, but can be seen. Three years ago, I got a new set that are programmable and have a remote control. Fantastic hearing aids. The cost was over $5,200 - but worth every penny.

Your best bet is to consult with an audiologist who'll advise you what's the best brand/model for your hearing needs and lifestyle (and budget).

ETA: I don't know about where you live, but here in NYC - you are required to have a medical evaluation prior to getting aids.

ETA #2 ... My PCP sent me to ENT when I deveoped tinnitus. He's the one who diagnosed my hearing loss and prescribed two hearing aids. My ENT and audiologist are both affiliated with Mt. Sinai hospital in NYC. The hearing aids are custom fitted and custom programmed for the wearer's particular hearing loss.

Re: Hearing Aides

Q-Checker — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 23:02:07 GMT

First off, follow Violann's excellent advice and be evaluated by someone who has earned the letters "CCC" from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This indicates a minimum of a Master's degree in Audiology in addition to supervised clinical training. The letters "CCC" stand for Certificate of Clinical Competence. Your "best deal" would probably be at Costco's if you live close emough to one of their stores. Their prices are excellent -- and the quality and variety of what they offer is substantial. They may or may not have an Audiologist with the CCC credential on their staff, but you can still buy an aid there (and use it for a lengthy trial period) if you have also had a prior evaluation done by a certified Audiologist who does hold their CCC's. The mark-up in hearing aid prices is substantial and, unfortunately, so is the existence of charlatans selling them. Caution and consumer "homework" are important.

Re: Hearing Aides

JeanLouiseFinch — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 23:59:21 GMT

Speaking from personal experience, I've been wearing hearing aids for several years. Initially my audiologist recommended to over/behind the ear style but I insisted on the completely in the canal style. Boy was I wrong. I really tried to get used to them but I hated them. Every time I'd chew, sneeze, cough, or yawn the aids would shift and I'd have to poke them into place again. It was so aggravating plus it was painful where it rubbed against a bone in my ear. Another thing I will tell you is that the in the canal style made my ears itch. There is a treatment product that can help alleviate some of that but not completely. I returned to my audiologist with my tail between my legs and switched to the over the ear style. They are much better for me.

And please don't be afraid of people seeing them. It's no different than someone who needs to wear eyeglasses or a prosthetic. There's no shame. It's far more embarrassing to continually ask people to repeat themselves, annoy the people around you because you're making the TV way too loud, or to respond to someone with a totally off the wall reply because you didn't hear the question correctly (BTDT). Even so, many manufacturers are making remarkably small equipment these days.

Good luck to you.

Re: Hearing Aides

RedTop — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 00:03:27 GMT

@hovis,

My mother went thru the process to get hearing aids 5 months ago, and things went much smoother than I expected.

I absolutely agree that you will want to mention your hearing issues with your medical doctor, and have a basic hearing test in that office, which is used to set up the audiology appointment. The test supports the need for hearing aids for medical reasons, and while most insurances do not pay for the actual hearing aids, having the medical screening saved my mother hundreds of dollars in sales tax on the actual purchase of her hearing aids.

Mom's hearing loss is moderate, based on the more intensive screening done by the audiologist. She was shown 2 digital hearing aids that were suggested for her hearing loss. Both were over the ear with an inner ear piece. Mom chose the cheaper model which was $2500, and we ordered in a medium gray that blends well with her hair. The hearing aids are not immediately noticeable unless you look at her ear long enough to see the thin plastic tubing going inside the ear.

When the hearing aids came in, mom went back to the office to have them set, and fitted. The hearing aids were connected to a piece of equipment that allowed them to be programmed by computer, to settings based on how Mom scored on her hearing test. Once the basic parameters were preset, the devices were fitted on Mom, and the other settings were set at her comfort level.

The basic settings were set conservatively so that Mom did not experience an intense, loud rush of sounds when the devices were fitted in her ears. The devices have helped her hear normally again, without everything being over amplified and super loud. Mom wore the hearing aids at the initial level for several weeks, then had a followup appointment to see if any tweaking needed to be done, and at that time she did request the overall sound be increased slightly.

