For Those of us who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Part 2

[Violinist64]

The original thread is almost full and I have found it extremely helpful so have started this new thread.

Interesting that this has come up. I will soon be working with someone who is deaf and uses BSL. Does anyone have advice to me as a hearing person about things that may not be obvious? Especially around having an interpreter present. I want the person to feel welcomed like everyone else but without it being patronising "look how fab and inclusive we are" if that makes sense. I'm probably explaining it badly.

You must have domes rather than moulds as for a mould you cut the tubing down to size.

Mine do come off occasionally, if I'm putting a jumper on or my ear gets bashed for some reason.

Yes that's right I have domes, not the moulds

It's obvious, but talk to the person using BSL rather than talking to their interpreter. The BSL user may not be looking at you as they'll be watching their interpreter, but you should direct comments and questions to the person themselves.

Learn a few signs you will use often (thank you/please, how are you etc.) There nothing worse than people who won't even try to learn some sign.

I have a mould as the dome really wouldn't stay in, even with a retainer wire. I'm constantly having to push it back in.

Quick question. I have a slight kink in the tube of my Signia.
can I replace the tubing myself and if so where do I buy it? Ta.

Solved. Called Specsavers and I get them over the counter. Didn't even realise I was supposed to replace them 😂😳

Ooh got my appointment date for hearing aid fitting
Only another 2 months, shame I won't have them for my daughters wedding

My daughter’s new ones kept coming out and she was similarly frustrated. She eventually found if she twisted the tube where it fits onto the HA to a more acute angle, they stayed in. It took a bit of fiddling but they fit perfectly now.

Thanks @FlatWhiteExtraHot I'll give that a try. The tube is very obtrusive and sticks out from my ear.

@DrCoconut i would ask the person what reasonable adjustments would make it easier for them to perform at work and check in regularly. I use Bluetooth hearing aid connected directly to Teams calls at work and normally I’m fine but with more meetings taking place in person again I struggle a lot more. The usual issues are aircon units in rooms humming, background noise or not being able to see people if the table is long.

I've just had such fun with the young lad in Specsavers who didn't seem to have a clue what he was doing.
I asked for a right and left thintube for signias. He couldn't do that and needed to fit them he said. Off he went and returned with a box....

Gave him the right aid, he fiddled about and handed it back, still with the original old ear tip he'd transferred on to the new tube. It was clearly a left tube on the right aid. Some faffing later, and still swapping over the tips from tube to tube, he gave me the right set up. Clearly giving up at this point he handed over the left tube as I said I'd just do it at home, only again, he gave me a right tube. It was then he realised all the blue left tubes were in the red right section.

Asked for 2 new tips, he looked at me solemnly and replied 'you're not due batteries until December'. I know, I replied, I need new tips. Finally he seemed to grasp I just needed tips and handed me two.
Took me half an hour 😂

Might just order them online next time.

One thing I love about getting batteries from the NHS, I get given a whole box everytime I go to the audiologist. I have a full box of 20 and another random 5 sleeves laying around.

I find the same with batteries, they check my name off and give me a box. This is the first time I’ve been for tubes though and he made it so difficult.
I have realised though they don’t check names etc for tubes so next time I’m in the other town near me I’ll go in that specsavers and ask for a couple of spares.

My mum and MIL both refuse to wear their aids very much as they find them annoying, and it has driven us crazy for years. Now I'm getting one, I'm going to find out what it's like for myself.

However, my husband works in acoustics and is evangelical about the importance of getting them early and using them as much as possible. The sooner you start using them, the better it protects your remaining hearing. Plus not using them can be a risk factor for dementia.

So I'm not particularly looking forward to it but do feel motivated to give it my best shot. Another friend whose had them since mid fifties swears by them and says it's just a matter of perseverance. We will see!

it has driven us crazy for years
Because you think you're entitled to tell other people what they can or can't cope with.

getting them early and using them as much as possible.
Is your husband autistic with auditory processing disorder and extreme sensitivity to unwanted noise? Come back to me when he is.

it protects your remaining hearing
Sounds like bollocks to me. 'Oh yes, let me shout directly into your ear, it's good for your hearing. Er, no.

not using them can be a risk factor for dementia.
I've had tinnitus all my life. What do you think your hearing aids are going to do to save my brain? Er, no.

