Hard of Hearing Parents. Who here among us can relate?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

any stories to share?

what was said: "and the patient"

what was heard: "and NatAsha"

so the question: "who is NatAsha?"

and the reply: "what??"

[Bucky]

1. My folks are in their 70s and otherwise in great health. But their hearing is gone.

They won't admit it. I can't go over and watch movies on tv with them anymore. Every time there's a lull in the conversation in the movie, Mom has to crank up the volume ever higher till I can hear the ambient static in the next room. Then the show's dialog resumes and I can hear the actor shouting all the lines from next door.

On top of that, it's like my father intentionally mishears every key point of dialog in any of our conversations, randomly reassigning words to garble any possible meaning.

Things like, "I'm writing a new curriculum at work."

"You have a new business where?"

"No, a new curriculum. At work. My school where I teach."

"You're driving the truck there now?"

Strangely, lowering my volume actually seems to improve his ability to hear what I'm saying.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. my Mother would rather Die than be caught with a hearing aid...

she still refuses to be seen in glasses. She is 72 and still wearing 4" stiletto heels :eyes:

[Patiod]

4. My dad has decided that he can hear best using the speakerphone

So i get to hear both sides of the conversations he has with his elderly, hard-of-hearing friends.

One day, someone misdialed, looking for "George"

"Is George there?"

"It's Charlie!"

"George?"

"Who's this?"

"This is Edna - is this George?"

"Who's George?"

I intervened, informed the caller she had the wrong number, hung up, and explained to my dad that he didn't know the caller, it was a wrong number, looking for George.

I've also had to learn to identify when he doesn't know what I'm talking about, since he often thinks (or pretends) that he understands what I'm saying when he doesn't. Recently someone sent gourmet chocolates to the neighbors when they were on vacation, and the neighbors called and asked me to go get them and refrigerate them until they came home. Later, they called my dad to say they would be over to pick them up. Even though I told him about the whole story, you would have thought I was explaining the reason for the collapse of the mortgage market to a second grader. My dad kept saying "but how did we end up with any chocolate?"

This guy regularly juggles money (correctly) between checking accounts and IRAs, and pays bills, so I know he's still sharp, he's just deaf.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. I have no idea if Mother is handling her money properly.

I am not allowed to see her accounts. I have my doubts.

[LynneSin]

3. I have a next door neighbor like that - it's both good and annoying

Good because she'll never complain about how loud my music is being played. Bad because when I talk to her I have to yell at the top of my lungs. And one time she called me at work and it was frustrating as hell. The entire floor heard me shouting to her.

[Blue Diadem]

6. huh? what? what'd ya say?

:blush:

I only seem to be that way with some people. Not sure if they're mumbling or if it's me.

[rug]

7. Everyone should learn at least some basic signs for all sorts of reasons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSZfW4gVhI

[In_The_Wind]

8. What ???

My Dad had a hearing problem.
Now I say what a lot.

[bif]

9. Overheard at Costco

Cashier: How are you paying?
Older gentleman: Oh, I'm feeling a lot better today. Thanks.