What is your best tech for hearing loss?

[alpacagirl]

Apart from your hearing aids what are your best/indispensable technologies for day to day living with hearing loss? Mine are my Oticon streamer which I use with my NHS hearing aids to connect with my mobile phone, iPad and TV (if you have private aids this may be built into your hearing aids). It turns my aids into wireless headphones so I can hear most of that phone conversation, TV programme (need subtitles as well so I really don’t miss anything), can hear my music when running.

My other indispensable thing is my smart watch - it vibrates when my mobile rings or receives a text or WhatsApp so I don’t miss calls or messages. It vibrates when my timer finishes - so my cake doesn’t burn😂.

What tech do you rely on?

[Hidden]

Following this, I’m relatively new to hearing loss, my hearing in my right ear has always been borderline due to regular infections, perforations and operations, but 4 years ago I was officially diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss, just before the Covid pandemic, and I’m currently on the NHS waiting list for a hearing aid assessment.

I cannot be with my smart watch vibrating, without it I have 0 chance of hearing my phone! Love the timer vibrating on it too, I can never hear the oven timer either!

Love the sound of the Oticon steamer, definitely something I need to look in to when I actually finally get my hearing aid! I’m so lucky it’s only one ear so as long as I use the phone held to my left ear I’m okay with phone calls, but the TV and my iPad etc is a nightmare! I permanently have subtitles on to have any chance of following what’s being said!

Looking forward to hearing others great tips!

[alpacagirl in reply to Hidden]

I originally got a smart watch to encourage me to exercise more - then realised how good it was for my severe hearing loss. Hoping for some other great tips too!

[Dodie117]

I have had my aids upgraded since I moved to Ireland. These are Signia, have an app on my iPhone and can be connected directly via Bluetooth to the phone. These were free with a medical card. (Health care in Ireland is a mixed bag of private and public). They are really good although often lose the connection!!

Before that I had oticon from nhs and a loop which is similar to oticon streamer but costs about £30 from Amazon. That worked well too.

I also use Fitbit but find the vibration is very subtle. What smartwatch are you using?

[alpacagirl in reply to Dodie117]

How good to have Bluetooth aids - I’m sure the NHS will get them eventually when they get cheaper🤞

I think if I had realised that there was a cheaper option to the streamer at the time, I would have tried it. I do have the Oticon tv adapter for my streamer - although I still need subtitles it is nice to have the tv directly to my aids - and the tv can still be at normal volume for others.

I also got the Oticon landline phone adapter which was so hit and miss I gave up on the landline entirely and just use my mobile.

As I have an iPhone I have got the cheapest Apple Watch - it was partly a Christmas gift.

Pros - the vibration is unmissable! If my phone is in the vicinity I can answer a call on it. Can collect health data. It has quite a few apps and exercise can be easily uploaded to Strava.

Cons - poor 18 hour battery life compared to Fitbit - must be charged every day realistically. If the touch screen gets wet (say in the rain) it doesn’t react to touch.

[alpacagirl in reply to alpacagirl]

Another con! Apple’s high prices!

[Htims46]

I have been deaf in my left ear for over 50 years, no one would give me hearing aids for my type of deafness. Its made life quite difficult, if you keep asking people to repeat themselves they get fed up. Well, I was finally given hearing aids on the NHS, one hearing aid for the right ear and a microphone for the left. They just would not stay on my ears. I phoned ENT and they said they would put me on the waiting list for an appointment. I have now been waiting 2 years to be seen. Iv had enough and my daughter is going to help with the cost of private hearing aids. I have no idea where to go for them or what make is best for sensorial deafness. They would have to be in the ear aids, as there is just not enough ear for aids to hook onto, (I have very small ears) and I will lose them again. Can anyone tell me where to go for private hearing aids and the best make for in the ear aids for sensorial deafness. Thank you.

[alpacagirl in reply to Htims46]

I’m so sorry to hear about your bad experiences - I hope someone will be able to answer your question. I have NHS aids and haven’t ever investigated private aids - 2 years is a very long time to wait for an appointment even allowing for COVID. You say you rang ENT - did you try the audiology department - they usually deal with hearing aids and hearing tests?

[Htims46 in reply to alpacagirl]

Thank you for your reply, yes you have to ring ENT for audiology. It’s funny because today I had a phone call from hearbase to ask if I would like to come to my doctors surgery for a hearing test for hearing aids. I said yes I would, they had a cancellation appointment for tomorrow so I’m going along to see if they can help me. Will post on here how I got on. PS Hearbase is a company employed by the NHS to visit GP surgeries etc.

[alpacagirl in reply to Htims46]

Glad you finally have an appointment- yes let us know how you get on, I do hope they can help. It’s all a postcode lottery really - we can ring audiology directly - they are not in the same department as ENT at all, and we never have to wait very long for an appointment.

[Htims46]

Thank you for your good wishes. Yes you are right it’s a post code lottery. Audiology is in a tiny space in the corner of the ENT department. No natural light, most depressing. Anyway I shall see how I get on today, good I hope 🙏🏻