Hearing Loss – I Can’t Hear You
Hearing loss can be quite devastating for any individual and even more so for the elderly. Not only are the elderly dealing with the fact their remaining life span is shortening, having to deal with the loss of one or more of their natural senses can send them into a downward spiral.
Communication with others is a vital function within our society. This is how we exchange ideas, share our hopes and desires, voice our opinions, or solicit the advice and comfort of others. There are many ways to communicate, but the ability to communicate audibly is one of the most notable.
Approximately 10% of Americans suffer some kind of hearing loss. With the aging population, it is estimated that 1 out of every 3 Americans over the age of 65 suffer with a hearing impairment.
Hearing Loss – A Personal Story
My wife and I purchased the personal sound amplifiers shown in the image above for her mother that is in a nursing home in another state. She had difficulty hearing on the telephone as well as just being part of the conversation in the dining room without having to ask others to speak up. Her medical insurance would not cover the cost of professionally prescribed hearing aids and she was not able to personally cover the costs which can be quite high.
I had the devices shipped to me to evaluate the best I could since I currently wear two Resound hearing aids and have worn aids for years. Even my aids do not correct my hearing loss 100%. What I found was that these personal sound amplifiers made a significant difference for me but not to the degree my prescribed aids do. While not perfect I could see their benefit due to the sound amplification and enhancement.
Hearing Loss Solution Found
We sent the amplifiers on to my wife’s mother and the individual that provides most of her personal care called my wife saying “you would not believe the difference.” “The first words out of your mother’s mouth was ‘I can hear’.”
For my mother-in-law these devices appear to work. We chose the higher end amplifiers because of their design and wanted more than a device that worked similar to cupping your ear with your hand. These devices also had a 30-day return policy which allows for returning the units for any reason within 30 days for a complete refund. In addition, they come with a 12 month warranty.
You can find out more about this particular personal sound amplifier at Amazon by clicking this link.
Please keep in mind that the above unit is a personal sound amplifier and not a professional prescribed hearing aid. There is a distinction between the two as defined by the FDA
DISCLAIMER: The information in this post is from the personal observations and opinions of the author. None of the information included in this post should be construed as offering any kind of professional health or hearing advice. You should rule out any underlying medical conditions that have an impact on your hearing before using these kind of devices.
