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MIL has had her $5,000 set of hearing aids for eight years. Warranty was expired after five. One has worn out completely, and the company will not even try to repair at this point. She's 93, in hospice care, and doesn't have the funds to get a new set. She's getting by pretty well with just one of the pair. I've seen several advertised for anywhere from $65 to $300 and wonder if any of them are worth even that price?

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This post has had me doing a little on line research because it is something I can relate to - my mom's hearing aids bit the dust and there was no option to repair them and since she was by then unable to sit through an audiology appointment she couldn't get new ones either. She spent her final years not only mostly blind from advanced macular degeneration but hard of hearing well, I'm sure that both contributed to her confusion.

Here's what I've learned. As you might expect the really cheap under $100 HAs are really just amplifiers and you get what you pay for, but I think the hearing aids that are in the next tier are actually worth exploring. Many of them have much of the same technology such as noise reduction that was considered top of the line 20 or 30 years ago at a fraction of the cost of the high tech newer HAs, and while things like the ability to link them to blue tooth devices might be wonderful they aren't necessary if you don't have any blue tooth devices, know what I mean?

I'm going to include a couple of links I though contained good information

https://www.hearingtracker.com/hearing-aids/affordable-hearing-aids

https://www.theseniorlist.com/hearing-aids/best/cheap/
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IMPinky Jun 2022
Thanks for your comments and the links. Very informative!
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My cousin uses Hue Hearing aids and absolutely loves them. They go in the ear and are pretty small but, really inexpensive with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

When I looked for my DH I am pretty certain they had rechargeable ones.

He could not use them, the shape of his ears, we had no trouble sending them back for a full refund.

A HUGE amount of the cost of hearing aids is the audiologist fee. All hearing aids use similar technology, even the cheap ones, they just don't have as many bells and whistles.

I highly recommend trying the cheaper ones to help her quality of life. You can also order only 1 when you go this route.
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IMPinky Jun 2022
Thank you, so much!
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My partner has been through a few expensive aids that require a smart phone to regulate, disappear completely in the ear (and just about everywhere else). He is now done to the Costco cheaper and easier and likes them better. I suspect hearing aids are like vacuums, hard to find one you love. For myself, hearing in my right ear is pretty bad, but truth told I hear a lot more than I want to, and I hear so many complaints from those who use them that I will just learn to lip read.
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DrBenshir Jun 2022
Oh please don't go the lip reading route! With all health care providers wearing masks you will be seriously impaired trying to understand them. Even the clear masks have glare and make it hard. Everyone will have to stop what they are doing and face you directly at the right distance so that you can see adequately. And if your glasses aren't right for that distance or the lighting isn't good or you are getting cataracts...
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The cheaper ones are merely amplifiers. Mom had expensive ones that wore out. As her dementia progressed I bought her the amplifying ones ( it was all she could afford ). They were awful to charge.
plus needed charging every 4 hours. Which she could never figure out or do. So I spent more money ( $200-300) and got some that only needed charging every 18 hours in an easy to charge in base. She could never ever do it herself, but it was easy enough for me to make sure they were charged up. She liked them very much. However the pins inside the aids made them tricky to insert into the charger to charge. I myself wear good aids covered mostly by insurance. I would never be able to use the amplifier type. But imagine if I had dementia and in my 90’s I would not know the difference. I bought moms amplifying aids on Amazon. There are many to choose from and you need to study all the reviews. Mainly look at the way they charge, and how long the charge lasts. Look for a charging base that you insert the aids into. Moms had a red light that signaled on the base that the aids needed charging and green when they charged up. Keep in mind you need to keep them clean of wax for her. And of course never let her wear them in shower or hairdresser. ( mom would forget).
mom is in hospice now, and I took her aids home. The home called me all upset looking for them!! They wanted her to wear them. I can’t imagine why. So I took them back to the home. She isn’t even conscious.
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IMPinky Jun 2022
Shari, thanks for sharing this. Good point about the charging method. MIL is basically bed-bound and can't get to things like chargers on her nightstand, so the staff or family would have to keep them charged. She produces copious amounts of earwax, so keeping them clean is a challenge, plus she's been wearing the one all night lately. She's still getting used to the facility, and needs to be able to converse with staff when they come to help her at night. This of course uses up the batteries faster, and I think, probably contributes to the wax buildup.
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Good Morning,

Isn't it a shame about the high cost of hearing aids. I don't know why the insurance companies won't cover these. My mother is on her second set. Yes, she paid $5,000 a pair with a $500 reimbursement from the health insurance company.

