Is there a less expensive alternative to hearing aids?

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Is there a less expensive alternative to hearing aids?

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My 93 year old mother lives in a supportive living facility. She has dementia but has been doing fairly well. Normally, I replace the batteries in hearing aids or she asks the nurse. She seems to have forgotten to do this and broke both hearing aids trying to replace the batteries on her own. One is repairable... one is not. I see she is continuing to play with the one that is still work and I am hesitant to replace them as I think she's just going to break them again. They cost $1,000 each and she isn't financially able to cover the cost. Any recommendations for a less expensive alternative (device, manufacturer, etc.) would be appreciated. Thank you.

Communication & Language Hearing

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I think the first option would be to have someone change the batteries for her. Personally, I've found it a bit cumbersome - they're tiny batteries, and sometimes old hands have trouble changing little batteries.

Could you add that as a paid task for someone at the facility?

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First, this should be done by staff. Hearing aids are hard for the elderly to manipulate them. They can't adjust them. My Mom never wore hers. So, he doesn't have them at the home. I would not replace them. She will damage them again.

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Since we didn't have the problem previously, I'm trying to figure out the options. To be sure she doesn't break them again, we would have to make sure they were doled out in the morning and retrieved after dinner...I don't know if they would be willing to take the responsibility. It's a very nice facility but it's affiliated with the State of Illinois. My mom can be stubborn, showering, etc., so not sure how it will work out. thank you for the suggestions.

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Marilyn, hearing aids and batteries. You'd think modern science would come up with something user friendly. Since the vast majority of hearing aid users are the elder, many with poor eyesight and poor coordination. When I cleaned out my parents house, good grief, the amount of tiny dropped batteries that I found :P

Also found old hearing aids, where I could tell Dad was messing with them, due to screw driver scratches.... [sigh]

I think we should go back to the old fashioned "ear trumpet".... no batteries needed... can't lose these things because of their size... and they come in such wonderful designs and colors. Someone could have a dozen of them in different colors to match what they were wearing that day. Now, if only we could get the fad going :)

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My mom's hearing aids died of old age and I have decided not to replace them. (well really it was decided for me since being fitted for new ones was almost impossible). You might want to look for personal amplifiers, there are several available on Amazon, but he one recommended to us was the pocket talker by Williams Sound.

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We've struggled with this one as well. My mom wears hearing aides due to hearing loss from radiology. After her stroke she was unable to put her hearing aides in or change the batteries. We did it when we lived with them, then had aides help with this. However, my mom would fiddle with them while they were in her ears, they'd fall out or the batteries would fall out. We managed to get them stable (one was not working) and my mom lost one while visiting my dad in rehab. We visited an audiologist who gave us a brochure where the least expensive hearing aides were $4,000. Even my mother agreed it was too expensive. I've purchased a pair of hearing aides online for less than $100. They're larger than the previous ones. I'll post a review when they arrive

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Mom's hearing doctor was telling me he went to see his patient in a home. During the exam he noticed the patient had her aid in but couldn't hear him. He took the aid out and found that no battery was in it. At that facility they take the aids to the Nurses station. He went out to the station and showed them no battery.

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Or they put them in with a dead battery or don't close the door properly so they aren't turned on. It amazes me how so many of those who work around old people can be so clueless, sure there are differences in different hearing aids but it isn't rocket science.

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If Mom likes TV there are "TV Ears". They are wireless with a head piece like a headband. Mom's Neurologist took a tuning fork and started moving it towards Mom from the side and asked her to tell him when she heard it.she heard it when he got to her shoulder. He said she heard well enough not to use her aids. Actually hearing doctor said it was too hard for him to judge her hearing loss now because she couldn't handle instructions.

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I really appreciate all of the suggestions. I feel guilty for not replacing them but I also think it's inevitable that she will continue to break them if she no longer remembers that she shouldn't be attempting to replace the batteries. The TV is blasting but, at least, she can hear it. Unfortunately, I don't think she's hearing people. I will look into the personal amplifier and thank you, chrismsherman, in advance, for posting a review of the hearing aids you are going to try.

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Thank you for your question, MarilynBo. I have the same question (recommendations for a less expensive alternative to hearing aids?) but for different reason. The pocket talker cwillie suggested might work for my situation & gets good reviews on Amazon; however, I'm not sure how easy it would be for your mom with dementia to learn how to use it. I will be following for chrismsherman's answer too since he/she's the only other one who offered an answer to the question. Thanks again!

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We need the Chinese to come up with something decent and affordable. I recall seeing an advertisement one time that offered them for about $195 but this was the price for each if they were bought in bulk. Some of the products listed on Amazon are much less expensive and work reasonably well.

I suspect it would be better to have rechargeable devices rather than having to replace the tiny batteries. My mother had a hearing aid, and it was ridiculous even trying to turn the thing on (tiny print in plastic with no color contrast). I've decided if I ever need one, I'm going to get something that isn't so tiny because a lot of the hassles are caused by the small size. People walk around with Bluetooth devices on their eyes, so there's no reason why someone can't have a hearing aid of similar design (if they don't like to show that they need a hearing aid due to vanity).

