Assistive Equipment for Carers with a Hearing Loss
Having a hearing loss is very common as we age and missing bits of a conversation or the odd word or the telephone ringer can be frustrating but if you are caring for someone this can add a lot of stress to the caring role.
Solutions to some of these issues are often simple and cost free.
Conversation – if you are struggling to hear speech and conversation, the phone ringing or the doorbell, it may be worth talking to your GP and asking for a referral to audiology for a hearing test. if you are found to have a hearing loss, you may be offered a hearing aid. Hearing aids are discreet, created to match your hearing loss and only boost the sounds you cannot hear. NHS hearing aids are free of charge and can be upgraded to match a hearing loss continually. The audiology clinics offer an excellent service and a drop in service means there is no long waiting list for appointments.
The option to buy private hearing aids is available but, trying the NHS first is thoroughly advisable given the quality of hearing aids and service from the NHS and of course they are free of charge.
Telephones – often the first time people realise they are missing out on information is on the phone; fortunately there are a number of telephones with amplification and speaker phone facility. BT also makes a phone with enhanced volume and nuisance call blocking facility. It may also be worth considering a cordless twin set with intercom facility that would enable a conversation between 2 people in different rooms of the house.
Telephone Ringer – many people struggle to hear the phone ringing in all areas of the house, and over sounds such as a kettle boiling or washing machine and often while watching the TV. This can be worrying for carers and family members when they need to contact the cared for person or vice versa. Fortunately this can be easily solved with an amplified telephone ringer; these are low cost or even free of charge for BT customers.
Doorbells – another area of concern is when someone doesn’t respond to the doorbell again, possibly because of other household sounds or simply because the doorbell is in the wrong place. Often a simple solution to this is to acquire a portable battery powered doorbell with a flashing light and audible alert. These are available from many DIY, electrical stores and catalogue shops. The price varies according to the range of the doorbell and unless it is required for a flat it is advisable to opt for a longer range of 100 meters or more.
Person to Person pagers – essential for any carer who needs to be easily alerted to the cared for person. These pagers can be expensive but a simple option is to use a portable doorbell, the cared for person can have the bell push close at hand and the carer keeps the doorbell receiver close to them rather than rely on shouting to each other.
Smoke Alarms –most Fire and Rescue Service will fit free of charge a visual/vibrating night unit linked wire free to the smoke detectors in the house or flat. If you are unsure that you will be able to hear the smoke alarm without hearing aids and sound asleep in bed please contact your local fire and rescue service for an alarm system. They are essential and even if you have a hearing partner to rely on to wake you up, it is better to be prepared in case you are ever home alone.
Multi pagers – if the person cannot hear any combination of the above alarms especially the smoke alarm during the day then a request to Social Services for a pager system on long term loan should be made. These pagers can also be linked to the doorbell, telephone ringer, person to person, baby alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, or a sensor pad placed where needed in case of the cared for person leaving the room or house.
Television - Although hearing aids are very good in ideal conditions, sometimes the TV may still not be perfectly clear and a Loop System is often very beneficial. Loop systems can be connected to the TV and the hearing aid user can switch their hearing aid to the T switch and pick only the TV sound clearer and louder. The benefit to the rest of the household is that the TV volume can then be turned down to suit them rather than turned up to suit the person with a hearing loss.
Conversation - Sometimes conversation can be limited due to the hearing loss even with a hearing aid or hearing aids are just not appropriate due to dexterity or cognitive issues.
Personal Listeners can be very helpful in these situations; they are a small hand held amplifiers with a volume control and a tone adjustment. The listener can be used with small headphones or ear buds that fit just inside the ear and available in numerous colours and designs or with a neck loop for hearing aid users. The tone control can be set to suit the persons hearing loss, this will enhance frequencies have been lost to a certain degree. If a hearing aid has gone astray or has to go for repairs the personal listener can be an ideal temporary solution.
A personal listener can be plugged into the TV, radio or audio books reader and sometimes they can be plugged into a telephone if there is a jack socket.