I also make sure my mother buys the insurance just in case. She calls them her jewels.

I didn't realize that by the time you pay them off, it's time for another pair. I thought you bought them once, maintained them and that's it. By the 5th year usually they start to break, malfunction the cost of a repair is pretty significant.

These chain pop up places, franchises, usually in a shopping plaza offer you free cookies that everyone handled and send you a birthday card. This is highway robbery for the elderly and patronizing.

I suggest an audiologist.

You can check out your local hospital, Veteran's benefits or do what I am going to do next time around if mother lasts that long--go to an audiologist in town. When I got my hearing aids and I told the audiologist what mother paid, she gasped. They are soaking the elderly.

The elderly need hearing aids, it affects their brain if they don't wear them. In addition whenever my mother goes out in the rescue I have this typed on top of the prescription list that is on the refrigerator and also a copy in my wallet.
"Patient wears hearing aids". When they arrive at the ER they drill the patient with questions, if mother is not wearing her hearing aids, the feedback creates another issue.

Try your hospital that provides hearing tests. You can probably get a pair for 1/2 the price. There is talk about dental and hearing aids becoming part of the Medicare Program in the U.S.

Hope this helps...
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IMPinky Jun 2022
Thanks for your reply. I have read lately about the link between hearing and brain function, and I do see that when she's not hearing, she is more confused and withdrawn. I don't see any way to get her to an audiologist in or out of a hospital, so I think we're going to be limited to what can be purchased online or "over the counter." Also, I've been with her in the past for the audiologist testing to adjust the aids, and it was very difficult for her several years ago, to sit through the process, even though her audiologist at the time had a very loud, clear voice and spoke slowly. I can't imagine it would be any better now. Praying the one good one will hang in there for as long as she will need it. Thanks again for your info!
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Costco is famous for its high-quality, inexpensive (around $1500) hearing aids. Its worth joining to get them, which is what I did for Mom. They will even replace the first pair if lost... She's now had them 3 years and they are excellent.
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IMPinky Jun 2022
Thank you!
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My husband has worn hearing aides since he was at least 5. He has his first one that he put in his shirt pocket and had a cord and earpiece.

We r lucky his insurance pays for his hearing aides. We get a breakdown of his bills and I have never seen a large amount being charged by the audiologist but then...that may because they are under contract. They must show the actual cost of the hearing aide because his insurance has a cap on what they will pay.

They will not repair hearing aides. The technology keeps changing. They will replace a mold and tubing, even do cleaning. If you got 5 yrs out of a pair you are lucky. Digitals do not last as long as the old Analog (which my husband still has and likes better). His inner ear ones shorted out within the 3 yrs he has to go to get a new one so he switched back to the over the ear.

All I can see is try the cheaper model. If its just volume she needs they may be enough. My husbands loss is caused by bone and nerve damage.
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IMPinky Jun 2022
Thanks JoAnn. I'm not sure what the cause of her hearing loss is, but we are limited by price anyway, so will try the cheaper ones. Thank you for this info. We are getting ready to apply for Medicaid, will see if they would cover anything better.
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I have Costco which are ok, but 1200 presently. I always thought that some sort of headpiece would be more helpful to the elderly-sort of like headphones. Is there such a thing? My MIL's aides lost track of her hearing aids in a fancy place. Thousands gone.

Amazon has a pair of rechargeable amplifiers with a microphone for others to use. Prime and returnable for 129 or so. Worth looking at.
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cwillie Jun 2022
https://seniorsmobility.org/living/hearing-devices/pocket-talker-reviews/
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IMPinky: Some individuals have good luck at Costco. My one has never had to be replaced and I've had it for 20 years. When it ceases to work, a similar change out to the tubes by my audiologist is all that's required/back in business.
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My ENT told me if the amplifiers work for me, I wouldn't need to get hearing aids. Thanks everybody for the tips. My $20 buds work just fine, from Walmart.
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