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My mom 86 recently moved to assisted living lost her hearing aid 1st week. She is 86 very hard of hearing poor vision, and dementia. I'm working on replacing her hearing aid they say see needs two now as he hearing is so bad. Her dementia has worsen since loss of hearing aid of course some of it could be new assisted living environment.

I'm worried she will lose her new one how can I prevent or reduce the chances of it being lost. She does wear it all the time except sleeping and bathing.

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I don't know if this is the case with your mom, but after we had to put my dad in a locked memory nursing home, everything seemed irritated him. He was there a total of 16 months but within the first month he threw his glasses over the 8 foot high fence somewhere into a slope of land where deep thick ivy was planted. We could never find his glasses. They had been really good ones but now that he was on Medicaid, they replace them with a completely different style that works too different looking and my dad would never wear them. Shortly thereafter, he somehow lost his dentures (he had no teeth and war full dentures) and those were never replaced. So, he went the last at least 13 months of his life not seeing well and not able to chew properly. He had to have soft foods which I'd never been his preference. He went in at 219 pounds and died weighing 147. Not providing him with things that could have made his life a little easier what is justified and rationalized in that baby leave he would just throw them away again. There are so many things to deal with when someone is that ill. My mother was the primary person in charge and she didn't have a lot of energy left. But if I had it to do over again, I believe I'd fight a little harder.
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Reminds me of a couple occasions in my life - different ages --
When my sister was about 4-5 yrs old, got a new pair of shoes, playing in the backyard, kicked, & one shoe came off & went over the back fence down a steep overgrown hill. The shoe was lost forever, never to be found again.

When my mom was 82-3, had fractured hip surgery, which turned bad with anesthesia-caused stroke, so she was in the Restorative Care Unit of the hospital with an NG tube in her nose, her L side was paralyzed, she couldn't speak or eat solid foods - but there was an issue came up about the dental bridge on her front upper 4 teeth. The DDS made a "house call" to the hospital to look & assess -- upshot, in her condition HE opted not to do anything about it.

A couple years before, my dad had been in a convalescent home for PT, OT, & speech therapy following subdural hematoma & brain surgeries. There were issues with lost dentures with ALL the patients in the facility. The "green card" immigrant aides don't speak English - and many DON'T CARE about such things as the patients' dentures, etc. It doesn't pay to take our loved one's good clothes to such facilities because the aides will either steal them - and/or mix them up with other patients' clothing when they're in the facility's laundry. We really need integrity/ethics for facilities' workers - and/or caring agrarianism - but we can't legislate morality.... (sigh)
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I have worked as a director in long term care as well as assisted living. Ask that she be assisted with the hearing aids and that they are kept at the nurses desk, or locked with her medications in her room while out. You can also paint a bright color on part of them. this way if they fall out, or she takes them out and leaves them somewhere, (most dementia patients do!) they are easier to see and find.
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Tell the nurses and caregivers in the facility to put the hearing aids on the night table while your Mother is sleeping or bathing. She can retrieve them herself, or the caregivers can put them on her. That's one of the tasks that you are paying for, isn't it?
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Two stories with words of caution: 1. Mom was in a beautiful rehab facility for seven weeks. When we got her home to my sisters house, it took a crowbar to get the hearing aid out of her ear; the wax served as a glue. Of course, the battery was dead, too. I'm sure it hadn't been taken out all that time. 2. Several years ago, I heard a non-stop squealing sound of a "handled" hearing aid; I bounded upstairs to find my pup, Coco, merrily chewing on it. Mmmm. Tasty. Fortunately, the hearing aid was many years old and ready to be replaced anyway. I now put Mom's hearing aid in her drawer at nighttime. I like the idea of painting them. Hey, about a glow-in-the-dark paint???? :)
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We use a red "pencil" box with a piece of foam inside and a picture of a hearing aid on the outside. We also wrote on the calendar every two weeks to CLEAN Hearing Aids (take the earpiece and tubing off and soak them overnight in warm water with dish soap). We also replaced the batteries then. I like the idea of putting some red paint on the part that goes over the ear--I wonder if nail polish would work or if it would come off? As a special education teacher, I'm used to making picture schedules and cue cards for students; when my mom goes into assisted living, they are going to be all over the place! For herself and the caregivers. My son is disabled and lives in an HCBS home, he's got cue cards all over his room, too! Hope this helps!
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My mom is in a memory care unit. We have the caregivers remove mom's hearing aids at night, they recharge them in the nurses office, give them to her in the morning again. You should be able to arrange the same thing in AL.
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Miller, bigoted statements like yours have no place on this forum. I am reporting your post. Good and bad caregivers are not determined by race or nationality. Having worked in an acute psychiatric hospital with geriatric patients I can tell you things get lost or disappear. I would often find a patients glasses on another patient. The staff usually tries to do the best they can under very difficult conditions. .We always did our best to take care of patients valuables but sadly things do disappear.

