Help for Hearing Impairment

sunnyone

I have been refused coloured moulds today, they say that they are not available for adults despite me getting them for decades but from now on its that horrible pink stuff or get private moulds done.

I am lily white and the so called colourless moulds always look really grubby on me, I prefer blue and it saves mentioning Im deaf a deaf lip reader to everyone that I meet.

Indie_Kid

sunnyone wrote: »

I have been refused coloured moulds today, they say that they are not available for adults despite me getting them for decades but from now on its that horrible pink stuff or get private moulds done.

I am lily white and the so called colourless moulds always look really grubby on me, I prefer blue and it saves mentioning Im deaf a deaf lip reader to everyone that I meet.

The last place I worked at, an adult had blue moulds. Deaf people having coloured moulds does make it easier for someone like me, who is visually impaired.

sunnyone

sh1305 wrote: »

The last place I worked at, an adult had blue moulds. Deaf people having coloured moulds does make it easier for someone like me, who is visually impaired.

My favoured shade is such a contrast with my white skin they cant be missed, they make life so much easier and private moulds will cost the best part of £50 but I would happily pay the diffrence between the yuck moulds and the blue moulds but the NHS isnt set up for that.

Savvy_Sue

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

battery door is always open when switched off but I'll take batt. out completely overnight!

good news, it still works. couple of spare batteries missing but fine apart from that.

got myself some pink earphones yesterday to go with the Sonido for when I want to improve hearing in both ears (in the back of the car!). was tempted by some heavily reduced Sennheisers, but suspected DS3 would 'borrow' them!

GustyGardenGalaxy

My 86 year old mother is getting hard of hearing - what is her best first port of call? The doctor has already checked her ears for wax (he did this a few days ago, apparently there's not enough wax in there to make a difference) and he suggested a hearing aid, but didn't give her any further information.

So where does she go now? Naturally she'd prefer a free one (ie NHS) but if she is more likely to get a better one privately (comfortable, more effective and reliable) then so be it.

Indie_Kid

Can she get another opinion? She is perfectly entitled to do this.

Errata

GustyGardenGalaxy wrote: »

My 86 year old mother is getting hard of hearing - what is her best first port of call? The doctor has already checked her ears for wax (he did this a few days ago, apparently there's not enough wax in there to make a difference) and he suggested a hearing aid, but didn't give her any further information.

So where does she go now? Naturally she'd prefer a free one (ie NHS) but if she is more likely to get a better one privately (comfortable, more effective and reliable) then so be it.

She, or you, needs to ask her practice if the doctor has referred her to the audiology service at her local general hospital. If he hasn't then discuss with him if he would. It's far better to find out if a free NHS aid will help her, than to spend £hundreds on one that won't be any better.

Hear-Hear

sunnyone

The choice of earmould colours - for adults as well as children - is as wide as the choice of colours for paint at B & Q. You can now give a colour sample that you like to almost any manufacturer, and they will do their best to make that colour for you. Extra cost around 50p to £1.00 per earmould, that's all. (There are some snazzy 'swirl-effect' multi-colours too, footballl team emblems, and even external gold-plating, but at extra cost). However, if your PCT won't agree to pay for non-standard colours, then you will have to go private.


GustyGardenGalaxy

Your mother is 86, so will have / should have been having a routine hearing test every year for the last several years. Unless there is some other intervening factor, such as a sudden hearing loss or vertigo, there seems little point in the GP re-referring her now. Your mother is, however, entitled to request a re-test at any time between the routine 12 month check-ups, and the GP should agree to this, if specifically asked.

There may be a waiting list - lists started to lengthen again dramatically in 2010 - and it depends on your own PCT criteria. The NHS aids remain free at the moment, and will be fully digital, behind-the-ear type. Quality of NHS aids is quite good now, especially for those with not-too-demanding lifestyles. On the downside, some PCT's are still giving out one aid where two ears need aiding, they will not do in-the-ear styles, and programming can often be quite poor. Aftercare is non-existant in most PCT's.

If your mother wants: two hearing aids and/or smaller more discrete styles and/or more features and functionality and/or faster service and/or practical long-term aftercare, then private aids are well worth exploring.

Hope this helps.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks for the replies. I'll get her to re-contact the surgery with a view to getting her hearing properly tested and taking it from there.

oldwiring

Can I join in with a thread I started in another MSE forum,please?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/39852382#Comment_39852382