I would use an ear horn before I would pay the ridiculous prices asked for most hearing aids!

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my FIL broke his $5k hearing aids. We ordered hearing amplifier devices online. Have tried several but most recent ones are rechargeable and very sturdy. He says they work better than his old expensive aids. Cost was around $60 for a pair.

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Pocket Talker is a fabulous alternative. You can order online from WalMart about $50.00. Mom wouldn't wear her hearing aids but she wore these.

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I have a couple of thoughts that may be very helpful. Have you taken it to the audiologist's for a look-see? There was one time when one of my mother's hearing aids stopped working. We thought it was broken, and I was pissed, because each side cost $2000! Anyway, the fix was simple: we took it to her audiologist, and it was a minor matter of cleaning out the electronics inside the casing. Apparently, we hadn't been changing the wax guards frequently enough, and wax can build up in places that you can't get to. I think the audiologist used some special cleaning device, like a sonic cleaner, like they use at the optometrist's. Whatever it was, it was working perfectly again!

So start with taking it to the audiologist.

My other thought... My mother's rehab facility was actually responsible for the daily maintenance and safe-keeping of her hearing aids. I had the impression that the entire facility, including the nursing home/extended care wing, followed the same rules. Her (very expensive) hearing aids were kept in a lock box with her name and room number on it at the nurses' station. In the morning, an aide would deliver them to her, and at bedtime, they'd be put away in the lock box. You may want to inquire about this protocol at your mom's place.

And lastly, my mother eventually had so many things wrong with her, that I couldn't even keep up. One thing was a mysterious pain in one of her ears, every time we inserted the hearing aid. So, she just stopped wearing it on that side. It wasn't optimum, but she still managed to hear enough with just the one.

I hope my suggestions help. Good luck!

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I am a Hearing Instrument Specialist, and this is an important problem to fix.

First of all, best option is to get the aids fixed. Starkey.com can direct you to a hearing specialist who might be able to send the "non-repairable" aid to our lab and see if they would be willing to repair it. They have an all-make repair lab, and they are very motivated to help people, so they may be able to repair the aid at a reasonable cost.

If she won't leave the hearing aids alone, and I know some people get to this point - won't stop fiddling, start hiding things, etc - a better option to help her hear you one-on-one is a Pocket Talker. This is a pair of headphones attached to a microphone that you can turn the volume way up. This way, nothing is stuck in her ears for her to fiddle with and she can still hear to communicate with you and the staff. This device will run in the neighborhood of $150, and it may be worth it for you to get two of them - one you keep with you, and one for the nursing home staff. This way, if one gets broken, there is always a back up. I checked and they do have these available on Amazon.com.

If she is a big TV watcher, and can't hear the TV without her aids in, they also have TV ears that are relatively inexpensive and much more durable for fiddling. This may also be another device to help solve some hearing issues. Lastly, you may like something called a Boogie Board which is a digital tablet you write on (similar to a magna doodle but much easier to read because it is clear). These devices are also available on Amazon.com.

I wish you the very best of luck in helping your mother to hear you. Hearing is so important to our connection and when she can't hear, it makes everything so much more difficult.

For all the readers, education time. Untreated hearing loss severely increases the risk of developing dementia and alzheimer's disease. A mild untreated hearing loss doubles your risk of developing dementia. A severe untreated hearing loss is a 5x risk of developing dementia. If you have a family member with dementia or alzheimer's, you want to do everything to make sure you minimize your risk, and being proactive about taking care of your hearing and treating your hearing loss if any hearing issues are found is an incredibly important piece. Wearing properly fit hearing aids mitigates this increased risk by up to 90%. Get your hearing tested. Treat your hearing loss appropriately for proper brain health throughout your life.

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Try some of these new apps: https://appadvice.com/applists/show/apps-for-the-deaf

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Thanks for your helpful hints. My friend's mom is very hard of hearing and I know her life is a lot less pleasant for the fact. None of the family have the wherewithal to help her with this issue. I like her a lot!

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Humkat - which device did you order online for the $60?

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Well, I know there is a less expensive solution. Many years ago, our mother would not wear her hearing aids as she said they didn't help, and they probably didn't, but my sister bought an aid from AT&T, I think, that had an ear bud connected to a device we tucked in beside her in her wheelchair while we wore a microphone that hung around our necks. She could actually hear us for the first time in years! When there were more than one of us in her room, we passed that mic around to talk to her. I wish I knew for sure where that set-up came from but they must have better equipment such as that now. What a wonderful answer that was to our problems. Good luck!

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First, I'd like to know where in IL you found hearing aids for $1000? We just got new ones for my mom, in IL, and the cost of $9600 for the pair! It angers me that medicare won't cover the cost, either, since they do cover things like walkers, wheel chairs, etc. Why not a hearing aid? Isn't hearing just as important, if not more so, than walking? Geez! Fortunately, my mom is pretty good at changing the batteries on hers, but when she was in rehab, we did have the nurse or aid help her sometimes. Other than that, there isn't much other choice. They do have less expensive "amplifiers" available (try amazon) but depending on the nature of the hearing loss or how severe, those may not work. My mom is nearly deaf in both ears without the aids, and only 60 % hearing with them, so the cheap ones would not work for her. But PLEASE do tell where you found them for $1000!

