I’ve worn hearing aids since 2010. When the audiologist first put them in my ears, I was astounded! THIS is what most people are hearing all the time?? The birds, the wind in the trees-- beautiful… but also every HVAC sound, squeaky grocery cart wheel, traffic noise. I thought, “No wonder people are so cranky all the time-- the world is a noisy place.” [I have that thing called *misophonia*, hypersensitivity to certain sounds, to the point where I want to punch someone’s face in if they crunch potato chips around me.]
But I digress.
I’m on my third pair, Oticon Opn, and yeah, they cost an arm and a leg and I paid out of pocket: $6,500. They are, by no means, the most expensive hearing aids out there. They’re about mid-range, pricewise. (I put them on my Amazon rewards Visa card and got mucho rewards points.) But I LOVE them. And I LOVE my audiologist (a different one from the person I referred to above). I’ve made a point of reading the manual that came with the hearing aids, watched some videos, and I know all the tips, tricks, and tweaks. I believe in getting my money’s worth.
BUT. I have quite a few friends who have hearing aids (old people, don’tcha know) and everyone is at war with the devices. They don’t wear them, they haven’t bothered to find out how to get the most from them, they haven’t talked to their audiologist to find out why something-or-other isn’t working-- all of this after spending ginormous $$ for the devices! I don’t know if they resent being told they need them, or they’re in denial, even after people have to ask them to repeatedly repeat whatever they just said.
Why is this?
Do you know anyone who loves their hearing aids and wears them? (Maybe you?)
Adam Savage goes on, at length, about how much he loves his and how much he wished he hadn’t been so stubborn and bought them earlier. Granted, I think a big part of the appeal to him is because they’re gadgets that he gets to play with and customize to his liking.
I love mine. I’m on my third pair (also Oticon otn), and wear them every day. I used to have a lot of trouble understanding people, wondered why everyone was always mumbling all the time, then at some point realized “hey, maybe it’s me” and got my ears checked. It’s so nice to be able to hear!
I like having an app on my phone that I can use to adjust the volume, mute, or switch programs (like if I am in a noisy restaurant). It even has a function to find my hearing aids, although I can’t imagine how I would ever lose them - they’re either on my head when I’m awake, or on my dresser when I’m asleep. I only wish I was able to stream to them from my phone - apparently I could if I had an iPhone, but Android for some reason hasn’t figured it out yet.
I assume this is common now, but I know Adam Savage mentioned that with his, not only can he stream music to his, but if he’s in a crowded restaurant, he can use his phone as a mic and set it near the person he’s talking to so it can single out their voice and stream it right into his ears.
Get a “Dry & Store” chest. You put your hearing aids in there overnight, and it dries them out (from sweat, etc.). It also has an anti-bacterial cycle that runs when you first turn it on. My audiologist gave me one. (See why I love her?) There’s a dehydrator brick thing that you replace every two months. I buy those online.
Android HAS figured it out. IPhones stream directly to the hearing aids, but Android users (like me and thee) need this doo-dad from Oticon, a “connectclip.” (I can’t believe your audiologist didn’t tell you this. ) My previous Oticons used something called a “streamer” – this is what the Oticon OPN uses. Gitchyseff one and happily stream from hearing aids to your Android phone.
My aids are the over-the-ear type, not in-the-ear, so I don’t need to dry them out overnight. (My first pair were ITE and I did have a little doohickey for drying them out.)
As far as streaming, I did have one of those streamer things that connect to the phone, but the “lanyard” part (which was also the antenna) eventually got to the point where it wouldn’t stay plugged in on one side. And of course by then it was out of warranty and I didn’t feel like plopping down $300 more for a new one. But my understanding is that they can stream to iPhone directly “out of the box” and Android should be able to do that too, dammit!
I got glasses for the first time when I was a freshman in college. So, all those other kids weren’t just gaslighting me when they were copying notes off the blackboard (that I couldn’t even tell was writing)? I still remember leaving the library late one night and seeing the full moon. It was truly awe-inspiring.
Mine are also over the ear, but part of it goes in the ear, so the dryer is a good idea. Also, they get sweaty behind your ears.
“Should”?? Right. The people in Hell should be able to order ice water, too, amirite.
Suggest you stop being stubborn, accept Reality as it is not as you think it should be, and get the Connectclip so you can get the most out of your super-expensive hearing aids. Geez, Louise.
Interesting… My audiologist never suggested a dryer for my over-the-ear aids. I can ask at my next appointment, which should be coming up in a month or so. I just wipe them down when I take them out at night (or in the morning before I put them in), I’ve got the little pipe cleaner thingy for clearing out wax that builds up in the earhole, and the wax guards that I can pop in and out when they get dirty.
