Hearing Aids?

Belldream

My DH was approved for hearing aids last year by the ENT. Trouble is, he loses everything and every day we are on the hunt for something. I am also not sure if hearing better would add another confusion dimension for him. He's at the point where we can barely communicate sine he has trouble processing words and sentences now, since he takes a while to understand the meaning of simple sentences. I have to repeat myself a number of times very slowly until he can finally understand.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this? I'm worried that we'll spend a lot of money for something that may frustrate him more and/or he'll simply lose.

Donr

Did the ENT explain to you how bad his hearing?  Unless his hearing is interfering with his daily life, I would not obtain the hearing aids. My wife recently was given a prescription for hearing aids and I decided to not buy them because I felt that they would be too confusing for her to use.

Rick4407

Hello Bell,  I wear hearing aids, as strong as they come since I have profound hearing loss.  I would not recommend you pursue hearing aids.  As you mention, easily misplaced.  

Perhaps a bigger reason is the ear canal is very sensitive.  They will feel very uncomfortable and he will continually be taking them out which will complicate the usual hiding things.  Many people who get hearing aids don't actually wear them, too much discomfort. I've been wearing them  for 25+ years and they still feel strange in the ear.  A secondary reason is they require a considerable amount of "maintenance".  Batteries and the buildup of wax in the small canals that allow pressure to equalize.  You won't know when to do this "maintenance".  Since the maintenance is dictated by changes in the sound they amplify.  Lastly while they amplify sound it is also distorted to a degree so nothing sounds like he might be expecting.     

Save your money and the considerable aggravation of chasing them and really never knowing how they are working.  Good luck, Rick

JJ401

he has trouble processing words and sentences 

If processing is the main problem, hearing aids will not help.

toolbeltexpert

Bell if dh has never used Hearing aides, I wouldn't introduce them at this point. The other losses of communication are already in jeopardy of being lost. You would only add to your work load of keeping up with something that is so easily lost. I know. My dw got them when I first started suspecting problems with her memory, she is faithful to use them because I got them so long ago. Sorry none of this is easy. This is just my take. You will do what's best for your dh and you.

Hoot619

I agree with the others, My DW  wore them til Alz. started to get bad. Then losing them, replaced them twice. Good ole dog ate the last pair. She wouldn't keep them in.

Here is a laugh on me, moving grill onto truck dog found yellow jacket nest. He was rolling in the ground trying to rid of them. I put him in truck for his safety , got my mosquito headnet on and knocked 1 hearing aide off. SO I put them in truck with the dog so I wouldn't lose them. Well I didn't lose them but what is left after he chewed them up isn't much.       I'm patiently waiting for my new pair.  AND  I can't read lips.  With DW I can hear her easy , she is quite loud. Hoot

Joydean

Hoot, thanks for the laugh!!

Pam BH

I agree with the others not to buy them, unfortunately learned from experience. Two years ago doctor convinced DH to try hearing aids again and surprisingly he agreed (overlooked clue: he has dementia), Spent an awful lot on them and he wore them for about a month and he could hear again. Wore them sporadically and then about a year ago not at all. I finally took time to observe that it's not the hearing loss but the comprehension that's the problem. It actually helps him when I have to repeat for him to understand in bits what I'm saying.  Added benefit of him not using them is he's no longer messing with them, dropping them, losing them. Dogs do love hearing aids!

Rescue mom

I got hearing aids for my mom fairly early in her dementia. It was pretty much a waste, she could not handle them.

The audiologist warned me it usually takes even healthy people a couple weeks to “adjust” to them. Mom didn’t want to do that, but would reluctantly comply if reminded/told to, and watched. 

In several months her dementia advanced—and not that far along, maybe stage 4?— she could not do any maintenance. And she’d take them out wherever, and lost them repeatedly.

Usually we found them, until we didn’t. Then got another pair, which got lost much quicker. That was the end of that. Most people told me even then, hearing aids were not a good idea with dementia. Thousands of dollars that I now think could have been better used. 

Belldream

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses! I had no idea on the maintenance and possible discomfort, so that was interesting to learn. I know now that I can take that off the list to look into. You've saved me lots of money, and much frustration.

Hoot619

Well I called again on mine- the ones my good ole dog chewed up. $225 for 1 aid that was still covered by insurance the other I had  replaced it before so $1500 for that one.   Yes the darn dog is still alive, maybe I learned something. Put them in a dog proof place in truck and I better put them up in house at night in a safe place also. I get them Monday and boy do I miss them.

Bucky de dog has ruined 3 pr of aids (1 of mine and 2 of DW's)  plus DW's top plate took a chunk out. DW wouldn't keep them in her mouth.( DW wouldn't keep H.aids in either so quit using  them).;

  I was always looking for them.  One day I saw the dog chewing on something as I was looking for her teeth. I opened his mouth and he had plenty of teeth his and DW', Hoot

Rescue mom

Hoot makes a good point. Several experts (docs, audiologists, aides, etc)  warned me that hearing aids are very attractive to dogs, as something to eat or at least chew on. Basically, if you have a dog, you need to be extra careful with the hearing aid. The audiologist even has posters about it.

MaryG123

Oh too funny, but probably not at the time Hoot.  I’m sure my dog would also love an extra set of teeth!