Over the past few years I suspect that my DM (68) had been suffering from hearing loss. I noticed that she isn't hearing a large part of a conversation and is filling in the blanks. This is causing an awful lot of misunderstanding between us and adding a lot of strain to our already quite difficult relationship.
She lives alone (has been single since I was born and I'm an only child) in our home city a few hundred miles from me. She has isolated herself from her siblings and is quite arms
length with me. But she has a nice relationship with my three small DC so I regularly have her down to visit us and she stays a week or so at a time.
Over the past few years I've pointed out the issues we're having communicating and suggested a hearing test. She point blank refuses as she 'doesn't want to be sold hearing aids' and also 'everyone says they are rubbish' (everyone being three of her siblings who also suffer significant hearing loss). She is like this about almost everything that she evidently needs help for. With everything else I've taken a step back as I understand ultimately it's up to her whether she wants to accept help when her roof is leaking/windows need replacing/kitchen is damp. But this feels like something that is going to further isolate her if she doesn't get some help for.
Does anyone have any positive/negative stories to share about hearing aids? Or can point me in the direction of any resources that might help me communicate better with her if she doesn't have her hearing investigated?