I do feel motivated to give it my best shot
Well, bully for you. And you wanted my personal attention while you spout this self-righteous stuff? You got it.

To be absolutely clear - you are a stranger to me. I wish you well with your life. Leave me out of it.

To be fair "find them annoying so don't wear them" was a pretty flippant comment. Not sure my post quite justified the response.

What is residual hearing? Why you should protect your remaining hearing ability (healthyhearing.com)

Hearing Aids May Lower Risk of Cognitive Decline and Dementia - Scientific American

@Summerswimmer767

How do you connect to Teams via Bluetooth?

@Fullofthejoysofspring my aid’s are Bluetooth enabled so on my work iPhone I click into settings/ accessibility /hearing devices / and the pair with my aids there. I used to do it via a Signia App as my aids are Signia brand but now iPhone & iPad have that accessibility/ hearing aid menu option they connect when Bluetooth is switched on. It’s fab. The when I take or join a Teams call on that phone they work perfectly. To view teams content I just join the meeting a second time on my laptop but don’t connect my laptop audio as it’s not stable enough for me.

I've just found this thread. I'm early 40s and started to suspect my hearing was deteriorating in last year. Constantly accusing OH and kids of mumbling, can't hear them at all if there's background noise, putting tv volume up gradually etc.

Booked test with specsavers recently and showed unilateral mild-moderate loss. GP has referred me to ENT but it'll be years in the part of the Uk I'm in, so considering private aids. Especially as I'm about to start a new job and it will involve training folk and answering their questions! Any thoughts, recommendations?

@nonsensicalmess I was diagnosed recently so not an expert in all this but I managed to get a private ENT consult through my work healthcare. This diagnosed the hearing loss and checked there was nothing else odd going on and then it was up to me whether to be referred back into NHS for hearing aids or sort myself privately. I opted for private as the NHS wait was so long.

I'd say do some research on local audiologists/Specsavers/healthyhearing etc. I was suspicious of the big chains as I've had rubbish glasses experience with them so opted for an independent audiologist (but I could easily be judging the chains without giving them a chance!).

I'd look for somewhere that offers free trials before you buy. I had three trials for a few weeks before I chose which I wanted to order.

And just check that you are ok with the cost. I think that's probably the biggest barrier for going private HA. HAs are not cheap!

But I have loved getting my hearing aids, they've made such a difference and my audiologist has been really great.

Good luck!

@nonsensicalmess I'd recommend Amplion if you have one nearby. I was diagnosed with hearing loss by NHS but ended up using Aplions aids.

My aids are a real life saver. They are linked to my iPhone so the sound comes straight to my aids. So not only can I take and receive calls now, I can also listen to the music I have on my phone.

for general advice on adaptations, I use Action Hearing (used to be RNID). That site has steered me towards good wireless earphones and telephones

Can I join in ? I’ve just got a pair of Danalogic GN aids which are a huge improvement on the awful things I got first time round. All they did was made everything louder, but nothing was clearer, and I couldn’t filter out any background sound.

I was diagnosed with mixed hearing loss in one ear and sensoneural in the other. My ears had quite a lot of wax in, but wasn’t blocking the eardrum so they were able to test and fit aids but have now done microsuction and the rest of the hearing test done. I have an ENT appointment for the mixed hearing loss. Does anyone know if conductve loss could just be caused by all the wax? I have had a perforated eardrum in that ear and had constant ear infections as a child and was told at my first ever test that there was quite a lot of scarring. Thanks everyone. This is such a useful thread.

Anyone else getting sweaty ears in this weather?! Who knew ears could sweat 😂

Yes! My hearing aid keeps coming out.