Help for Hearing Impairment

oldwiring

:)Pity no responses to above

NoAngel

oldwiring wrote: »

:)Pity no responses to above

Sorry, i didn't see the new thread!

The kinds of problems you've mentioned are likely to be difficult situations for you even with hearing aids. That's because they won't be making things perfect for you and don't get rid of background noise. It's important to have relaistic expectations of what the aids can do and be prepared to continue to employ good listening tactics.

As for newer aids- I doubt your department will be fitting Spirit 3s to new patients, but most departments only tend to fit one type of aid at a time (so maybe they'll be fitting a newer Oticon aid now, or maybe one by a different company). Newer ones can include Siemens Reflex aids or Danalogic i-FITs for example. You MAY find that these are better, as the technology is newer, but again, no hearing aid will make things perfect for you.

It is always worth contacting your department and asking for another hearing test (if you haven't had one for a while) and asking about newer aids. Since the aids are only 'loaned' in the first place, offer to give yours back in exchange for something newer. They may have a policy in place about doing/not doing this, but it's probably worth contacting them before paying thousands for aids that may not be any better.

Additionally, the hand control that you mentioned your friend had can be something that you purchase to go with your NHS aids (again, depending if this is available on that particular model), but they are available and you could always buy that and give it a go rather than shelling out for totally new aids.

Hope this helps.

Guardsman

I'm due to be fitted with a pair of Siemens Impact M next month, They will be my first set of hearing aid's so I'm wondering how long the battery will last in them ?

PudseyDB

oldwiring wrote: »

:)Pity no responses to above

Oldwiring - are they digital aids?? (I'm not familiar with the current brands of hearing aid models) If not, then ask for referral for an up to date hearing test then ask if its possible to try digital aids. These sometimes result in a slight loss of volume, but prodce a clearer sound and can be programmed for different social settings which might help you.

PudseyDB

Guardsman wrote: »

I'm due to be fitted with a pair of Siemens Impact M next month, They will be my first set of hearing aid's so I'm wondering how long the battery will last in them ?

Difficult to say - it depends how many hours a day you're wearing them

Savvy_Sue

Guardsman wrote: »

I'm due to be fitted with a pair of Siemens Impact M next month, They will be my first set of hearing aid's so I'm wondering how long the battery will last in them ?

PudseyDB wrote: »

Difficult to say - it depends how many hours a day you're wearing them

but with NHS aids, you should get free batteries, and certainly in this area there are a number of places where you can get more on production of your hearing aid record book.

Guardsman

Thank you both for the prompt reply what I was wondering is do I need to change the battery daily or weekly if for instance I use the aid for 14 hours in every 24hr ?

Savvy_Sue

Guardsman wrote: »

Thank you both for the prompt reply what I was wondering is do I need to change the battery daily or weekly if for instance I use the aid for 14 hours in every 24hr ?

I change mine when they stop working. there is an audible (to me) warning when the battery is low, but it lasts longer than that iyswim.

I think it also depends how high you have the volume, and poss how powerful the aid is, but I could be wrong.

I'm pretty sure my mum doesn't change her battery daily, and she's very deaf. Mine last much longer than a week but I don't wear all day.

Errata

Guardsman wrote: »

Thank you both for the prompt reply what I was wondering is do I need to change the battery daily or weekly if for instance I use the aid for 14 hours in every 24hr ?

Change it when the current one runs down. You'll know this has happened as all of a sudden you won't be able to hear
Most new aids start bleeping a few minutes before the battery goes flat to warn you. Good luck.

zaksmum

My hearing aid has a warning tone too, so I know I have about an hour before it goes dead on me.

Actually it was funny when I first got the aid. The dispenser didn't mention the warning tone and my last aid didn't have it. When I heard it I was home with my daughter, and I said to her "What was that?" She hadn't (of course!) heard it and looked at me as if I was mad.

It sounded three more times before I realised what it was and my daughter was ready to send for the men in white coats!!