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Hi. We have an appointment next week to get tested for my mom’s hearing loss and decide on which device to order.
the receptionist told me to do some research to see what I think would work. She is extremely not technologically-savvy, so all of those fancy ones with apps/cell phone control mean nothing, but I am finding that they are the ones that get highly rated.
any help with what worked for you?

I agree the audiologist will suggest what features would be helpful to your Mom, and may even have products to choose from. That's how it worked for my Mom, but we decided to get them through Costco and it's been great. They have full services there and it's been faster to get appointments with them.

If your Mom is in a facility, she runs the risk of throwing them out or misplacing them. She would have to pay full price for a replacement pair (unless you get some sort of plan which may exist).

My Mom's are not app-connected. They are small and she has neuropathy and arthritis in her fingers (she's 96) yet she's still able to get them into the little slots to recharge them every night. She has trouble putting them in and out due to her numbness.

You may decide to be the keeper of the hearing aids is you are worried they will disappear. Then when you go visit her (if you don't live together) you bring them with you and put them in. You'll figure out a system that works. I personally think they are totally worth having for everyone's sake.
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Reply to Geaton777
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TThe Receptionist told you to research, thats the job of the audiologist. The person will test Mom to see what range your Moms hearing is in. She then should tell you what hearing aide would be best for her in her price range. You can talk to the audiologist about finding something easy to operate. I don't know how you can research without knowing what type of hearing loss she has. If you don't wear hearing aides yourself, you have no idea what to look for. My DH, 78, has worn them for 74 years and therevis no way I can determine what he needs.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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I would go to Costco and look at options. My partner, who in mid 80s is certain quite tech savvy got VERY tired of all the "bells and whistles" that were involved with his very expensive hearing aids. They were adjustable, but only by his iphone. And could be changed for TV, for room full of people, etc. Basically just a pain in the bottom. When he lost one he went to Costco, got a pair that are pretty tech-free, and is happy with them. Happily he only needs them in certain circumstances, so doesn't require all the bells and whistles.

Do all the reading up on options you can. Like vacuum cleaners, it is hard to get the right one. And honestly I never saw people "happy" with either hearing aids or dentures. There's always some problem or another.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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All the expensive bells and whistles are useless if they won't be used, ask about their basic models. Even simple hearing aids can be challenging to use, the tinier the hearing aid the more difficult it will be to put them in the ear, to change wax guards, and to change batteries if you don't go with rechargables. If her hearing loss is already high then the adjustment period will be much more difficult.
And keep in mind the life expectancy of HAs is only about 5 years so depending on her age this will only be the first in a long line of devices
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Reply to cwillie
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My husband has the kind controlled by an app on his cell phone. When his dementia advanced to the point where he could no longer understand the program, I learned how to work them for him. That included cleaning and maintaining them. He’s more or less Stage 7 dementia now, and he still wears them (when he’s not trying to eat them or losing them).

They benefit him immeasurably. They have slowed his cognitive decline by improving his connection to others, which has kept him interested and curious about the world around him. It was worth the trouble.
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Reply to Fawnby
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