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Phoenix--
Thank you for your comments about dementia happening so much more often in those who cannot hear! This might be the thing that makes my hubby finally have his hearing checked.
He lost 80% of his hearing in one ear 30 years ago. Genetics are robbing him of the rest in his "good ear". I noticed that he now watches TV with the Closed Captioning on--which is great, since I quit watching ANYTHING with him as we simply could not turn the TV up loud enough. He puts his Bluetooth headphones on when he listens to podcasts, and a lot of the time he wears those simply so he cannot hear MY voice.

I worry about him...but I can't physically drag him to the audiologist's, and he insists that there is NOTHING that can help his hearing loss. In 30 years there have been zero advances in hearing aides??? No, I do not believe that!

He think h/a' make him look old. My daughter said it was the "what? what?" nonstop that makes him look old.

He's missed flights, cops chasing him down the freeway ( "sir, do you have any IDEA how long I have been following you, lights and sirens??" "No" "20 miles.") and all the cute stuff our grandkids say.

Maybe I'll look into the pocket amplifier, but he is so stubborn--I even told him if he'd get hearing aides he could have a dog....that didn't even work.

The fear of dementia might be scary enough for him to sit up and take notice.

Oh, and for those people who have trouble changing out batteries? Get a 4 yo to do it. Seriously. I mean, watch them closely, but I have 4- 4 yo grandkids and those tiny fingers can manipulate the tiniest Legos and such--a hearing aid battery wouldn't faze them.

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I am 49 years old and have been wearing a hearing aid since 2010. There is new technology that works with Bluetooth that is amazing. Believe it or not I go to Costco and the top of the line hearing aid is $1600. I could not imagine paying $9000 for a pair.

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My mom never used thrm once she decided they didnt work anymore. She had lost hearing enough they didnt work for hear. She has what's called a pocket talker. She put's on headphones. The thing is about the size of a small radio you could have in pocket, sit on table or in lap. It has a microphone that sticks out. Thry can hear people talking or tv. Much cheaper than headphones. My mom wears it when she is talking with others or watching tv.

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My mom uses a pocket talker. The size of a small radio. It uses a pair of headphones with it and has a microphone on it. Works great for conversations and tv. Can use on lap, table top or upper pocket.
Way cheaper than hearing aids.

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I stopped putting mom's hearing aids in except when she went out because she would take them out and I was afraid our dog would get it. Many years ago we had a dog chew one and the vet told us that dog are naturally attracted to hearing aids and dentures. Well last year mom took our her dentures and I came home to teeth all over the floor. Our dog didn't eat them but she chewed the top one to pieces. The bottom she didn't touch. It was a funny but expensive lesson.

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Hi Marilyn, I had the same problem with my dad, who I care for. He gets a new set ever 5 years through WCB, but in between the 5 yrs he lost one of his so I went through my house insurance and paying the deductible, got a new set for him. When I ordered them, I made sure to order a charging system with rechargeable batteries. The charger and batteries was an extra $90 above the $500 deductible.
The charging system has saved a lot of grief with changing batteries. I purchased his at Costco in Canada. They have been excellent. Anytime dad breaks a part off of them or something is wrong, they fix them usually at no extra cost. I believe in shopping in mom and pop stores, but when it's comes to seniors and hearing aids, they can't beat the extra warranty that Costco gives. I hope this helps.

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I've never heard of anything in place of hearing aids. However, someone mentioned having someone else replace the batteries for her, I would just do that

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1. See Walmart.com for $3X.XX wireless headphones/transmitter to hook into the TV. Discount for online ordering and no shipping if picked up in a store. They have a volume control dial. They are " Unisar TVListener headphones with rechargeable batteries. Never change the batteries. Headphones plug into transmitter every other day to recharge the batteries. Once in awhile, recharge the remote control rechargeable batteries. Buy a charger in Frys Electronics.
2. Use aids with rechargeable batteries with a charger. Google battery chargers.

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Some good suggestions here. Our mom went through the same - with dementia, losing the hearing aids, not being able to put in the batteries or knowing they need to be replaced, etc. She still never seemed to hear even with new expensive aids, one of which she lost within two months. Finally, we worked out the aides would remove them at night and put them in in the morning and check the batteries. But she had trouble with comprehension and even if we shouted, she didn't understand a lot of what we said. Then she had a fall and went to the hospital - another lost hearing aid! Finally, we removed the hearing aids because it frustrated her that she couldn't hear us and she was angry with the hearing aids. We all used an erasable whiteboard to communicate. She spoke to us and we answered on the whiteboard. Toward the end though, with the dementia, she was only able to comprehend short one or two words we wrote.

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Is there a less expensive alternative to hearing aids?

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