I live with and care for my 92 yr old mother. she has a hearing loss and always has TV on full volume and when I ask her to turn it down she tries to make me feel like its all my fault. Refuses to have a hearing test. She tells me to put ear plugs in and I let her know I wont hear her if she needs me. GUILT GUILT. Can you help me.
Blessings,
Jamie
Sure enough, her ears were 100% blocked in one, and 75% in another. Watched the removal of wax on the computer. Again, gross, but interesting.
Also, learned that her hearing aids can be adjusted with a program download to the aids. My late father made her buy them but she was too vain to wear them until the Speech Therapist and I said we were having to talk loudly to her. Plus, TV was very loud, too.
Learned that she should have been going in each qtr for a check up and to clean her hearing aids (wax gets on them also). This is included in price of the hearing aids. THE THINGS OUR PARENTS DON'T TELL THEIR KIDS...auurghhh! Anyway, if your parent can't hear, they can cognitively decline.
As far as loudness of TV, I have noticed that the newer TVs speakers are terrible. My Mom could hear better if the speakers were facing her. (We attached extra speakers.) Also, wireless speakers are excellent. They can be bought at big box electronics store or online. You can put these right beside your parent who can turn it up or down when they want. Keeps the TV from blasting the neighbors.
Hope this helps!
BUT... how you introduce them is more important than the type you get. Take it from me, it has to be THEIR idea, or they will not use it.
SO... tell Mom (or Dad) that you are having problems with the TV... or the neighbors, with regards to the volume. SO... you got a FREE pair of earphones/headphones that they bought for you so you could still listen to TV and not be a bother.
OR... tell Mom that you have a FREE product that the company sent you and You are testing them for the company. FIRST.. you wear them.. and do a short report (with Mom/Dad of course) and then ask if THEY would like to help with the report too. (Maybe offer a few dollars for their time). This 'tricky' way of doing it, may just work.
Of course those who want to INSIST on other using it may have a harder road, but that is your decision. My mother LOVED being able to hear her shows and not be a 'bother' to anyone else.
I hope this helps.
What I did when I was taking care of her for five years, I wore cotton balls in my ears. She and her boyfriend insisted on having the TV on so loud you could hear it all the way down the hall in the assisted living apartment. Half of hte time they feel asleep over the TV anyway and I would go over and turn it down after they fell asleep.
Using subtitles and parental controls (or tv control) for maximum volume will help too! Teenagers seem to do the same thing too, and TV companies know it! Besides your mother won't be able to change it back, especially if you make the change when she isn't around. After all you don't want to anger her by changing things.
And wireless headphones! Couldn't live without them here when Mom was still at home with us. We still use them! And with the invention of light easy to wear WIRELESS, it makes it even easier for elders to comply.
There are many solutions to a single problem,and sometimes we need to employ different ones at different times! Great ideas everyone!!
When my mother was still living with my father the volume was on with closed caption. She could hear . . he could read. Now that she's in the nursing home the volume is completely off. It's so quiet that I need to check on him occasionally forgetting that he's reading the tv. lol
. we had a simple solution for my Mom.. either get a hearing test or your granddaughter does not come and visit you without supervision. Its harsh but it works.. now my Mom has the independance she needed and can watch and hear her grandaughter with no problems.
Maybe if you get 2 pairs of earplugs, plug both in, sit down with your mom and see how that works out. If you can't plug in two, how about YOU were a pair, sit down with her, and gently suggest she try them on and talk about the acoustics, and how clear the sound is. Maybe she will be curious to see and take them, put them on, and keep them on.
Lord knows that lour T.V. drives us all crazy at one time or another so know that you're not alone in that area.
Hope this helps.