user746, without meaning to pry … how old is your wife? What kind of hair style does she have? I ask cuz I was fit wth my first pair of Starkey aids WAY back in the day at the age of 35. I lived in a really windy area, and even tho I had long hair, the wind would constantly blow it STRAIGHT UP like to crow over the P.A. system: “RED ALERT!!! Young, reasonably attractive gal is wearing AIDS!”
At that time, I had to wear the ugly, flesh-colored plastic molded ITE aids. I thought they were hideous. But OH BOY did I need them, so vanity had to take a hike.
Depending on your wife’s hearing loss, age, hair style and comfort level, well I’d go ZANY AND COLORFUL! If she needs the aids, folks around her will be impressed with how much better she’s hearing. Widex aids are like a designer statement, and I’d get one in RED if they sounded as good as Phonaks.
Take your time - up to a point. But if quality of life, treatment at work/school or even among friends & family is diminishing, then it’s time for her to face the music. There are far FAR worse health conditions than having a hearing difficulty. If that is all she has to contend with, she’s LUCKY.
And let’s face it, folks are walking all over now with the Apple dingle-dong dangling outta their ears, eh? So what’s the big deal?