How can we get Mom with dementia to wear her hearing aids?

Preventing people who have dementia from removing their glasses, dentures, braces, bandages, hearing aids, etc., is a very challenging thing to do. They are not trying to be difficult and they can't be blamed for this. I used to think that it was just something they did without even thinking about it. Then, I read somewhere that when the patient does not feel that they can handle certain sensory input, like too much visual stimulation or too much auditory stimulation, that they remove glasses or hearing aids. I have NO proof that the theory is true. It sounds odd to me, but, it does make me wonder. Has anyone else heard this theory?

Unless the resident is constantly observed by staff, to prevent them from removing the device, I"m not sure, what can be done. The resident isn't able able to remember where they put it and they can't reason enough to keep them from removing them. It could be a daily struggle that involves constantly replacing the device. If there are any helpful suggestions, I hope they will chime in here.

When you say she needs them desperately...

Do you actually mean that communicating with her if she isn't wearing them is a total pain in the neck for everyone else? Because, although I appreciate (oh boy I appreciate!) the frustration of it, this means that it isn't your mother who needs them. It's everyone else.

But they don't have to wear them. And the in-ear type, no matter how cleverly designed (and flipping expensive!), are hot and stuffy and itch and buzz; and she will take them out, because she can't keep in mind the point of wearing them; and goodness knows where you'll find them next. Her coffee cup. Down the side of the armchair. Her slipper. Under the rim of her plate...

I hate to say it, but her caregivers will all have to brush up on non-verbal communication skills and at the same time speak clearly, taking care to make sure she is focused on them.

If you've managed to rescue the current pair, you could keep them safe for key occasions such as doctors' appointments or VIP visitors. The everyday conversation will be time-consuming and tedious, and I'm sorry for it. But there is no magic way to make your mother keep those babies in her ears.

I would say just leave the d*mn things out. It is quiet in your own world. keep them to use if really necessary. If she is on a routine she will know when to expect when certain things happen. If you know what she likes to eat just wheel her to the table and put a spoon in her hand. Make pictures of things like the toilet and shower and she will soon get the idea. Not having to make decisions actually makes it easier on her

My mom was the same. I even came up with attaching a cord between them that went around the back of her neck. she still took them out.
I truly think that what was happening is that it was the beginning of her not comprehending what was being said to her any more.
They were causing noises to be way too confusing and overwhelming.
I took them home reluctantly.... Now she responds very well to hand and body gestures to guide her. succinct clear speech ( although now she hears and speaks gibberish- sometimes a clear response comes out)

Recently the same happened to her glasses... it was harder for me to accept her not having these things than for her. :(

My LO started misplacing her glasses. I thought someone was taking them, but, then I would later locate them in the bottom of her drawers or in the back of her closet shelf. So, she was putting them there. Eventually, she forgot that she wore glasses. She can still see pretty well though, as I have held things up and asked her what they are. She could even read the sign that said Office on the door. I'm sure it's frustrating though for people who cannot see very well.

My mother is bipolar and lives in an AL facility. She does take medication now but still has episodes twice a year. For most of her life she was unmediated due to continued non compliance. During these episodes she refuses to wear her hearing aids so she doesn't hear at all. She says she can hear better without them which is part of her delusional thinking. The rest of the time she wears them and is very happy and hears well. I think that she just doesn't want to hear what anyone says. She wants to block out anything other than her own delusional thoughts.

Maybe if you got her a couple pair of inexpensive ones. So it wouldn't cost a lot to replace. I would keep a pair on me and bring them when I visit, then take them when I leave. At least your visit would be pleasant.

It is indeed really hard to get an older person to use hearing aids if they don't want to, and even harder if they have dementia.

I carry around a "Pocket Talker"; it's a little portable amplifier with headphones (the headband type of headphones). I just put it on for older patients with dementia and hearing loss; most are amenable and like being able to hear me talk to them.

So one option, if you or others are having trouble communicating with your mom, would be to consider something similar. You can have her wear it as needed.

Good luck!

If you go to Amazon.com, you can find various kinds of hearing aids (or "sound amplifiers") for very reasonable prices, with a few costing less than $20. (Thanks to the Chinese for coming up with affordable options vs the outrageous prices charged by the audiologists in the US!) Some of them are rechargeable so you don't have to fuss with tiny expensive batteries. I got one for my mother, and it has worked well. I've decided that if I ever get hard of hearing, this is what I will use. I've seen that the expensive American products, particularly the miniature in-the-ear types, have tiny on-off buttons that are difficult to manage. Don't worry about hearing aids becoming lost in a nursing home--just count on this happening, so a couple inexpensive ones will make all the difference.

My mom is 95 and almost blind. I gave up on hearing aids and got a little amplifier at the ENT (also at Amazon) and you can set the volume. It's small and you can attach it to her clothes, put it in a pocket or leave it sitting on the chair or something close by. Then, I bought a headset at Walmart and she has been using both for about a year. She can hear the TV and us. Sometimes it annoys her and she take is off but for the most part she wears it all day.
It's been a blessing for her and for us!

I wear hearing aids and take the out or turn them down when there is just alot of bs being spoken. My wife had demintia and most of the time doesn't relate to the conversation. Why make her suffer thru your conversation when she won't remember anyway.

I gave up asking my father-in-law to wear his hearing aids. I think not hearing what is going on may be a contributing factor to his dementia, but my husband and I have decided that is not the hill we are going to die on. At the same time, we speak at normal volume, and rarely repeat ourselves, or otherwise accommodate his poor hearing. Oh dear, that sounds a bit mean . . .