Moms $2500 hearing aids are quality pieces with a warranty. The other model was $5000, and while it came with a broader and longer warranty, I did not think it necessary to buy a "deluxe" model. When something happens to my Mom, my brothers or I can take her hearing aids back to this audiology office, and get "trade in value" on a device for ourselves.

Re: Hearing Aides

fthunt — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 00:34:32 GMT

What's the big deal about people seeing a hearing aid? Do you wear glasses? If you've been asking people to repeat things - they won't be surprised you got help. Don't we fuss over the silliest things?

Re: Hearing Aides

Mz iMac — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 01:00:00 GMT

Nonprofits. Sertoma helps people with hearing problems and runs a hearing aid recycling program, SHARP through its 420 clubs (1-816-333-8300). HEAR Now, sponsored by the Starkey Hearing Foundation provides hearing aids for people with limited income. Clients pay for evaluations and a fee of $125 per aid.

Re: Hearing Aides

Azcowgirl — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 01:35:40 GMT

DH procrastinated for years with bad hearing because he feared he would be considered old . When he finally did get them, he insisted on the inner ear kind that are invisible. All he does is complain about them now, batteries beeping or going out all the time, making his ears itch, but also moisture gets trapped and they easily get smelly from bacteria (sorry to be gross) and he's constantly cleaning them with alcohol.

After seeing his problems with the inner ear ones, I would choose the outer ear ones if I needed to get them, and wear my hair over my ears.

Re: Hearing Aides

violann — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 14:20:57 GMT

I am enormously grateful to all of you who have provided your very helpful comments about issues concerning hearing aids.

This is a subject I can easily get too passionate about, and it is so much better to read about what others say in first hand accounts about their experiences with searching for better hearing.

Thank you also @hovis, for posting the subject. I hope your experience with hearing enhancement is all you are hoping for!

Re: Hearing Aides

4Kicks — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 21:38:07 GMT

I would suggest not rushing into this, and looking around. Some places will let you try some before you buy. Sam's Club let me do this, and theirs were very reasonably priced. I ended up, for my first pair, actually getting a pair from a neighbor who passed away not long after purchasing them. I only had to pay $75 to have them changed to my hearing. Quite a deal!!! I used those for several years and was very happy with them. The only problem I had was I used the throw away batteries and they were a pain as I went through them every 3 or 4 days.

Later I purchased some that were better and the batteries get recharged every night, but since that time I have spoken with a neighbor who bought some aids from ZOUNDS which I was very impressed with. He carries a small adjuster in his pocket which he uses depending on the situation. I think he paid around $3,000 for them, which I thought was quite reasonable. I know that he is very happy with them. They have a 7 day risk free trial.

Also, I tried the inner ear models that you leave in for several days. They caused me a LOT of problems and were VERY expensive.

Hope this info helps!!!

Re: Hearing Aides

chlema — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 21:47:27 GMT

Here's what I don't get. Medicare does not offer any assistance with the cost of hearing aids, but my friend is having her eyelids lifted and they cover that cost. I know some people have a problem with drooping eyelids and I get that, but my friend does not have this problem, just wants to have a more youthful look. Oh well, such is life lol.

Re: Hearing Aides

violann — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 00:20:14 GMT

@chlema wrote:
Here's what I don't get. Medicare does not offer any assistance with the cost of hearing aids, but my friend is having her eyelids lifted and they cover that cost. I know some people have a problem with drooping eyelids and I get that, but my friend does not have this problem, just wants to have a more youthful look. Oh well, such is life lol.

The Medicaire perspective on hearing aids is DISGRACEFUL.

Drooping eyelids are ONLY covered if they cause a functional negative change in vision.

I know that with 100% certainty because my surgeon had to provide very specific info when my crossed eye was corrected, since it did improve the appearance of my eye but was done ONLY to correct chronic double vision.