Wifey here in need of some ideas. My husband and I are trying to find a way to talk to each other like open mic or some or something that will go in our ears to just talk back and forth like in the garden or playing with grandkids. He has total hearing loss on one side and has about 20 percent hearing loss on the other side. He can’t tell where sound is coming from and he gets very frustrated. He misses a lot of my casual talk. I have over the last 5 or so been given in to not say much to him and he isolates and listens to podcasts or his own things through a Bluetooth earpiece in the good ear. Not sure what the future will be but in the meantime I thought maybe I could wear an earpiece that connects easily to his earpiece whatever it may be. He has hearing aids and Bluetooth ear devices for his phone. What else is there? How can I get into conversation with him without setting up phones and things?
Partner mic for the hearing system would seem an obvious choice.
What make are his aids?
OW. You have my total empathy and understanding here. BLESS you for coming here to solicit some suggestions.
As Um_bongo asks: what’s the make/model of aid he currently wears? I have Phonak Lumity Life aids - top of the line - really made a difference for me in terms of speech comprehension. Phonak also makes CROS aids if an audiologist recommends that route.
The beauty of these aids is that they have an accessory called the Roger ON iN V2. This is a slim, small device that can be worn (i.e., by you) as well as used to stream TV or BT devices. It’s been a game-changer for me. I take it to restaurants (maybe not perfect … but I also have a dedicated “Speech in Loud Noise” program set up on my aids) and can either stream hard-wired to the home entertainment system, or can just place it on a surface near the sound source to stream things.
I know these hearing aids and accessories are not cheap, but I would encourage you folks to SPEND THE MONEY on them. It’s not just a health-related hearing issue here. It’s about one’s peace of mind, communication, socialization AND keeping the brain/ear connection in good health so that isolation and even dementia further down the road don’t happen.
Good luck to you and keep us posted! There are many makes/models out there that can benefit you two. I can only speak to the Phonak as I’m wearing them.
Most hearing aids have some sort of an accessory microphone that you can clip to clothing or wear around your neck. Phonak’s is called a Partner Mic and works very well. It all depends on what hearing aids he has.
As 1Bluejay indicated, remote microphone works well for these situations. It must be compatible with his aid. They can be expensive if purchased new; however, I’ve had success buying them used from sources like eBay for a fraction of the cost.