There's a device called a pocket talker that is headphones attached to a microphone and can really help when you need to communicate with someone who refuses to wear hearing aids for whatever reason. There are also deep fitting hearing aids called Lyric that are placed by an audiologist or ENT and stay in long term, only changed every 2-3 months by the doctor. This might be a solution for those who won't voluntarily keep their aids in their ears.

For those who insist hearing aids buzz and squeal and distort, this was a problem with older hearing aids that is not a problem with today's new technology. I'm a hearing professional and half-deaf myself, so I keep abreast of the new technology and get to try it myself every year. Hearing loss changes and hearing aids have a lifespan of 4-8 years depending on the individual. If a loved one is having problems with sound quality, feedback or fit, it is important to get in to the hearing care professional for adjustments, and to replace hearing aids that are no longer appropriate in order for the best outcomes to be achieved.

Untreated hearing loss can mimic the symptoms of dementia and also accelerate the development of dementia. A mild untreated hearing loss doubles the risk of dementia. A moderate untreated hearing loss triples the risk of dementia. A severe hearing loss makes a person 5x more likely to develop dementia. This is not a small increased risk, nor is it the only risk of leaving hearing loss untreated. Other risks involved with leaving hearing loss untreated include depression, anxiety, embarrassment, paranoia, increased risk of falls, memory issues, social isolation, anger, negativism, giving up enjoyable hobbies/pursuits, increased risk of hospitalization, loss of independent living, and danger when environmental cues like sirens and alarms are missed. Hearing loss deserves to be treated early and appropriately. Hearing loss also tends to run in families, so if you have a parent who is hearing impaired (especially if they have dementia as well), it is incredibly important to get your own hearing checked and to treat hearing loss as soon as it starts to happen.

We didn't used to know about these risks, and in my experience, most people still don't know about them. However, we do know now. Now that we know better, we can do better. Please take care of your hearing.

My 94 year old mother with dementia/Alzheimers has "lost" 6 pairs of lower dentures in the past 18 months. Insurance only pays for replacement every 5 - 7 years, I believe, so any needs before this are strictly out of pocket. We managed to strike a deal with two different dental clinics to halve the cost from $1,800 to just under $1,000 for the last two but we simply can't absorb this cost every few months so she is now having to deal with just her uppers. If she lives long enough to hit the insurance coverage time again, we'll think about whether it's worth putting her, and us, through all of the fitting visits, etc. As has been stated by other posters, the fact that she doesn't have them bothers us more than her at this point, I think.

My mom refuses to wear her hearing aids because of the buzzing she hears. My brother told me I speak to fast for her. It helped but she still can't hear so I bought a megaphone to amplify my voice that works. On a visit my nephew had brought his headphones from the firing range. They really work. I even went up stairs and called her name she heard me. They are very inexpensive compared to hearing aids. Not sure if any long term affects. I've heard the non use of hearing aids will affect the progression of dementia. She does not like or use computers otherwise I would use that to communicate.

I don't have dementia (yet, anyway) and have worn hearing aids for 15 years--but still don't like them and never wear unless I am dealing with other people.

Two words. You can't.

Mother got a very expensive hi tech advertised as a breakthrough, etc. She liked it when she could hear better--- she could keep them in just a few minutes. We tried them out with a money back guarantee. We got our money back as she didn't wear them. I talk close to her ear, clearly and exaggerate lip movements. She hears and responds very well. Do whatever you have to to communicate. Write things out. Mom likes notes written with a big magic marker. Make it a game. She can talk on the cell phone to others when I put the speaker on. That way I can repeat what she misses. Thank you for bringing this topic up. We will try the amplifiers. It is important for us to keep out loved ones minds stimulated.

I took care of someone who "lost" two full sets of temporary teeth - and they cost a fortune. I said NO to a replacement for the third time. These people will keep losing things and YOU will keep PAYING FOR REPLACEMENTS. I say if they lose them, then you do NOT replace them.

If the lady won't wear them, hides them or loses them, give it a rest. It's not happening.

The psychiatrist at our hospital told us nurses that patients with more severe dementia often have no use for hearing aids because the hearing aid no longer helps them hear better.
This is because you must be able to concentrate enough to understand & make since out of the sounds you are hearing, in order to actually "hear" what is said!
In other words, the hearing aid would help her hear loud bangs.... to scare her... however, it might not help her hear / realize someone is talking to her.

You really can't keep control of it. My mom lost her first set I don't think it was any other resident it was just my mom putting them somewhere, this time probably in a ball of tissues...
Wish I would have known about those microphones but I needed them a decade or so ago.
You can augment her insurance coverage to include replacements at a cheaper rate. We were entitled to one free replacement the first time she lost them and after that she just didn't want them anymore. We spoke directly or I'd write questions & it worked out. It all requires patience.

Suggestions for Pocket Talker is worth the amazon $140. Bought best hearing aid but too many problems for dad and aids. They both now use the pocket talker. Bought new tees with pockets. Does have clip for sleeves and belt. Some aids pick up the PT and talk into the speaker (large foam ball). Does require battery changes. Good luck.

That is interesting, the comment up above about severe dementia resulting in no need for hearing aids. My mother's hearing was fine, but she was unable to follow a conversation or respond to questions! Ask her 'what did you eat for lunch today?' and she would go off on a tangent about something totally unrelated. She did talk coherently, but it was just talking, it made no sense. I realize now it was the dementia doing this. Poor mom. At least she seemed happy.