Hearing Aides
By NailTech
@NailTech (6874)
United States
December 5, 2012 11:33am CST
My dad is 74 and has always had a hearing problem, and as he gets older it gets worse. He has had a hearing aid many years ago but it didn't seem to work. One day it feel out of his ear and mom found it on the grass in the yard. It cost $600. at the time and nothing was helping him. The VA hospital a few or so years ago said they couldn't proclaim him legally deaf, yet he has to hear things at leeeeeast 2 times before he hears alot of things. So now I just heard that he is going to be getting a more modern hearing aide, and they are going to try to get all the ear wax out of his ear that had been building up and possibly causing the hearing loss from cleaning his ears all wrong. I'm not too convinced all of this will work though. He has said he went deaf in the first place many years ago when he was still in the service, when some jerk came up to him and blew a horn straight into his ear. Ever since then he has had hearing loss which only got worse over time. I know he should have reported this to the people there at the time and gotten some kind of payment every week now for that trouble, but he never told them what exactly happened so he never got any compensation unfortunately. Would you have tried to get it if that were you many years ago in the service or is it just something you'd brush off? Do you use a hearing aide now or are you somewhat hearing impaired? I hear the word "Huh?" at least 20 times a day it seems around him, cause he just can't hear anything. Sad.
5 responses
@choybel (5042)
• Philippines
5 Dec 12
Maybe at that moment, he didn't bother reporting it because the effect wasn't noticeable yet or at least not so bad yet. It's sad though that it has come to this, thinking that the compensation he could have gotten would have helped in many ways, even perhaps pay for an operation if possible.
My girlfriend's father is also having hearing problems. She told me that her father has been experiencing this for a bit of a time now and that she plans to buy him a hearing aid as a gift this Christmas. I told her I would chipped in for the purchase. It actually came up when I asked her what gift we should get for her parents.
@NailTech (6874)
• United States
5 Dec 12
Most likely he didn't report it due to that but who knows. He was always the type to shrug most things off like that, especially when younger. 
Yes, the compensation could have been a lot better for him and the way he has to live now that's for sure. 
I do hope that the hearing aide you get for your gf's father for Christmas helps him, it is really not that fun for the person with hearing loss to not be able to hear things so well!
Yes, the compensation could have been a lot better for him and the way he has to live now that's for sure. I do hope that the hearing aide you get for your gf's father for Christmas helps him, it is really not that fun for the person with hearing loss to not be able to hear things so well!@choybel (5042)
• Philippines
6 Dec 12
My girlfriend described to me once just how bad her father's hearing is already and I really think that a good hearing aid would be the perfect gift. However, I told my girlfriend to clear it out with her father first, and she did. Her father said that he wouldn't mind wearing one so it's a go signal for us.
@911Ricki (13588)
• Canada
5 Dec 12
I knew a lady I worked with, she insisted she was going deaf, she had a hearing aide, and all which she claimed didnt work. She went to the doctor I go too, and he cleaned her ears, and she is fine (yet she still insisted she is deaf, yet she can hear better than me). I do have hearing loss as well, but hearing aides wont work for me as I have some genetic disease that my bones in my ears are mishapen so they can do a surgery where they reshape the bone, but they wont do it until I have more hearing loss. You wouldnt like be around me, WHAT, HUH LMAO. If I don't know the person I'll just smile and knod after a few times of them repeating it.
@NailTech (6874)
• United States
5 Dec 12
It bothers me but at the same time I am so sad that he can't hear. It is not his fault that his hearing is so bad. Yes it is annoying and I can hear my mom getting more aggravated at him than I do or at most anythng my brother does. I can empathize with people with hearing loss and most any other handicap. It's not like they have control over it like other jerks who do something intentionally like my brother. (For instance I'll comment on his repeating things and he'll just say "And I'll keep doing it." like a spoiled brat!) Your hearing loss would be different as well, so it wouldn't bother me as much. I just talk kind of softly in general so it is even more annoying for the person who can't hear I suppose.
@ZoeJoy (1392)
• United States
5 Dec 12
March him right down to the VA clinic and insist that he get his earring checked out and insist that the VA do something to help him get a earring aid. Otherwise, teach him sign language or get a bull horn. There are alternatives to just being frustrated with his lack of hearing. A bull horn is probably your best option. :)
@Kbrannon (33)
• United States
5 Dec 12
First let me start off by saying, I'm sorry to hear that your dad is going through this. I can relate to you because my father is the same. He is 80 and his hearing has been bad for about 10 years now. He had one good ear and the other he could not hear at all but now he is experiencing the same issue with the good ear. My family always has to scream when talking to him and we repeat things at least 2 times as well. At least your dad does not mind using a hearing aid. My father thinks that it will make him look really old so he won't wear one, which makes things even worst. If i were in the service and someone blew a horn in my ear I would have reported it. Like you stated he could be compensated at this time for his loss of hearing and also he could use that money to buy a top notch hearing aid or even see what treatment is available to help him. I wish him the best of luck!
@NailTech (6874)
• United States
5 Dec 12
You father is probably afraid of what people will think if they see him with the hearing aide. My dad is almost the same way with his oxegyn tank he won't use it in some public places. Thankfully he is only required to use it on small doses so I guess it's OK but I would rather he use it all the time, like they told him to! I really do wish he had told them long long ago about the horn incident, we have told him that many times but it won't bring that time back so he can do it now.
@Rsengan12 (30)
• Phoenix, Arizona
29 Mar 16
I use hearing aides and hearing his were only 600$ sounds crazy to me, mine were 3k and those where the cheap ones. But aside from that, hearing aides just don't work for everyone, there are many reasons why people lose their hearing and your father maybe just has one of the causes where a hearing aid wont do much for him.
