[patfla06]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I got mine from the audiologist at The Villages Health. I knew I had hearing problems, and I've known that I've needed hearing aids for years. Anyone who tells me I don't need them would get me posting here warning against whoever was making such a claim.

The audiologist recommended Unitron. I did some google searches on a few different brands, checked their own website and a couple of "review" sites that I'm familiar with that specialize in technology and medicine.

Decided I'd give the Unitrons a shot. Had a 60-day trial (was supposed to be 30 days but I kept needing adjustments and there was a whole week when the audiologist wasn't there so the appointment had to be changed for 2 weeks later).

Finally decided to buy them. Super expensive but again - I had come prepared. I told her during the previous visit that I'd done some checking - and gave her a printout from an AARP affiliate and a discount company provided by FloridaBlue, my health insurance provider. She said she'd honor their prices.

Huzzah. Got my hearing aids for around $1500 less than the MSRP, and it comes with an app so I can adjust everything from my cell phone, with multiple programs, plus a TV thing that I have attached to my computer so I can watch movies and videos and podcasts and the sound comes directly into my ears - my computer doesn't have speakers and I had been using an over-the-ear headset up until that point.

Being able to hear properly is still - weird for me. I've never been fully hearing-abled, was born with nerve damage in my ears. Life is NOISY. So much so that sometimes I have to actually turn them off, while still wearing them, which basically turns them into inferior-quality ear plugs. And that's fine - sometimes you just gotta turn the volume DOWN on life. The rest of the time I hear better than most of my neighbors.

Finally got my parents to get them too, we'd been after them for 10 years and they insisted they heard just fine. We just mumble all the time. And they kept the TV on at full volume because it "kept them company." Now, they turn the TV volume down, they understand us, we don't have to yell over the TV, and everyone is more cheerful and less grumpy.

Bonus: if you qualify for hearing aids, and wear them regularly to improve your hearing (as opposed to simply amplifying sound), you are more likely to retain your memory for more years as you age, and reduce the risk of dementia.

This is what my G. P. Is worried about as my Mom had Alzheimer’s.
I’m going to set up an appointment with an ENT for a hearing test.