Me Time!
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My dad at times has hearing loss.
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My mum has hearing loss but does not wear hearing aid, so conversations over the phone are like quarrels.
She had her hearing tested at SGH when she lost almost all hearing after a flu, thankfully it recovered to pre-flu level after few weeks before the fit out session for hearing aid. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2026871\" time=\"1623595661\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2026871 time=1623595661 user_id=53606]
My dad! He flatly refuses to consider a hearing aid, so talking to him means shouting at him. He used to complain that we all didn't speak clearly, but has finally accepted that it's his hearing that is the issue. I keep suggesting getting a hearing aid, but my brother (the doctor) says \"no need\". My brother is the type who doesn't really value social interactions, so can't see that not being able to hear well is a problem, and rather than propose an imperfect solution, says \"might as well not bother\"! And my parents always listen to him. If ever you see a family in a restaurant yelling away so the whole place can listen in, and shouting everything at least 3 times, that's us! In a way, Covid has been good because it has forced us to eat at home more - my parents used to always refuse to eat at home if we were with them.
Do any of your parents have problems with their hearing?
My mum has had hearing loss for the past few years…refuses to wear her hearing aid at home. Recently when I visited her, I kept my mask on to protect her. Discovered she didn’t understand (though she pretended to) much of what I was chatting to her about. Maybe she couldn’t read my lips for clues for her to guess
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It really maddens me - my father can't join in conversations unless we shout at him directly, which means that he gets less interaction as it's too tiring to do it for very long. (And we do try to avoid shouting so much in public!). He certainly can't hear much through a mask. My mother was a teacher, so is accustomed to talking at high volume, so I guess they manage OK. They always have the TV on so loud that they often can't hear the phone ring so I have to WA to ask them to call me.
One of my uncles, on the other hand, does wear a hearing aid, and it makes interacting with him much easier. It's not 100% perfect as it does amplify other noises too, but in the home where there is less background noise, he can at least manage fairly normal conversations. -
slmkhoo, I somehow got a feeling your parents doted on your kids leh when reading your post…likes to bring kids eat better food.
Initially I was thinking hearing aid should be small why not wearing…then read about amplifying other noises too…make sense also.
Maybe we gave them a nice pouch ask them carry it with them and put it on whenever they need it? If that is something like those ear piece/phone, small and convenient to put on and off. -
MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2026894\" time=\"1623633393\" user_id=\"43981:
Hearing aids are very small now, and can be quite invisible. It's not the inconvenience that's the issue, but the background noise and the fact that the hearing can never be \"perfect\". I really don't understand why he (and my brother) can't accept an \"imperfect\" solution - surely some improvement is better than none? I get that using it in restaurants can be quite horrible because of the ambient noise, but surely using it at home should be OK? Anyway, I try not to suggest this too often, maybe once in a few months, because when I do, my father will start blaming us for mumbling and not speaking clearly. I just feel sad that he's missing so much of family life - he can't keep up with what's happening in his grandchildren's lives because no-one has the energy to shout so much.
slmkhoo, I somehow got a feeling your parents doted on your kids leh when reading your post..likes to bring kids eat better food.
Initially I was thinking hearing aid should be small why not wearing..then read about amplifying other noises too..make sense also.
Maybe we gave them a nice pouch ask them carry it with them and put it on whenever they need it? If that is something like those ear piece/phone, small and convenient to put on and off. -
slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2026898\" time=\"1623637899\" user_id=\"28674:
I can feel your frustration. I am frustrated with my mum’s stubbornness too. I have interacted with elderly who wear hearing aids and they work very well for them. My mum’s resistance to wearing one is due to pride (thinks people in public will treat her as disabled) and also laziness/denial (thinks at home no need/thinks she can make out what we’re saying).
