Time to remove the stigma?
 

El Reg
Anything that helps make people more comfortable wearing hearing aids is a good thing in my mind. Hopefully someone will produce a relatively attractive, fully functional hearing aid that is cheap enough to be accesible for anyone that needs them.
Link to the V&A site
Hearwear

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

I saw this on the BBC yesterday and thought "damn, that's a good idea!"

Given that many people are now walking around with Ipods or Bluetooth headsets etc, why not *make* hearing aids etc look like them?!

Congrats to these guys for thinking of it :tu:

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Why they still should feel this way amazes me.In this age of plug in and tune out and people who use those ear aids for their mobile phones how anyone can be embarrassed to have a hearing aid beats me..What is the shame in being deaf? I would never think the less of someone for being deaf and admitting it.

I have in the past been very irritated however by a family member that just wouldn't try using one.We had to live in a world of overloud TV and radio and having to repeat everything at least 3 times.This person had an exceptional mind and a great sense of humour but eventually trying to include them in conversations was just too wearing and they became more and more isolated. :(

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

I know exactly what you are on about--my father in law refuses to acknowledge that he has a hearing problem, the deaf old coot always has the tv up high :rolleyes:

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Or, in the case of Bluetooth headsets, build the functionality in. After all, a hearing aid is a microphone, amp and earphone. A bluetooth headset has these, and a blue tooth transciever.

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Think we all have a family member like that lol

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

I wonder if they will become available on the NHS, as it stands at the moment there is a two year waiting list in Leeds just to update the old ones to digital ones :(

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Which ties in nicely with Pauls thread about lack of NHS/social money for oldies :(

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Rotflmao I will tell Maki that as he is waiting for his and at 35 I don't think he considers him self to be an oldie ;)

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Have you *seen* the sort of hearing aids that get given out, especially those by the NHS? You'd almost think they run on valves they're so clunky.

Imagine if you're a kid and need to wear something like that. Street cred? Not a chance :(
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Good point, although if you see someone with one of these in a school lesson or a meeting, check they're not bopping along to their MP3 collection :D

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Pardon? :D

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Actually, I never have understood why there is such a problem making hearing aids look nice. They manage it with glasses..

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

It is because you pay for glasses were as hearing aids are free on the NHS

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

True, but even paid for hearing aids can look a bit dodgy..

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

Are they free to all?

Glasses are still free to kids & those on benifits.

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

I should get my free hearing aid sometime in the next 6 weeks https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2012/01/10.gif. It's a behind the ear one not digital, but with my hairstyle it should be ok. Either way I shall be relieved to hear a bit better. Thankfully people I know realise I'm not stupid (not being able to hear will give folks that impression). I have Otosclerosis and I do not think I'm an oldie. But having managed for so long with a 40% hearing loss I will think everyone is shouting until I get used to the levels. Definitly looking forward to it though. http://bestsmileys.com/excited/2.gif
There is a child at school with my children who has hearing aids in both ears. No one comments or makes fun of him.

At least the modern ones don't make that horrible high pitched whistling sound.:Yikes:

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

It's took me a lot of grief to get my digital hearing aids from my local NHS and they still crappy brown colors and I welcome these new ideas but at the end of the day, a digital hearing aid is £1000 a piece so they are still vastly expensive. I requested my molds to have Liverpool FC emblem bedded into them but they didn't do it this time round. I hope next time they will ;) I don't give a toss what ppl think of them anyways as usually, and this I guarantee, that the only thing u'll notice about me is ME! :D

Re: Time to remove the stigma?
 

My Mum's got that. She used to have those old-style hearing aids, & rarely wore them. I think she has the newer digital ones now, although she still doesn't put them in all the time.