This is his first time with hearing aids. He's totally deaf in the left ear, therefore has a transmitter to the right ear. Now he complains that he can't hear while eating because his teeth make too much noise to hear through the hearing aids.
What instructions can I give him to make this situation better? I can't hear myself think with the loud TVs in every room of the house.
I know this sort of program exists, because a cousin of mine got hearing aids a couple years ago, in her early seventies, and has been wearing her aids and benefitting from them ever since.
She did go to work with her audiologist/provider at least a few times, and was highly motivated to succeed.
I think I’d start with the provider who sold you the hearing aids, but first I’d develop a list of Dad’s complaints AND your observations about specific issues such as continuing wanting to set the volume on the televisions, and his diminishing desire to communicate with others.
Your FATHER’S observation that he can hear himself chewing is a particularly astute concern on his part, and hopefully may indicate that he may be able to learn to use his aids more to his advantage than he is at present.
If possible, I’d try to get him to his HA PROVIDER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, because his frustration tolerance at his age is probably already pretty stretched.
Unfortunately hearing loss is a pretty complex process, and the solutions may not always be direct or easy.
You’re a good advocate for him. Don’t give up!
Your dad is probably being irritated by sounds he hasn't heard in years. Ask hearing aid company if they can be adjusted. Or adjust when he wears them while getting used to them. You might want to buy some TV ears so that he can hear, but sound can be controlled for those not wearing the ears.
I shout all day long and it drives me bonkers. He's perfectly happy to sail through life missing all the sounds.
TV is on bluetooth and most of the day he wears his headphones. What a waste of money. He was not willing to do the 'work' of adjusting to ambient sounds.
To give you and idea: we went to see "Kong vs Godzilla" in an IMAX theatre, it was so loud my fillings were buzzing. He fell asleep.
I have totally given up.
For years my DH has complained about the digital. He prefers analog but those are no longer being made. He recently had to change providers and we finally got an answer why he doesn't care for digital. Main reason, the sound is more mechanical. The voices u hear are not like what a normal hearing person hears. The brain needs to adjust to the difference.
If you have never worn a hearing aide before you are not going to understand what needs adjusting and what doesn't. Sounds to me Dad has no idea how to adjust the volume in his aid, or that needs adjusting. With digital its all adjusted by computer to the persons hearing level. The volume is set within certain parameters. The person is asked if these are comfortable levels. These levels may need adjusting. There is a lot of tweaking with digital. I would call and get him in to see the audiologist. Maybe write a note explaining the problems he is having.
These have saved my marriage 😉
Sometimes with my grandmother it is almost comical in a sad way and she has gotten to a point where we whisper around her because we never know if she is wearing them. If she is she can hear every word you say now!!
Hearing aids are not for everyone. For some people they are a torment, and people will often tell you that at parties and so on they cannot separate out the noise that "comes at them" from everywhere, and that cannot be divided into what is close conversation and important and what is not.
Wishing you good luck with this.
I felt so sorry that she lived her golden years being yelled at by my father all the time. I swear she purposely turned her hearing aids down so she wouldn't hear my Dad yelling a her every time he spoke to her. He mercifully died 10 years before her. Unfortunately, my brother lived with them so after our Dad died, my brother just continued this yelling. It was abuse. I knew to get my mother's attention and have her look me in the face before speaking.
The sad part about hearing aids is they are so expensive but end up in the trash after their death. My 80-year old at the time MIL refused to get fitted for hearing aids. She "tried" wearing HER mother's hearing aids and didn't like them. Said they didn't work. Ya think??? They were 30 years old and HER mother's!! Plus they would never fit her ears! So she refused to get newer modern ones. Therefore, whenever we went over to MIL's house the TV volume was turned up to 80 and my FIL (bless his soul) was either in the basement or out in the garage puttering around. His hearing was fine. Imagine his life. I gave him a lot of credit. I would have lost my mind with the volume of the TV up like that all day long.