Mom is 97 and living with my husband and I. She does not want to buy new hearing aids at this stage. My sisters insist this will enrich her life so much they have talked her into it. What they aren’t taking into consideration is how much she is declining in other ways, with very poor eyesight due to macular degeneration, and difficulty walking, even with her walker. She has very few interests any more and so little she can do. We have an appointment next week for a hearing test and I wonder if we should even keep it. Whose decision should this be anyway, mom’s or my sisters?
I remember my Mom [98] wanted to visit every hearing aid place on the globe as she believed there would be something that would work. Mom refused to believe her regular ear doctor when the doctor said there isn't anything more they can do for her. .
The hearing aids would work in the doctor's office, but the next day at home they wouldn't work..... it's all user error.... Really now, giving a remote control to use with one's hearing aids to a 90+ person who is not technology inclined will only create poor results.
Also, for my Mom, she had ear wax which she refused to let the nurse use hot water to help clean out the wax. Mom insisted on luke warm water, well that was a waste of time.
Bravo to your own Mom knowing that she doesn't want hearing aids at her stage of life. But let's wait and see what the doctor says.
My husbands insurance pays for his aides. If Mom has to pay for new ones, thats a lot of money. I may let her go thru the exam. Maybe its ear wax causing the problem. Maybe the mold has shrunk and needs a new one. Maybe old hearing aide needs a good cleaning and new tubing if over the ear. Wax can get into tubing and effect being able to hear. Maybe hearing aide just needs adjustment. I may go this way before I spend money on new ones.
Like Geaton said, there are cheaper devices that she may like.