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He can’t understand what you say and he gets confused because he thinks you said something completely different than what you said. He stays up until 12:30 to 1:00 AM before he goes to bed. I can’t get my sleep. I bought hearing plugs but they only help so much.

NO ONE loves their hearing aids. And when you are dealing with someone with dementia that adds a whole other level.

How is the eyesight of this senior? My own partner, 83 with hearing loss, and I myself with some hearing loss are quite dependent now on our caption system. Works so well for what we miss. I know that if there is no longer the ability to read it is out of the question. Otherwise, be certain it is on.

One more thing is that the current new and expensive aids require a whole lot of manipulation with APPS on phones and so on to fine tune them. Without this ability they are worth flushing them down the toilet. My partner is so much happier with his lower cost Costco hearing aids that don't require all this manipulation and tech savvy ability.

Other than this, there's not a lot to do but work on lightweight new earphones and be certain you don't allow him to trip on the cord if one is needed.

Best of luck.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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asfastas1can Aug 16, 2024
I don't have a Costco near us but would be willing to travel if the "less adjusting and lower cost" hearing aids they carry would work for my mom. She is absolutely lost with any modern technology, and she hates the expensive ones we got her even though they take very little adjusting for her. How is it in this day and age, hearing aids have to be so difficult?
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Get him bluthtooth headsets! I do not have dementia but at 81 hearing is challenging. My wife does have Altzheimers. I can listen to the TV and she listens to Alexa Montovani soft music. Very calming.
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Reply to nealofpgh
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My Mom got hearing aids a few years ago after much arguing with her (she's now 95). I have the advantage of her living next door to me so I go over there every morning and before I even allow her to start talking to me I go in to get her hearing aids and put them in for her. It's taken her a while to accept them. Even with them in sometimes I can tell she isn't processing cognitively what I'm saying. I told her if she wanted me to be her PoA and caregiver that she had to get hearing aids because I wasn't going to yell everything at her (even though we're Italian, there's only so much yelling you can do in a day). So, try to get into the habit of putting them in for him.

If he won't cooperate, get him headphones to wear to listen to the tv. If he won't adapt to that, see if there's anyway to limit the volume on the tv. Or turn it off and take the remote after a certain hour.

I agree with trying to get him into a routine.

"It is possible to lock the volume of a TV to prevent it from being set too loud. The method to lock the volume may vary depending on the brand and model of your TV. Here are a few possible ways to achieve this:

Using the TV's settings menu:
Some TVs have a built-in volume lock feature in their settings menu. You can access the settings menu by pressing the menu button on your TV remote and navigating to the audio or sound settings. Look for an option related to volume control or volume lock. Consult your TV's user manual or search online for specific instructions for your TV model.

Using a universal remote control:
If your TV does not have a built-in volume lock feature, you can try using a universal remote control that has a volume lock function. These remotes allow you to program a specific maximum volume level for your TV. Consult the user manual of your universal remote control for instructions on how to set up the volume lock feature.

Accessing the TV's service menu:
Some advanced TV models have a service menu that can be accessed to make changes to various settings, including volume control. However, accessing the service menu requires specific key combinations and should be done with caution. Search online for instructions on how to access the service menu for your TV model. Keep in mind that making changes in the service menu may void your warranty or cause unintended issues, so proceed with caution."

Source: https://www.quora.com/Can-I-lock-the-volume-of-my-TV-My-parents-set-the-TV-way-too-loud-and-its-right-by-my-room

Tell him the tv volume control is broken and that if he wants to watch the tv he must put in his hearing aids, and keep them in, to hear it.
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FOTONUT Aug 10, 2024
“If he won't cooperate, get him headphones to wear to listen to the tv. If he won't adapt to that, see if there's anyway to limit the volume on the tv. Or turn it off and take the remote after a certain hour.” My husband gets violent. No way this can be done
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I had the same problem with the TV until we got him wireless headphones- worked like a charm!
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My Dad was the same way - won't wear hearing aids and everyone in every room could hear his tv. We bought him a nice pair of bluetooth Bose headphones. Problem solved - He loved them. He doesn't listen much to the tv any longer - I just leave it - volume off - on his favorite Western Channel for him as he's in bed most of the time these days. Good luck to you!
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Having your loved one wear his hearing aids helps to keep his dementia from getting worse. Studies have shown a well-substantiated correlation between loss of hearing and dementia.

Try putting his hearing aids into his ears in the morning. Have him keep them in all day until bath time. Take them out at bedtime.

He might benefit from sleeping medication to help him fall asleep at night.
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asfastas1can Aug 16, 2024
This might work for some people. However, my 95-year-old mother was told 25 years ago she needed hearing aids, but she refused because they "made her look old". After my dad passed five years ago, we got her the best Beltones money could buy, and she hates them - she said it is like hearing through a screen door and the sound bounces off the walls. She said she hears the sound but cannot distinguish the words. She has been tested three different times by audiologist and has tried a very expensive Miracle Ear but the results were the same. All of the doctors have said she has a problem with hearing aids because she waited too long to get them, and that her hearing is close to being completely gone. She hears better talking on a phone, although I do have to repeat a lot. I am going to try the blue-tooth speaker thing, but I would love for her to hear her friends at gatherings and events at the Assisted Living where she lives. I cannot help her with her vision fading from macular degeneration and lack of mobility and her dementia, but I would love to help her with a device that lets her hear.
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You don't. Move into the spare bedroom where you can sleep in peace. Bring earplugs if necessary, the heavy duty ones used by baggage handlers at the airport. I can't hear a train coming thru the house with those in!
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Reply to lealonnie1
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I'm finding my experience, once in their 80s and with dementia, its a losing battle.
My dad has a super patient audiologist, who keeps reminding him that if he wears them daily his ears and brain will get used to them and they will work best, but this just does not sink in. Also, to stop putting qtips in ears and clogging them with wax, but he keeps forgetting. So he really doesnt like to wear them.

For TV watching, the headphones is a good idea if he will wear them. Or, move the TV to the furthest possible room away from you. Or - high noise blocking ear plugs for you as others have suggested
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Reply to strugglinson
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loyalone: Due to Alzheimer's, this 82 year old male has lost the capacity for logical thought processes. Perhaps he can wear headphones for television audio.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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You don’t my grandfather would turn his off because he did not want to hear all the complaining. Which was most of the time in my family.
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Beatty Aug 10, 2024
LOL
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