Looks like I'll be getting aids, so I'm adding this forum to my faves.

[TygrBright]

Maybe some of y'all with experience will provide some encouragement/information as well, since I'm a noob on this frequency.

My maternal grandmother started having hearing loss in her 50s, my mother's started in her 60s, so it's not surprising that a visit to the ENT today confirmed what I suspected - I'm experiencing loss of definition against background sound and mild-to-moderate loss in the higher frequencies. The ENT provided a list of local audiology parlors and a referral for deaf aids, and recommended I "not wait too long because we're learning more all the time about how even mild hearing loss untreated can negatively impact quality of life in aging."

After I got home, I did some research and it appeared the ENT was being very moderate in that recommendation. The amount of evidence accumulating that untreated hearing loss has very unpleasant sequelae is kind of skeery.

OTOH, deaf aids? Damn. BTW, thank you tblue, for your posts here and your website. Already looked at some of your excellent articles on denial, adjustment, etc. Much appreciation.

A few random queries that are with me after reading this and that on various non-vendor sites about deaf aid technology:

I should try to get wax guards and frequency transposition, right?

I wear glasses all my waking hours. Do behind-the-ear models, in these days of mask-wearing, constitute the straw that broke the camel's back as far as what my ears will manage to hang onto reliably? I know my Mom complained bitterly about mask-wearing for that reason, but she's 91 and has plenty to complain about. How are all y'all who wear glasses and have BTE aids doing with the mask thing? Should I go straight for in-ear or canal models?

There seems to be an adjustment period and of course it varies. Can all y'all share with me how long it took you to go from "I hate this, it's awful!" to "Thank heavens for my little friends that help me hear?"

I almost always wear headphones of the pad-on-the-ear rather than the cup-over-the-ear variety when working at my 'pute and listening to music. Never did take to ear buds, but I have some for my not-smart phone and my ancient but still functional iTunes doodad that I use on airplanes. What will deaf aids require in the way of different headphone tech?

I don't have a smartphone but I suppose someday I will have no other choice about getting one. Still rely largely on the landline and a flip-phone model from Consumer Cellular for travel and emergencies. Is it worth the money to get all the fancy digital connection capability now? Or should I wait for my next one(s)? Which brings me to...

Apparently the expected working life of even good deaf aids is about five years? Given the buttload of cash they seem to cost, that's a major budgeting issue. I should be planning ahead for the next ones, right?

Glad y'all are here. Feeling alone with this new challenge would not be helpful right now.

hopefully,
Bright