Now to CarolLynn's problem. I wish there was an easy answer to this problem. I live with my mom and have more than once had to hunt for glasses or dentures. We even had to replace one set of dentures and they are not cheap! Asking the staff to keep her hearing aids or glasses in a safe place is probably the best advice. This may not always happen because the information may not get passed on with shift change. Also, there are 3 shifts a day and if someone is sick or on vacation there may be part time or registry workers. Just keep in mind items may still might get lost. Painting the glasses sounds like a good idea but harder to do with hearing aids and impossible with dentures. As far as glasses, I would get a second cheap pair for back up. Take care of yourself and try to be patient.
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I make dentures and I know that there is a way to put the patient's name on them, even if they have had them for a long time. Just take them to a denturist or dentist who can send them to a dental lab for labeling. P.S. I agree with the statement about being offended at the bigotry toward "green card immigrants". DebMath stated that her loved one was in a "beautiful rehab facility for seven weeks" and her hearing aids didn't appear to have been removed that whole time. Anyone who has taken care of a dementia patient knows how hard it is to get everything "right". I can't imagine having to take care of a lot of people with dementia all at once, each with their own unique situations and requirements. Of course, as with ANY situation involving people there are differing degrees of compassion and empathy. Until Miller works in a NH I don't think they should make those type of blanket statements!
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we bought an earstay ... earstay.ca ... it attaches the hearing aid to my mother's blouse and if it falls out it isn't lost, it just dangles from her clothing. this has saved us a huge amount of money.
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Hearing is critical for healthy cognitive function. Untreated hearing loss puts a person at risk for memory issues and cognitive decline As an Audiologist working with many seniors in assistive care or memory care I have had the experience of trying to manage the balance between healthy hearing, keeping staff educated and trained and the hearing instruments safe. My priority is my patient and their ability to communicate and reconnect with the world around them. Hearing is what keep us in the intellectual company of men, It allows us to share our thoughts and feelings....it is what makes us human. That being said I realize that caregiving is not an easy task. Having been a direct caregiver myself for my aging parents it's exhaustive but rewarding. This is my Sound advise , no pun intended, for the dilemma for poor hearing aid care,
1. Make sure the center has had training "in service" from the audiologist servicing their patients. This should include the understanding of the consequences of untreated or poorly managed hearing, proper handling and care, and proper protocols.
2. I do insist that the center lock the aids in the medcart at night after last meds and that they are returned in the morning to the patient with a working battery. If they are lost that day it is noted. The responsibility of the pm nurse is to back track and report ASAP so that there is a better chance of finding them An order can be written in the chart for this process. I take this seriously since every patient has the right to hear. It is as important as delivery of medications.
3. Otoclips or some kind of safety clip is important to keep the hearing aids secure. Staff can be overwhelmed, they cannot be your loved ones guardian angel every minute of every day. Things happen that are not controllable. I've even seen where a resident had taken an aid out of another resident's ear to wear. I recommend that if needed the safety is brightly colored and aids are labeled with the patients name if needed.
4. Please be proactive. Family support and involvement is imperative for this to work. I will usually recommend where possible that the family change the battery weekly and we teach them to clean the aids. I realize that staff changes and for consistency and because we are dealing with an investment of instruments and cognitive well being it's worth the extra effort on all parts. I sometime hear the comments of I PAY ALOT TO KEEP MY LOVEONE HERE. Understandable, but they are still your loved one and intervention and added support can go a long way to keeping that individual connected and engaged with the world around them. The family is the voice of that patient. With out that voice they are left sometimes very vulnerable. Be assertive not aggressive. Be kind to staff and they will be kind to you and your loved one. Caregiving is NOT easy. acknowledge the people who help only adds to the positive quality of life of the people who mean the most to us.
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My husband constantly removes his hearing aids when he gets in bed for a nap, and I sometimes find them on the floor or on the bed somewhere or they're in one of his pockets screaming like crazy. It's all my fault. I TRY to remember to have him remove them and give them to me for safekeeping while he's napping, but I sometimes forget and then I have to search and search and search. It's so frustrating. This evening, one of them is missing, and I have searched for it longer than I have ever searched. I am beginning to wonder if he flushed it down the toilet. He might as well have flushed $2,000 down the toilet. I hope that's not what happened!!! :(
