Is anyone dealing with a parent who has hearing loss?

My mum has lost her hearing and it's not an easy task dealing with her as well as the emotional complications arising because of it. She's depressed because she's lost her hearing and it's quite a challenge to communicate. We're all learning sign language now. I know it's quite a challenge dealing with a parent's hearing loss. Is there any way I can help you cope?

Logan, my Mom had serious hearing loss, thus we were taking Mom from one hearing aid dealer to another.   Her audiologist said there was nothing more that could be done, but Mom was determined to find that magic hearing aid.... [sigh].

My Dad and I also couldn't communicate with my Mom, we couldn't even write out anything as Mom also had macular degeneration, thus very failing eyesight.   Once in awhile in very LOUD voice Mom could pick out a word, thus she would use that as her guide to the conversation.

I had to just cope, I knew having a hearing loss wasn't her fault, and she was trying to find hearing aids that worked.   She would find one that worked in the hearing aid store, but the next day it wouldn't work.   She was afraid to push the hearing aid too far into her ear.

Our mother was almost deaf. We finally got her hearing aids strong enough so she could hear, sort of. When hearing gets that bad, the aids that go directly into the ear are not strong enough (they need to be larger, thus - behind the ear type) But Mom was too old and with dementia couldn't put them in herself. She didn't always realize when the batteries needed replacing. Also, part of the hearing problem was comprehension. We ended up shouting in her ear anyway. Toward the end of her life, we communicated by writing a few words (large letters) on an erasable whiteboard. With that she got the gist of what we were trying to communicate. Its very difficult and frustrating for both the patient and the caregiver!

AmyGrace, I have been using a dry erase board too. It does help. Thanks!