Thursday, December 09, 2021

Poorer but with Richer Hearing

AC is thousands of dollars poorer today after bringing home his latest hearing aids yesterday. They cost quite a bit more than his first car and that is after a Black Friday sale (which is when  I ordered them) plus another discount because of my membership with CARP (Canadian Association of Retired Persons. Or is it People, and not Persons? Their website doesn't specify. I could carp on over that omission, but I am not that kind of guy. Unfortunately for you, I am the kind of guy who finds it difficult to resist an opportunity to pun.)

These tiny things, pictured on top of the lower centre box ↓↓ came in/with four boxes. (I am sure that my first pair came in one little package.)

Before you ask (or did you already?), let me splain, [Lucy].

One box was for the hearing aids themselves along with a manual and other things such as wax guards. 

A second contained the recharging base and cord. 

The long white one held the Connecting Clip which can connect me the Bluetooth devices such as my phone and computer, although once initialized I can hear future output from my phone without the clip. But the clip allows me both to remotely answer the phone and to speak directly through it. This will be very handy while driving although this introvert receives very few phone calls at any time. While I can and have answered the phone on my watch, it does involve more concertation as well as lifting the wrist, which may or may not be illegal. The watch doesn't always transmit the finest of sound either: sometimes, but not always.

The final package, the soft pouch, contains a medium to help dry the hearing aids if and when needed.

All my previous aids went directly in the ear, but these tiny over-the-ear devices are the preferred format now. I tried this type once before when they were also small but still a little bigger than these but couldn't get them to work without that squealing feedback. But they're even smaller now and insert into the ear differently and better.

Hearing aids have a lifespan of about 5 years, but I am hoping that these will last longer because they don't go into the moist and sometimes waxy ear (although I don't have the wax buildup that some have). They are also more easily repairable, and they are rechargeable. The capacity will diminish over time but I am told that the batteries usually last well for those five years, and they can then be changed although I don't know at what cost.

17 comments:

Barbara Rogers said...

Wow, those are tiny. I've highest respect for the ever-miniaturization of technological devices. I want to live long enough to have eye glasses which have a tiny little screen in the outside corner, where I can watch TV, or talk with people on phones and see them, or maybe just see my own computer screen. Maybe...
I do hope they increase your comfort zone...expanding what you can hear.

Tabor said...

I thought Canadians had the best of health insurance. Or is the expense because these are top of the line?

Marcia said...

I think those are in my future one day. Definitely in husband Dan's future sooner. We said we'd go together to an audiologist in the new year. I hope you'll give us a review of how well they're working soon.

Ed said...

After seeing what my grandfather went through over the years with his hearing aids, I'm very glad I always wore ear protection and hope that protects me from that fate, regardless of how much technology changes them between now and then.

Margaret said...

I'm always intimidated by new gadgets but these seem quite straightforward. I can't wait to hear how they work! That's a hefty price but well worth it if they improve your hearing and are easy to use/wear.

Jenn Jilks said...

Good for you!
I wish you the best with them. Remember you are worth it!
Love your puns!!!

Mage said...

I forgot to take mine out last night, and this morning I discovered one was lost in the blankets. :)

Anvilcloud said...

@Tabor. We have free hospitalization and doctors care, which is a pretty good thing. We get some help with hearing aids but the amount has stayed the same while the costs escalated. Seniors get a lot of help with drug costs. Seniors can also get some help with dentistry if they know of a dentist under the plan. A lot of working Canadians do have additional insurance through work for glasses, drugs and physio etc.

Marie Smith said...

I hope your new aids give you hearing satisfaction, AC.

DJan said...

My friend John just got new hearing aids, and he often walks around talking to nobody, since he also has bluetooth to connect them to his iPad and phone. He listens to a lot more stuff now, and I never know it until I try to ask him a question and he doesn't hear me. Congratulations, and I hope you like them as much as he likes his. :-)

Red said...

Okay, so how much of your pension was spent on your hearing aids? Mine don't have all the bells and whistles and were a fortune.

William Kendall said...

My dad has them.

JudithK said...

Well, that was interesting. I'm due to do that sort of thing, but keep putting it off. I will be interested in how you like them....so do a follow-up!

Mara said...

Well, you seem to have more stuff now than they used with those big ear horns! But, as long as it works and you can hear well again.

Vicki Lane said...

Yikes! The cost is why I keep saying "What?"

MARY G said...

The over the ear ones are great but watch out for them pulling off when you take off your mask. I lost one that way a while back. Now I wait until I am in the car before I take the mask off, so that if the hearing aid does pull off, I can find it.
I have three bags full of extras with these.

Ratana said...

I like your blog,I sincerely hope that your blog a rapid increase in
traffic density,which help promote your blog and we hope that your blog is being updated.
Football Online_កីឡាបាល់ទាត់​ អនឡាញ
SA GAMING