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I'm so glad that I put my mothers hearing aids on our homeowners policy. Mom lost one in transit to the hospital. Insurance replaced the lost one, and I didn't even have to pay a deductable.
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I found his hearing aid this morning! I found it on the bedroom floor. He MUST have tucked it away somewhere in his clothes or bedding although I tore everything apart, including HIM, but couldn't find it. At any rate, it appeared miraculously this morning, and now I have vowed to keep much better track of his hearing aids. I must remember to have him remove them and hand them to me each time he goes to take a nap.
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there is such a thing as bigoted then theres such a thing as facts that political correctness has determined that its unacceptable to talk about . my va docs have been from india for years and the communication difficulties arent to be taken lightly . they are no doubt highly accredited docs but if they misconstrue only 2 words per sentence you are not being heard and neednt expect a resolve or even a straight answer to your concern . one of them recently gave me a round of very powerful antibotics because she looked in my mouth and thought she saw bad fillings . a visit with my dentist revealed not a single cavity . indian doc shouldnt be in the business of taking flying guesses .
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Thank you, Dr. Linda!
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There is no guarantee that a nurse or nurse's aid will be able to do what is asked of her concerning hearing aids or dentures. These items have often been lost in hospitals and nursing homes, never to be found again. The only one who is in charge of my husband's hearing aids and dentures is ME. I don't trust anybody else with them, not ever!
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We have gone through the same thing! My mom, when she was in rehab (supposedly the best place in our area) was forever 'losing' her hearing aid. We had it set up for the night nurse (who gave out the meds) to take out her hearing aid and lock it in her cart and give it back to her in the morning. At this point, my mom had moderate stage ALZ, was totally deaf in one ear and very poor hearing in her other and was incapable to take care of this herself. One time the hearing aid was discovered from the locked cart. I was there the night before and saw her aid being locked up....yet in the morning it was gone. That time the NH/Rehab replaced the hearing aid at no cost to us. By the way 2 weeks for a battery? That is amazing!!! My dad's hearing aid needs a new battery at least every 5 days or less....maybe it's the model aid he has. But I can tell you from experience that a hearing aid with a dead battery is WORSE than no hearing aid at all, now they really can't hear you as their 'good' ear has a physical obstruction in it. I think they should make a hearing aid with a locater in it, like the one for keys. Just whistle or clap and it beeps at you or maybe a special noise maker you could use (with a little known sound) that would trigger a response by the hearing aid, that way it wouldn't be activated by everyday sounds. I'm sure a lot of hearing aids have gotten mixed into the bed sheets and gone through the industrial washing machines! Hugs to all, Linda
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That should say 'discovered to be LOST from the locked cart. Sorry!
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Another option to consider is using a personal amplifier in lieu of her hearing aids as it can work wonderfully. And it is much harder to use because of the size. Something like the Pocketalker is only $119.00. It amplifies conversations by up to 50 + dB.
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My mother keeps losing her dentures. Please... anyone help me with some solutions for helping her keep track of them. I wish I had a GPS small enough to stick on them! She loses them and the whole house is upside down until we find them... Any comments will be helpful! Thanks!
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So Denise does she take them out while she's around the house? Is that the issue? I'd create some bright red "denture" bowls with big pictures of her dentures attached and try to work with her to put them there whenever she takes them out. Have them in all of the places she might take them out - bedside, chair, bathroom, etc. With dementia, it may not help. It's not like you can attach a string to them to keep them attached to you mom (like mittens when we were kids). But even my mom, with no short-term memory, can remember things if I go over it with her again and again, every day.
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Everything seems to disappear once our parents become elders. Be it hearing aids or dentures, remote controls or car keys. Nothing will help keep them from missing.

