Help for Hearing Impairment

Savvy_Sue

Hear-Hear wrote: »

Whatever you do, get your hearing professionally tested somewhere. Once you are over 40, it should be done every 2 years, and if over 55, every 12 months.

You'll probably be depressed rather than surprised to learn that my hearing hasn't been tested for about 5 years, despite the fact that I've had a hearing aid since my late 40s and there's an age related deafness which seems to run in the family ...

They tell me to ask for a test if I'm having problems, but they don't do it automatically. I don't think my hearing's got a lot worse, but who knows?

I-Owe-You wrote: »

and also the "Access to work" scheme which provides financial assistance to anyone disabled who works and needs to make reasonable adjustments (in my case amplified phone etc...)

Oh yes, Access to Work should mean that your employer doesn't have to pay for any necessary adaptations, like an amplified phone, minicom or portable loop system if meeting rooms aren't looped. HOWEVER, it takes a while!

spugzbunny wrote: »

Hi Savvy_Sue - yes they were actually this pink and blue and a nice teal. I was pretty keen on those actually. I think they come in other colours as well. It is literally a whole new world to me at the moment so I am looking forward to seeing the hearing therapist so I can learn more. I don't even know what questions I need to know the answers to yet!!

Such good news about the pink hearing aids! I can hardly wait! :rotfl:

Savvy_Sue

I-Owe-You wrote: »

Mum is deaf, which effects her daily life, so I am encouraging her to make a claim for DLA.

the thing about DLA is that it's not about the condition itself, as about how the condition affects you. So, if your Mum can't (or doesn't) go out on her own because of the problems associated with deafness, that's 'different' to a 'normal' person. Sadly, the form does have to focus on all the things you can't do, which isn't the way most of us approach our lives, and it can be quite upsetting to do so, especially as you may not realise until you come to do it how limited life has become.

I don't think the lack of appointments and Social Services involvement would matter initially, but it might strengthen an appeal. So asking for a SS assessment might be useful anyway, put it that there might be new aids / systems available which would suit her better, if you like!

I-Owe-You wrote: »

The main thing I find hard about being deaf (apart from hearing of course!) is the fact that people are not given a visual trigger to my (our) disability and treat me (us?) as "normal" - even when they are aware of my impairment it is easy to forget and I still get shouted at accross the room and spoken to from heads inside cupboards - almost seems like us deafies have to justify our reasons for assistance & support more...because there is no visual aid.

Now that's where the pink hearing aid might come in useful - not with the heads in cupboards (or heads hidden behind sheets of hair like DS2 used to mumble!) - but with the discreet but everyday 'prompt'.

My mum wears a badge, but I'm resisting that, they're a bit 'twee'. But someone mentioned earlier in the thread that getting their ear moulds in a bright blue had had two benefits: not going that mank colour from ear wax, and giving a subtle prompt to people that there might be a problem!

Savvy_Sue

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Oh yes, Access to Work should mean that your employer doesn't have to pay for any necessary adaptations, like an amplified phone, minicom or portable loop system if meeting rooms aren't looped. HOWEVER, it takes a while!

Should have said, I know someone who decided to buy their own portable loop rather than let the employer do it via Access to Work. That means it can go home and be used in the car and privately, and no-one else can 'borrow' it or 'need it more'. It's theirs. With the Sonido starting at around £70 from RNID, it's worth thinking about.

Hear-Hear

Savvy_sue wrote: You'll probably be depressed rather than surprised to learn that my hearing hasn't been tested for about 5 years <SNIP> They tell me to ask for a test if I'm having problems, but they don't do it automatically. I don't think my hearing's got a lot worse, but who knows?

You really ought to go for a check-up and see if it has changed at all. I can't remember if you have private aids or NHS, Sue, but if private, your audiologist should be recalling you for re-testing every 12 months at least. He/she will then be able to re-programme your digital aids to your current prescrition, and there should be no charge for this.

