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Hearings Aids

David1946
David1946 Member Posts: 774
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edited March 16 in I Am Living With Alzheimer's or Other Dementia

I am going tomorrow to the VA to get my first set of hearing aids. I have been told that I will be able to hear the noise that a piece paper can make I cant wit to hear that sound . Are there any other sound I can expect to hear?

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  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,417
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    I don't wear hearing aids so I cannot answer this question.

    Iris

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    edited March 16

    Everything has its own sound just walking I can hear the sounds my shoes make

  • Janutt
    Janutt Member Posts: 131
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    Hello,

    i do wear hearing aids. I wore them many years ago, but I stopped wearing. I now have the updated ones and I can honestly say I am very pleased. You will the wood floors creak, birds chirping with more sounds. Conversations too. I hope you enjoy. Take time with the adjustment

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    edited March 15

    I have only had them 3 hours and I love them already. I went out to lunch with them and it was nice to hear what my wife and step daughter was saying without straining to hear what they were saying and the back round noise was not that bad I like that if noise gets to loud that I can turn it down.

  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,417
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    Good for you, David!

    Iris

  • Janutt
    Janutt Member Posts: 131
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    I am so happy for you! I had a pair about 10 years ago. My batteries kept dying. I got fed upi and stopped wearing them. Then a few months ago my husband and I went for the hearing test and again I failed but my husband did well. I have my hearing aids connected to my phone. It was scary at first, but I agree why was i so stubborn not to ear them. Life is easier with them and more enjoyable

  • LimitedTime
    LimitedTime Member Posts: 3
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    When you first wear your hearing aids, it will sound very noisy because you haven't been hearing those sounds. Stick with it and your brain will adjust to the noise and it won't bother you as much. Takes about a week.
  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    Limited time, thank you I am getting used to all the different noises.

  • mkoscik
    mkoscik Member Posts: 11
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    I will be looking at hearing aids in a few days. I tried a pair of Insignia 5ax for a week and loved them, they even helped with my horrible tinnitus, but at $2,900 even with AARP discount it is too much. I am looking for a similar type made by Relate an AARP brand made by , I think, Unitron. Cost is about $1,900. I am glad yours are helpful, David. If price wasn't so steep many more seniors with hearing loss would have them. Tragic,even with OTC hearing aids.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    I got my hearing aids from the VA about 1 month ago and I love them but when trying to change the volume I must have did something wrong because now I can not hear anyone when I am on the phone unless I have the speaker phone on. So I am going to the VA to have them adjusted so they will work correctly. I should have listened to my wife when she told me do not play the hearing aids. I will have the VA show me the correct way to adjust the volume.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    I went to the VA to have my hearing aids adjusted on Tuesday and what a difference. Now I have to learn not to try to adjust them myself again.

    My daughter is flying in from Texas to go with me to visit the local VA home that I am the waiting list because of my ALZ. My wife and I are being prepared if it gets to the point that she can will no longer be able to take of me.

  • concerned_sister
    concerned_sister Member Posts: 425
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/204765#Comment_204765

    If you have a Costco membership, they had a good value when looking for MIL.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206099#Comment_206099
    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206099#Comment_206099

    I do not know if you are a veteran if you are give them a try you will get the state of the art and at at no cost.

  • concerned_sister
    concerned_sister Member Posts: 425
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    David, thanks for the tip. When I was looking for MIL, that wasn't in play. But, my DB (PWD) is a veteran, so I'll have to keep that in mind if the need comes up. We have plans to go talk to VA this coming Wednesday to get him in to their health care system. I understand they have a lot to offer when he progresses to the next stages.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    Yes the VA has a lot to offer. I'm going next week to see if I can get new cane or walker because the ones I bought on my own aren't tall enough for me I am almost 7 ft tall.

  • concerned_sister
    concerned_sister Member Posts: 425
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    You are a tall one. I hope the new hardware is a better match for you. How has the visit with your daughter been going?

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    edited April 22
    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206232#Comment_206232

    My daughter is leaving Monday. She's only here to see the new VETERANS HOME in Boston where I might have to go if my wife is not able to take care of me. I also hope I come home with a walker and cane on May 3 the day of my appointment. I had an excellent visit with my daughter and my son and his family.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    Went to Boston to take a tour of the Veterans Home in Chelsea. WOW what a place . every veteran has his or her own room with a private bathroom and shower. It is unbelievable everything you need is provided at no cost to you. I think since all my kids took the tour also they know that I will be well taken care of if I have to go there. I think that they were worried that I would not be taken care of if my wife could not take of me if I get to bad to stay at home.

  • concerned_sister
    concerned_sister Member Posts: 425
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    David, I hope this all works out for you. I've read your posts and it's clear your wife is very dear to you. I've read other caregivers state that a pleasant outcome can be that their primary role transferred from 'caregiver' to 'wife' again. If it comes to placement in that facility, I hope positive things come of it.

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206448#Comment_206448

    We toured the VET home yesterday and it makes me happy that my kids both loved the home now they know I will be well taken of if I have to be placed .

    Today I spent the afternoon with my kids daughter in law and my grandchildren at the local beach having popcorn ice cream and the grandchildren played video games at the Arcade. This will be the last time for several years before I get to see my daughter (from Texas) or granddaughter again because my granddaughter is starting college. Myself and my wife can not travel anymore due our health inparticular my ALZ. The only reason we would go to Texas would be for my granddaughters wedding her graduation from college .

  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,417
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    I'm glad you were so impressed with the veteran's home, David. It's great that you could spend quality time with your DDIL and grandchildren. I hope you can do Zoom calls in the future when travel will be difficult.

    Iris

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206505#Comment_206505

    I also hope I can do zoom and if I can learn to FaceTime which I d o not know how

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206506#Comment_206506

    My wife and I just came back from the local 99 restaurant we took my daughter and my son and his family out to lunch and to say goodbye to my daughter as she leaves Boston on Monday am at 6 am to back to her family in Texas. I t will be a couple of years before she comes for another visit and hopefully her husband and my granddaughter will come also. Like I said before my wife and I can not travel to Texas or anywhere else (except N.H. we have relatives there)do to our health especially my ALZ.

    I went to Church this morning and because it was so crowed ( do to First Communion) I almost left because it felt like the walls were starting to close in on me but I took a couple of deep breaths and I calmed down and was able to stay for the Mass.

  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,417
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    Good for you David. Some churches have accommodations for the disabled people. But it's great that you are learning what you need to do for yourself!

    Iris

  • David1946
    David1946 Member Posts: 774
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    You're right iris. My parish priest who just retired helped me so much when my wife died he hepled me keep keep my faith. He suggested that I go on a retreat. It was the best thing for me as a result I got heavily involved in the parish and until this year because of my ALZ I had to give up being involved with helping out with the yearly retreat.

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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