As for the streaming, ehh no biggie. I suppose if I really wanted to I could just get an iPhone. I just prefer being stubborn. Just ask my wife, she’ll tell you!
One thing I forgot to mention earlier… mine are covered by insurance. Which is nice. My first pair weren’t, I had to pay out of pocket. But something changed with my insurance a few years ago and now they are. (I also had to start going to a different audiologist, due to whatever changed.) They pay for a new pair every three years, including about a two year supply of batteries.
My wife just got her hearing aids about 2 months ago, and immediately loved being able to hear decently again. It took a few weeks to adjust to their physical presence, however. During that time she complained about how the felt a LOT. Now she’s adapted.
AND I’m a lot more careful about what I mutter under my breath these days.
3 years +. ReSound, behind the ear. $4,500. No insurance. Connect to an app on my iPhone to adjust volume, select programs, etc.-love that aspect. Phone calls can stream direct into my ears, love that too. Have a little UV dryer box. Batteries drive me nuts (but then, that’s a short trip!)~eager to get rechargeable aids next time and be done with those dang batteries forever.
Next time will get them through Costco instead of through the Audiology program at the University, just because Costco consistently gets great reviews from Consumer Reports and can be thousands of dollars cheaper.
My son nudged me to do it and I’m glad he did. Studies clearly show wearing hearing aids consistently can prevent depression and forestall progression of dementia. I just like feeling more connected to people and not having to say “hunh?” all the time and that person then saying “never mind”.
I think Medicare and other insurance ought to pay for them but I highly doubt that will happen in my lifetime. As usually, government is penny wise and pound foolish. Medicare could just stop paying for erectile dysfunction drugs and spend that money on hearing aids instead. Would work for me. I would even agree to go to the ER if my ears turned blue for longer than 4 hours.
Isn’t technology great? My parents don’t do anything like this, but they do appreciate theirs, especially because my mother wears hers primarily to treat tinnitus.
When my brother’s FIL died a while back, they shipped his hearing aids to them; IDK if either of them were able to use them, but if they couldn’t, somebody else probably could.
FYI: Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for ED meds when they are used for that purpose, for either men or women (and most people would be surprised at how often women use Viagra, etc. for their own sexual dysfunction). They do pay for them when they are used for any of a number of rare circulatory diseases, and believe me, the dosing is MUCH different and any pharmacist will know the difference.
At least 10% of Medicare’s budget - more than $50 BILLION a year - is spent on fraudulent claims. IMNSHO, that would cover the bills for a huge percentage of un(der)insured people in the U.S.
Now, let’s go back to our regularly scheduled programming.
“The DoD sponsored Retiree-At-Cost Hearing Aid Program (RACHAP) is designed to help retirees purchase hearing aids through the Audiology Clinic at a special government negotiated cost. The hearing aids available through this program are the same state-of-the art technologies available to active duty service members. The program is open to all military retirees who have hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Dependents of military retirees are not eligible for this program.”
I wear a pair of Resound Ones. The main units sit behind the ears with a wire that connects to the speaker (receiver) which goes in my ear canals. I first started wearing hearing aids when I was about 5 back in 1989, and technology has changed a lot since then.
Mine do connect to my Android phone and I can take phone calls and stream audio directly to them this way. It’s not 100%, though, and the next time I buy a new phone I might go with an iPhone for the better connectivity unless things improve on the Android side of things.
Mine are also rechargeable. When I place them in their case they turn off and start charging. They last the whole day on a few hours’ charge. The case can also hold a charge and recharge them I think up to three times.
As far as the physical fit goes, the biggest challenge I had was finding room behind my earlobes for both the hearing aids and my glasses. The recent lifting of mask mandates helps things but I may yet switch to contacts since it’d be more comfortable back there.
Hehe. I’ve been thinking recently that between my hearing aids, my glasses, my mask, and my earrings, my ears are working overtime!
Also, when you take off your mask, you must be very careful not to rip the super-expensive hearing aids out of your ears. They’re the priciest article of wearing apparel I own!
My fellow city council member (he’s 70) wears them proudly. It’s great because he loves to talk and I spend a lot of time talking to him and he can hear me well. He also has them hooked up to the phone. They are barely visible in his ears.
Another council member clearly needs them. You can feel everyone’s frustration with her inability to hear. She’s an awesome lady and a great council member but her lack of hearing is causing a lot of problems. I know she is struggling.
My dad got free hearing aids from the VA. Went to all the appointments and stuff. He refuses to wear them. Our relationship is very strained, partially because of his inability to hear. Drives me crazy that he won’t wear them. He’s a very vain man.
) My previous Oticons used something called a “streamer” – this is what the Oticon OPN uses. Gitchyseff one and happily stream from hearing aids to your Android phone.
The people in Hell should be able to order ice water, too, amirite.