Hearing aid/s

johnnyfreedosh

Finally accepted the fact that I need a hearing aid/s.  I did have a NHS one years ago but lost it and to be honest found it too bulky.

My question is can anyone give advice/recommendations for an audiologist in East Antrim or Belfast area?.   And any recommendations on actual hearing aids?. 

Have looked online and see Boots & Specsavers sell them but no idea if there aids are good value or not.   Some look really expensive!!.  Happy to pay for good service & quality but don't want to get fleeced. 

Thanks in advance 

elsien

it might be worth going back to the Nhs and trying again as a starting point. they are a lot better than they used to be

twopenny

Do you know what sort you would like? 
It's worth doing a bit of research with the options. Compare prices online to give you some markers.

And asking friends, acquaintances what they use and how they went about it.

I agree, starting with the NHS because that can give you an idea of what would work for you.
If it's anything like contact lenses not everything is suitable for everyone.

Then when you've whittled it down you have some choice about how to achieve what you want.

A lot in our table tennis group wear them with varying success. It's lovely communicating with those who have them set right. Difficult with those who won't accept.
And they really are almost invisible these days. I have a friend of 5 years and only noticed hers recently. 

Rodders53

Hearing aids | nidirect  Note that aids are always only "on loan" from NHS and lost ones may be chargeable.

Get help with hearing aids - RNID is worth enquiring with, I would suggest.

In England one tends to get referred to Boots, Specsavers or Scrivens audiologists who will gleefully up-sell to private aids at £ks.  That may also apply in NI.  There are a few 'specialist' independent audiology people but are likely tied int one or two brands of aid (as are the big brands, above).

NHS are free batteries and hearing tubes with the behind ear jobs... The ones Scrivens supplied me are Danalogic GN Ambio 77 which are reasonably small and have bluetooth to control them. Best place to start with hearing aids is the NHS in my humble opinion... and only then consider "better" more expensive or "discreet" ones that you pay for.

Allegedly some NHS trusts now supply bluetooth streaming aids (so hands free phone and music, as well).

NB Hearing aids have an expected life of 3 to 5 years.  So factor in replacement costs as well.

JGB1955

My NHS Phonak hearing aid has bluetooth.  It was 5 weeks from GP referral to my hospital appointment and another 2 weeks before actually receiving it. No complaints from me!

Bue21

I too have NHS hearing aids through Specsavers. They are behind the ear but are very discreet - Signia Stretta. They are Bluetooth so connect to my phone and I can listen to audio (listen to books a lot) and they are controlled from an app on the phone (volume and programme selection can also be controlled on the aids themselves). A colleague bought theirs from boots and the aids were of identical size. Main difference was theirs were rechargeable (not great if you forget and batteries are free with NHS) and their aids cost a lot more.
It is worth bearing in mind that, generally speaking, the greater the hearing loss, the bulkier the aids