Deaf News: Hearing screening campaign for people aged over 65 launched

No, no, no ….. What is really needed is a proper training programme for Care Home staff (and add hospitals, schools and many others) to identify hearing loss AND to properly manage their resident’s hearing aids. To cater for existing users of heaing aids! My father’s hearing aids have gone ‘missing’ seven times in five months. The cost of replacement is incalcuable. More of that later. The first time it happened, they shrugged their shoulders. Eventually, they said, it’s probably in the laundry room…. At my insistence, I was eventually taken to the laundry room and was shocked to be given a box of eleven hearing aids. As I wrote to the manager, that means at least six people are without hearing aids (assuming they use two). Recent incidents have included things like “You know, he doesnt really need them, he hears me really well”. My response was … “Right, and you see really well without your glasses, do you?” I also asked the nature of this conversation he supposedly could hear so well. “Oh, he knows when I’m asking him if he’d like a cup of tea and cake”. As I said to the senior nurse who said this, “So, you’re approaching him with the cup of tea and plate of food as you’ve asked him? I don’t think it would take much for my Dad to deduce what you are saying! Have you discussed the news, asked him how he is or informed him about upcoming treatment? No? I thought as much.” Dad’s hearing aids have been fitted incorrectly, had no batteries, had the batteries inserted upside down, had batteries put inside the casing and then the nurses wonder why the battery compartment won’t shut properly (!) and are never checked to see if they’re working! He’s also gone whole days without them on, or even on with them switched off, until I arrive. I’m lucky with the hospital but the first time the hearing aids were lost, as they have willingly replaced them. I have a old pair as back up and we have spare ear moulds too. But the first time they were lost, we had to get new ear moulds and new hearing aids. What with waiting times, a referral form the GP, a transfer from his previous hospital, and for the ear moulds to come back, Dad was without his hearing aids for over three months. The effect of that was enormous. He withdrew. He couldn’t hear conversations. His speech was affected. He couldn’t hear himself so didn’t know he was speaking too quietly for other members of my family to hear him. Will we, have we, ever regained that lost time? No. The staff are terrified everytime I go in. Just last week, they rushed up to me and said, “Oh, one of his hearing aids was missing but it’s okay, we found it in the laundry room.” (I’d painted his hearing aids with nail varnish to identify them!). Good but did they check it was working? No. And in fact, is wasn’t. So, who has to organise for Dad to go to the hospital to get this checked out…. Yup! Me! And while we’re on the subject, I’ll be asking the hospital to check why Dad might be taking out one of his hearing aids so much. Is it sore? Should we change it? The Home my Dad is in, comment on him taking his aid out but haven’t done anything about it. Sigh! So the independent living aspect of this campaign will fail solely due to the fact that the aftercare or even just care isn’t there. Older folk also don’t have the dexterity, transport or awareness of when something’s not right with their hearing aid. They just think people are mumbling. I’ve offered training, I’ve offered contacts. Nothing. I’ve said all you need to do is a visual check… Has resident X got their hearing aids on, the right glasses and so on. Then you’ll spot when something is amiss – before it’s too late. So I’ll move on to the next step to take action. Independence isn’t measured by giving out hearing aids like sweets, it’s measured by sustainability and effectiveness and that needs ongoing aftercare. This campaign will get plaudits but it’s all superficial and meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Probably led by unaware people who just haven’t got a clue but who are driven by publicity, self-publicity and inane ideas. Grrrr!