# Tell me about OTC hearing aids **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542 "2022-12-15T00:20:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/1 "2022-12-15T00:20:21Z")
I see this has been addressed in the past, but I’m hoping for information more up to date than 2018. My FIL has lost his hearing aids - we suspect he flushed them down the toilet. (Damned dementia…) there’s no way they can afford to replace the $5K aids he had. So I would appreciate any info, recommendations, or warnings as we explore options. A quick search turned up prices from $89 to over $2K, so any guidance would be great! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/2 "2022-12-15T00:39:19Z")
I got my mom a pair of the Bose hearing aids (half off with my discount), and she loved them. The problem is that at 91, she has issues with any hearing aids, like losing one in her chair or wax buildup. But they were easy to set up and use with a smartphone. I tried them, and if I needed ones, I would get them. I believe they also partner with other companies now. Update, they partner with Lexie and don’t sell under the Bose brand anymore. So no more discount. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/3 "2022-12-15T00:46:12Z")
We had this thread in September: > [@What Do Prescription-Free Hearing Aids Actually Mean?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-prescription-free-hearing-aids-actually-mean/971805): > > [Americans will soon be able to get hearing aids without a prescription](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/08/17/over-the-counter-hearing-aids/). But doesn’t every patient need a hearing aid tailored to their own hearing loss (and ear shape)? Mrs. H has hearing difficulties and purchased these off-the-shelf hearing amplifiers, which sucked ass (didn’t help her hear any better in the low register, and everything else was so loud she could hear the electricity moving through the wires in our house). So in future she’ll be able to buy exactly what she needs based on her… The $89 hearing aid is just an amplifier. If he turns the TV volume all the up this would also be an amplifier–and if he still has trouble with the TV this high it would probably mean an amplifier isn’t going to be adequate. The more expensive hearing aids will change different frequencies different amounts. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/4 "2022-12-15T00:54:19Z")
Sadly, those flush just as easily. I understand why the family would like him to have hearing aids but is there any hope that he will be able to retain them and get use out of them? Hearing aids can help prevent or slow down dementia but he seems well beyond benefiting from them in that respect. FWIW, my brother, in his mid-late ‘70s, gets his hearing aids from the VA.would that be possible? They provide the batteries and supplies also. Costco has great deals on hearing aids, fitted and programmed by a hearing professional, which the OTC ones will not be. They would have several choices in the $1100-3000 range, which onc;uses a professional audio gram. It would not surprise me if Costco started selling their own OTCs to capture more of the market. FIL is not going to be able self-tune or set up his OTCs, which involves a computer or smartphone and some sentience. OTCs are basically very good earbuds but aren’t customized to his hearing loss to the same extent hearing aids are. Consumer Reports has some good articles out about hearing aids and OTCs~your friendly local librarian can pull them up for you. If he just needs a pair of hearing aids to put in because reasons, I have a pair of non-functioning ones I could send you if that would placate him. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/5 "2022-12-15T01:56:18Z")
He needs them because otherwise, he and his wife yell at each other, with lots of “huh?” and “what?” Even with them, he doesn’t hear a lot. I pity their neighbors. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/6 "2022-12-15T02:17:11Z")
Do you know when his last hearing exam was? If it was years ago a new exam might lead to aids that work better for him. Maybe, just maybe. The trick is to stay away from the predatory free-standing hearing aid stores, like Miracle Ear and Beltone. IME they do not have a conscience and vastly oversell. Was it better when he had the aids and wore them? Enough to make it worth the very uphill battle that anew hearing evaluation will be? Check with the VA. They are slow but the price is tight and they certainly have lots of experience with cranky old men with dementia. If just amplification would be better than nothing, over the counters can do that. How you keep them in his ears, I have no clue, in spite of many, many years of trying to do that with my home health nursing clients. Dentures, eyeglasses and hearing aids turned my hair prematurely gray. The neurologist he is seeing in January might be able to advise on the best next move. If his dementia is bad enough there is no point to spending the money and going through the aggravation. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/7 "2022-12-15T02:19:51Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > he and his wife yell at each other, with lots of “huh?” and “what?” Even with them, he doesn’t hear a lot. I pity their neighbors. Does she have hearing aids that she wears? Maybe it would work better from her direction. Costco would be a good starting point if there is one nearby. You’ll save the membership fee just for the exam. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/8 "2022-12-15T12:58:18Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > Check with the VA. The VA clinic here doesn’t have appointments for new patients until Feb. He’s been wearing them daily for years - no clue when he last went to an audiologist or where he went, but my personal gut opinion: in Ocala, too many medical folks want as much $$ as they can get before the patient dies. Yeah, I’m a tad cynical there. MIL doesn’t wear hearing aids. No clue whether her hearing is bad or if she’s just distracted a lot, but I’m sure part is failing hearing. My husband can only fight so many battles with them/her. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/9 "2022-12-15T13:27:17Z")
They might be covered under some sort of homeowner or renters insurance, or have their own. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/10 "2022-12-15T13:53:06Z")
I have rather fancy homeowners’ insurance and also a special policy for specifically declared expensive portable (read “stealable”) things like musical instruments, original art, jewelry, etc. When I asked my insurer even the declared-items policy, where you pay a separate premium for each item you name, would not cover hearing aids at any price. I know my aids came with a couple-year warrantee which included a feature where if one was lost or damaged it could be replaced at a sizeable discount. But now at 4 years of age, that feature has aged off. Bottom line: No harm in checking, but this is probably a false hope for OP. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/11 "2022-12-15T13:58:57Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Bottom line: No harm in checking, but this is probably a false hope for OP. I’ll mention it, but I really doubt there’s any sort of coverage. He “lost” one of the aids a few months ago - I found it under the car seat where he’d been sitting. At the time, there was no mention of coverage - just panic over $5K replacement. On top of that, the place where they got them is 800 miles away - that could add a complication. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-otc-hearing-aids/976542/12 "2022-12-15T16:33:02Z")
I really don’t know why hearing aids aren’t made like this for older people. You just can’t lose them and there is a large battery in that wrap around the neck band. Younger people may want them to appear invisible, but older folks don’t care and should have something practical that they can’t lose. > **[Earphones Bluetooth with Mic Bose Quietcontrol 30 - Black](https://www.backmarket.com/en-us/p/earphones-bluetooth-with-mic-bose-quietcontrol-30-black/4471e93a-e9e0-4afe-887d-e0b23a69f858?shopping=gmc&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqOucBhDrARIsAPCQL1YycukkgyXpWPWWMmKoc9c_JfonsJ0zZjEPQ5xcj67vRVtKB7J3FpoaAkvJEALw_wcB#l=10)** > > Earphones Bose Earphones Bluetooth with Mic Bose Quietcontrol 30 - Black ✌ Up to 70% off compared to new ✅ Free delivery ✅ Cheap Quietcontrol 30 ✅ 1 year warranty ✅ 30 days to change your mind These were prototypes Bose made before they started marketing hearing aids. I bought a pair for my mom and uncle and they liked them. My uncle wore a pair for the last couple of years of his life and didn’t bother using his hearing aids anymore. Mom just couldn’t get the hang of them.