WWYD, incur new debt? (Hearing aid.)

[73kittycat73]

Hi, Hopefully this won't be to long, I'll try my best!
Lately my hearing has been getting bad (Mumbling on the tv, having to ask people to repeat themselves a lot, straining hard to understand accents.) and I have a free at home hearing test booked for this Tuesday. If I need a hearing aid I will have to pay for it. They start at nine hundred and ninety five pounds and you can spread the cost over 1-2 years.

I need an at home test as I am virtually housebound with agoraphobia. If I went via NHS I would have to go to the hospital, at least twice. This I can't do.

The thing is, years ago I got into a bit of debt, mainly on a credit card. Once I paid it all off I vowed never to get credit again. It actually gives me anxiety to think about getting credit. However, the only way I could afford a hearing aid is through credit. Is this one of those times I have to put my big girl pants on and accept this (Adults do debt, be it on mortgage, a car, etc.) or does it sound like a bad idea? Any advice would be gratefully received.

I would, without a second thought. It's not that much and there is finance available that keeps it affordable.

I'm assuming of course finance payments are affordable for you?

How long would it take you go save that much? if more than a few months, then yes get credit.

Web results
Hearing Aids & Digital Hearing Aids - HearingDirect.com ™
www.hearingdirect.com

If you need something now, and can't afford it but could afford the repayments, that's exactly what credit is for, and it's absolutely fine. That's why so many people have a mortgage. Credit is only problematic when you can't actually afford what you're getting yourself into, or when it's not actually something you need.

Thank you all so much for your replies. @limberlost, thank you so much for that link! I can have the free hearing test, then order from there! Thank you so much!

Actually, just having a look through, the ones I need will still be in the hundreds. Not sure now. Thank you all again though, you have been a help. :)

NHS do, do home visits. I’m not sure of the criteria but they definitely do them, could you ask your dr to refer you for one?

If your agoraphobia is professionally diagnosed, the NHS can arrange a home visit and you'll be able to access a hearing aid through that at least at a subsidised rate.

I'd definitely explore that before spending nearly a grand with an online company.

Have you ruled out something easily treatable like wax build up before you go shelling out on hearing aids?

Yes TooTrue. My hearing has been gradually getting worse for a while. I've had tinnitus for years. I've just checked my local surgery after a google and the offer free hearing tests but no NHS funded aids. I think I'm going to have to go down the private route. I would have to have it on credit as I just don't have that kind of money laying around.

Thank all for your help. :)

Speak to your GP, home visits are available via the NHS. Don't get into debt, please

I'll try and 'phone the Dr tomorrow Windygate.

Specsavers do nhs heading tests, phone your local branch and see if they do home visits

I work in the NHS Audiology department of a large hospital and we offer home visits on a case by case basis. Definitely ask your GP to state this on the referral. Good luck!

You should phone the docs and ask if they can send a referral for a home visit. Even if the audiology department don’t state they do home visits online they may have criteria that means they will do it in certain cases. It just may mean waiting longer for an appointment than going into them.

Hearing aid technology has improved in recent years, even at the level the NHS fund.

Befor going into debt is it possible to see if you can get a hearing test done at home which will give you an NHS prescription? Or is there any help/support (including temporary anti anxiety drugs considering your situation) which would enable you to get to hospital for fittings?

My aunt suffered terribly from agoraphobia and did pay for some private healthcare for just the reasons you describe. It wasn't just the going out to hospital it was the hospital environment which was the problem. Her GP did also support her with anti anxiety medication to get to some appointments - this may be an avenue for you.

It used to make me angry that someone as ill as she was had to pay to get basic treatment for some conditions when relatively small adjustments would have given her the help she needed.

Speak to your gp for their support getting a home visit. My dad had a private test and was advised he needed hearing aids but found after getting his ears syringed he no longer needed them!

My husband has hearing aids and needs a test every five years and umpteen batteries. Thankfully the wonderful wonderful NHS gives him this. Could you afford retests/batteries/replacements every five years?

I have hearing aids I got mine from specsavers, I have had them nearly 4 years they are still good though will be out of warranty soon you get 4 years worth of batteries

though they do free tests they may do NHS hearing aids in some areas of England check this link entering your postcode
www.specsavers.co.uk/hearing/hearing-aids/nhs-hearing-aids
what sort of hearing aid you get depends on the degree of deafness as you are home a lot you need one that you can change setting to "T" also there should be a telephone setting and you can get ones which tune directly to TV via blue tooth
a telephone setting is really useful as the speaker on the phone needs to be very close to hearing aid you can end up having to hold a mobile in a very awkward position if no phone setting which is why I never managed with NHS aids as I just couldn't use them on phone
prices range from about £500 to about £3000

digital hearing aids can be retuned as your hearing changes you don't need new hearing aids, and you should get a retest every 1-2 years not 5 years

My mum got hers from Specsavers.
They do home visits for sight tests so I'm sure they would for hearing tests too.

I used to work for a hearing aid manufacturer. The technology available in the NHS is equivalent to mid range technology in the private sector (so around the £2000 per aid price point). So it's worth trying for NHS first as you would get a better quality of hearing aid compared to the £900 ones you are considering getting on credit.

Reason private sector charge so much is they can usually offer an appointment with no waiting times, more appointments for follow ups (sometimes they need a few adjustments to get it right for you), more choice of colours or cosmetic styles, accessories, warranty packages etc. So you're paying for the service too.

But ultimately for hearing it's the technology that's most important so I personally would go NHS.

Why do you think you will need at least two visits to the hospital? My gp arranged me an appointment at the local Specsavers who did the hearing test and fitted hearing aids straight away. All totally free, with free replacement batteries too. Could you try your Big Girl Pants on and investigate the wonderful free NHS option before contemplating going into unnecessary debt? (I had an appointment first thing in the morning just as the shop opened, nobody else around.) Good luck kittycat 😊

Could you try your Big Girl Pants on and investigate the wonderful free NHS option before contemplating going into unnecessary debt?

Did you see the bit about the OP having agarophobia? I'm not aware of Big Girl Pants being an effective help for clinically diagnosed MH conditions.

You need to be referred your local audiologists. They probably will do home visits as many clients will be unable to go to hospital. The NGS ones are identical to the private ones anyway. They don't buy junk.

As others have said, contact audiology and discuss with them, I'm sure they'll be happy
to help.
I have a pair of Oticon Safari UP in the house that aren't being used if you're stuck, but it sounds as though they'd be too strong for your level of hearing loss.