If you have NHS aids, some PCT's have a recall protocol, some don't. Bit of a postcode lottery really. But even those PCT's that don't offer recall will allow you to book an appointment for re-testing and re-programming of your hearing aids. You may well find that if your aids are more than 3 or 4 years old, you will be offered upgrades to more sophisticated technology. Digital technology moves on enormously every year, and up-to-date aids, plus your new 'prescription', will make a world of diference to you.

Savvy_Sue

It's the NHS. The thing is, at the moment I'm not convinced that making the number of visits to audiology which would be necessary will give any significant improvements. Because it's only a mild loss in one ear, I don't even need the TV a lot louder than everyone else: I'd soon be told if it was unacceptable, and I can hear reasonably well at the 'default' family volume. I wear my hearing aid for that and whenever there's a loop system, but I honestly don't know that it makes that much difference - I don't miss it if I've left it behind, for example.

There are two situations where my hearing loss affects me. I can't use the phone to my deaf ear, which is the one I always used to use, and that's how I realised I was losing it. I was backwards and forwards a few times trying to get the telephone setting on my hearing aid to work, but just couldn't get the hang of it - one problem there is that I don't use the phone much at home, and at work I need to get on with answering the phone rather than fiddling about with a hearing aid setting! In the end I got a new aid, and was given the choice between a directional and a telephone setting - before that I'd had the directional one as my default but was told that was no longer possible.

And the other situation is crowded rooms. But again, I can't see that a better hearing aid is going to help - I use the directional setting on my aid all the time and it doesn't. As long as I've got the ambient noise thundering in my hearing ear, even upping the volume in my deaf ear doesn't help, there's just too much 'distraction'.

Do tell me if I'm missing something!

I got myself into 'the system' promptly because I'd be gobsmacked if my hearing didn't deteriorate significantly in the future, perhaps the not too distant future, given what's happened to my siblings.

BTW, having had my hearing aid jump out of my pocket yet again, depositing hearing and and spare battery on the ground in the car park, does anyone produce pretty little bags on a neck cord to keep them in? Like those cords you can get for glasses ....

summerof0763

hi everyone not been on for a while a been trying to come to terms with the fact my hearing has all but virtually gone.
been trying to get some help and not suceeding,phoned welfare rights to see if someone can help me fill out dla forms,apparently they dont do this,can someone help let me know who does,really wanted someone to come to house and help as have totally lost any confidence i had in going outside.
they said something about a social worker can help me,but i have never had one,so totally stuck.
thanks to anyone who can help

Errata

Summer - have you contacted your local council's social work team for deaf and hearing impaired people ? They should be able to give you support/advice/guidance/help in filling out a DLA form.

summerof0763

Errata wrote: »

Summer - have you contacted your local council's social work team for deaf and hearing impaired people ? They should be able to give you support/advice/guidance/help in filling out a DLA form.

hi,i phoned the council,but it was wefare rights,is the social work team a different dept,sorry never had anyone offer help with my deafness before so have not got a clue who i am supposed to contact,audiologist said to contact rnid,which i did but they cant help me with forms

Errata

summerof0763 wrote: »

hi,i phoned the council,but it was wefare rights,is the social work team a different dept,sorry never had anyone offer help with my deafness before so have not got a clue who i am supposed to contact,audiologist said to contact rnid,which i did but they cant help me with forms

The Team are part of the social services department.
I wonder if you know about the technical aids that are available for people with a hearing impairment? Things like gizmos so you can hear the TV, special alarm clock, smoke alarm designed for the hearing impaired which local Fire Services provide and fit. There's lots of other stuff which might help you with everyday things. The Team will give you details of all this.

summerof0763

hi i have a ancient vibrating "sometimes" alarm clock,and a smoke alarm "council fitted" with trailing wires everywhere,that i need to find out how to get checked as daughter cremated toast last week,which set normal fire alarm off but not mine,hence thick black smoky kitchen lol,can no longer use phone,which has devasted me and makes me feel very isolated,use subtitles for tv,cant hear radio gave up on it years ago,no other gizmos,though use mobile for txting,any info on gizmos,tips etc most welcome.