The other day Dad misplaced his large lighted magnifying glass. Dad's caregiver even put on rubber gloves and dug through the trash bins and recycling.... he looked high and low. Both searched for a couple of hours looking all over the house.

Then I walked into the house, found out about the missing magnifying glass, and went over to Dad's recliner and there it was, nicely tucked between the cushion and wood frame.... that is where I usually find missing things... even Dad's car keys last month were hung up on a wire underneath the recliner :)
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FF, my mom usually has a whole store's worth of pens stuck between the cushion and the wood frame of her lift chair. Ha!
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I'm glad to learn I'm not the only one who wonders why the spaces between the cushions and sides of the chair become hiding places.

Actually, I think it's because given (a) limited mobility (b) some age confusion....keeping things close by just makes common sense. The issue though is creating a nice place to keep those things that like to crawl away and hide in the sides of chairs so they don't keep escaping.
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I finally decided that the best way to deal with the way my husband was relating to his hearing aids was to take them away permanently. I already spent $350 having one repaired after he stuck both of them in the container that held his dentures, which was filled with water. I retrieved both aids, but it was too late for one of them. The other survived.

Then after the repaired one came back, soon after, he had removed one from his ear again, and he he'd had a habit of sticking them down his pants, and sometimes they would end up inside his Depends. So from there, this one fell on the floor and either he or I stepped on it and broke it. That did it! I wasn't about to spend another $350 to have it repaired.

My husband doesn't take to things very easily. He was constantly removing his hearing aids because he said "they hurt me." Okay, I'm done with this nonsense. I have put them away permanently. He is living without them. There comes a time when the caregiver has to make what she/he feels is the right executive decision, and I made it. I have no regrets!
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My mom has dementia and severe hearing loss. She has lived with me for 10 years now. Just when I think I can predict what she will do she does something so bizarre that I am dumbfounded. The other day I went into her room to bring her some lunch to find her chewing on something. I ask her to take it out of her mouth and it is her hearing aid! It of course is no longer working. I don't know what to do. I can't afford to replace them. I've considered buying personal sound amplifiers instead because they are less expensive. I have to do something so that I can communicate with her. I'm afraid she will put in her mouth again. I can't be with her every second. Just at a loss as to what to do. Any suggestions?
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Ear Gear is a brilliant inexpensive option.
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@susanelease1 -- Your points and question really hit home. My 91 yr old mother has Alzheimer's and she was in a Brookdale facility less than a few days before she lost both expensive in-the-ear hearing aids. I had brought a supply of replacement batteries only to find no need for them and when I offered them to the aids, I was told no one had hearing aids; all of the residents had already lost their hearing aids. Hmm.

Then I thought, how about an Over-the-Ear hearing aid, similar to ear muffs? Nearly impossible to lose, easy to adjust and longer lasting batteries, and no ear wax problems. I just started looking for a pair to trial and am still looking. Any comments/ thoughts?
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