frustration

[Veteran250]

I first became deaf in the 1980s, I am now completely deaf in my left ear, I am 81 years old, and I wear a hearing aid in my right ear….. I have a land line phone with a loudspeaker in it, but still have problems with hearing on it, and get frustrated asking the caller to repeat themselves. My friend in the USA told me, her parents are deaf, and use a phone with a screen(like a small tv screen) and when someone calls, they can read what the caller is saying….. the system is supplied by the USA government free of charge to deaf people.

Is there such a telephone system like this in the Uk, even paying for it would be worth it.

I apologise for the long story.

Don(Veteran250)

[Veteran250]

asked for advice two days ago, with no response, guess I will have to go elsewhere?

[MaggieSylvie in reply to Veteran250]

Hi Don, I just came out of hospital and saw your post. I can't help you very much but I do know how hearing aid users have problems with their phones. I did some surfing and couldn't find anything with a screen like you mentioned, but I did find noise cancelling earphones, which could help because they cut out all the extraneous sounds. Also more comfortable than holding a phone up to your ear all the time. There are also some speaker type things for phones but I don't understand how you connect them. They've got one of those mini-plugs that insert somewhere on the phone. Perhaps you could do some googling? Apart from that, how are you? I've just had a health shock that no-way was I expecting - gastric troubles and doctors threatening surgery to remove my gall bladder! So I'm just home, and my partner is also being discharged tomorrow morning!

[Veteran250 in reply to MaggieSylvie]

Hello Maggie, it’s nice to hear from you….. I gave up on Caption Phones, seems they don’t work in the Uk…. I’ve tried noise cancelling headphone, but some noise does come through….. Sorry to hear you were in hospital, and your partner too, do you always do things together, lol🤣🤣

I had a medical scare about a month ago, I had pains in my chest, trouble breathing, paramedic said I possibly had a heart attack, I spent three days in hospital….. seems I have a heart murmur, and must be less active, which is bloody stupid as I use an electric wheelchair when out and about.

Hoping you recover quickly from your time in hospital, and of course, your partner.

Don💜

[MaggieSylvie in reply to Veteran250]

Hi Don, Good morning. John has been readmitted, his discharge having been unsafe in the first place! So he spent one night at home and didn't get the nursing help he needed, so his blood sugar soared again. As for me, I've had to clear up the mess and I went to bed exhausted, and got up feeling rough. There has got to be a solution without it killing me!

[orange33]

hello Don I thought someone may have an answer to your query as it would be really useful. I have developed Cholesteatoma which has affected my hearing.i which may get worse over time.

Hopefully someone will pop up with information regarding your query and for all of us do have hearing problems

[alpacagirl]

Hello Don, yes a free text relay service does exist in the UK - I haven’t used it as although I can’t hear calls on my landline, I can manage with a mobile phone. Unless anyone else on here knows more - I suggest you contact the RNID who should be able to help you. I did a BSL course some years ago with a profoundly deaf tutor and she used that system. All the best!

[Veteran250 in reply to alpacagirl]

Thank you for your response my lovely, I contacted the RNID, and they said the Caption phones don’t work in the Uk, and a mobile phone is not loud enough for me…. Thank goodness for emails and FaceTime, they connect me to friends in the USA and Australia.

Take care and stay safe.

Don😀

[alpacagirl in reply to Veteran250]

Thank you Don - the free uk relay service works by downloading an app on your smart phone or computer. As you say caption phones don’t work here. Anyone who is interested can find the information by going to relayuk.bt.com or RNID also have information on the service.

[ChrissieMT]

good morning Don…..I have profound hearing loss in one ear and severe in the other, I’ve worn hearing aids for many years. Mainline telephones are a no no for me, but my hearing aids (private) have bluetooth and connect directly to my mobile phone so the sound goes straight to my ears. I can generally hear the caller very well this way. I hope you manage to find a solution for yourself. Chrissie

[PABLR]

If your hearing aids can stream directly to your mobile phone that may be the best option. I have also used InnoCaption successfully on my mobile phone in the USA in the past, and it is also available in the UK. It is a free service and you can use either AI captioning which is what I generally did, but it also offers live stenographers if you have a call that you must absolutely get right. I now have a Cochlear Implant and a hearing aid and no longer use it, but it was very useful on occasions.

[Veteran250 in reply to PABLR]

Thank you PABLR, my apologies for not replying sooner, I only sign in to HU occasionally.

When I had my last audiology appointment, I enquired about a Cocklear, to be told that they won’t give me a Cocklear because of my age, saying I may not survive the operation because of my age!

[PABLR]

Well I don't know how old you are but I live in the States and they routinely perform CIs in the eighties or even nineties, presumably depending on underlying health risks. But it is considered a safe operation for the older generation. I think the risk of dementia from deafness is higher than the risk of getting a CI. And that was one of my main concerns.