Hearing aids are very small now, and can be quite invisible. It's not the inconvenience that's the issue, but the background noise and the fact that the hearing can never be \"perfect\". I really don't understand why he (and my brother) can't accept an \"imperfect\" solution - surely some improvement is better than none? I get that using it in restaurants can be quite horrible because of the ambient noise, but surely using it at home should be OK? Anyway, I try not to suggest this too often, maybe once in a few months, because when I do, my father will start blaming us for mumbling and not speaking clearly. I just feel sad that he's missing so much of family life - he can't keep up with what's happening in his grandchildren's lives because no-one has the energy to shout so much.MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2026894\" time=\"1623633393\" user_id=\"43981:
slmkhoo, I somehow got a feeling your parents doted on your kids leh when reading your post..likes to bring kids eat better food.
Initially I was thinking hearing aid should be small why not wearing..then read about amplifying other noises too..make sense also.
Maybe we gave them a nice pouch ask them carry it with them and put it on whenever they need it? If that is something like those ear piece/phone, small and convenient to put on and off.
Conversations on the phone are difficult. She’s shouting so loud I have to hold my phone very far away. Presumably she’s holding her phone to her good ear, which means she can’t hear her own voice in her other (bad) ear, that’s why she shouts.
Thankfully she can text. And it was only thru some SMS back & forth with her recently that I realized she completely misheard some numbers that I had said verbally. Guess I should use SMS from now on for really important stuff. -
My dad also starting to have hearing problems. My mum always reminds me to raise my voice when I wanna talk to my dad. He is not on hearing aid, maybe we just take it as a common old age problem that’s why we tend to ignore it. Then again, if hearing problem is affecting the quality of life, then go for a hearing test and get a hearing aid.
PM Lee has been on hearing aid for many years. Regarding the amplification of background noises, DH says nowadays technology has improved and the hearing aid can intelligently reduce background noises. No harm taking a look, check them out!
Last time wearing a hearing aid is like wearing specs. Now wearing a hearing aid is like wearing contact lens, very tiny, fit into ear, can’t see. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2026900\" time=\"1623638847\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2026900 time=1623638847 user_id=53606]
My phone conversations with my dad are brief and at high volume! Mostly \"Is Mum there?\" And yes, I send all important info like dates and times etc via email or WA. Both parents speak really loudly now - one because of his hearing, and the other because of shouting constantly! My kids don't need me to relay what the grandparents said on the phone - they can hear both sides of the conversation.
Conversations on the phone are difficult. She’s shouting so loud I have to hold my phone very far away. Presumably she’s holding her phone to her good ear, which means she can’t hear her own voice in her other (bad) ear, that’s why she shouts.
Thankfully she can text. And it was only thru some SMS back & forth with her recently that I realized she completely misheard some numbers that I had said verbally. Guess I should use SMS from now on for really important stuff.[/quote] -
Just out of curiosity…were your parents the main caregivers to your nieces? Did the grandkids grow up speaking really loudly?
My DS has a super loud voice (despite our plenteous reminders to lower his volume when we are just sitting next to him). I wonder whether this habit is linked somehow to having to shout to Grandma during his earlier years. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2026919\" time=\"1623655182\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2026919 time=1623655182 user_id=53606]
My parents weren't the main caregivers, and only my mum spent a lot of time with them. And that would have been quite a few years ago. But they, and my nephew, are all quite loud anyway! I don't think it's got anything to do with shouting at grandparents (the other grandparents were very involved too, and didn't need to be shouted at). I think it's just that they live in a big house, and were spoiled by too many adults in their lives, none of whom wanted to be disciplinarians. If someone didn't like the noise, they would just separate the kids.
Just out of curiosity…were your parents the main caregivers to your nieces? Did the grandkids grow up speaking really loudly?
My DS has a super loud voice (despite our plenteous reminders to lower his volume when we are just sitting next to him). I wonder whether this habit is linked somehow to having to shout to Grandma during his earlier years.[/quote]
Actually, I think school is where kids learn to shout loudly. The level of noise in the average school classroom is quite high, and noise in canteens is worse! Maybe less so since Covid. I recall having to institute inside/outside voices and constantly remind them when they were in Pr school.
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