My mom's place just called to tell me one of her hearing aids is missing. She has never messed with her hearing aids, so I doubt she's done anything with it intentionally.
The MC lost her original aids just about six weeks ago when one of the caregivers admitted to putting them in a napkin in her pocket and accidentally throwing them away. That little mistake cost the place $4900, but I ended up paying $500 of it when they balked at the cost.
Now they're claiming Mom lost one of the new hearing aids this morning, and while they're still looking for it, I'm not optimistic they'll find it. Of course I can't prove it didn't just fall out, but I seriously doubt my mom took it out because she literally never does. She isn't even aware they're in there and can't put them in herself. She told the aides she gave it to her invisible husband.
Her memory care has gotten sloppy with their protocols since Covid, and when I'm not able to be there a few times a week I can't stay on top of every little thing like I did before they locked everything down. They're supposed to check that she has her hearing aids with every shift change, and when the first pair disappeared I determined that 48 shift changes had happened before they figured out they were missing.
Now I'm wondering what's to keep a replacement hearing aid from disappearing, and the next one and the next one? Should I even replace this lost one and just have her stick with the remaining one for now? She's stone deaf and also nearly blind, so I don't want to isolate her more than her limitations already do, but spending $2200 on yet another hearing aid on top of the nearly $9,000/month we're already paying is painful.
How do you all handle hearing aids and dementia patients?
Insist on seeing the Director of Nursing. If she won't see you, go above her head.
D
Bought a pair, set up both for the same ear, and delivered one. It didn't take but a few months for that to go AWOL. Most likely she took it out, wrapped it in tissue or napkin and it got tossed after a meal. In her case, they came with loss warranty - $400 would buy a new one. THEY refused to even consider one wooden nickel.
So, we deliver #2. Last I knew, they kept taking it away from her, because she would keep taking it out. Well, a lot of good that hearing aid is doing her!! Sadly, before lock down I met a new resident. That resident thought my mother was stuck up or something, because she wouldn't respond. So, it's pretty clear our expensive little investment is just collecting dust.
Mom should have gotten a storage case with the aids. Put her name and room number on it. Any time they are removed they should go in the case. Every time! It's much harder to misplace, or throw away, the case than the hearing aids. Wrapping them in a tissue and sticking them in a pocket is absolutely irresponsible, and actually quite stupid.
Best if luck.
This has to be a problem for other patients, too. Perhaps suggesting this would help everyone. On that issue where the employee admitted to losing them, they should not have balked at one penny of the price of new hearing aids. The employee admitted tossing it in the trash.
Does mom wear glasses all the time? Maybe see if there is a way to connect the aid to the glasses with some sort of leash or lanyard.
They called this afternoon to say they've found the hearing aid, so crisis averted for the moment. I just have to stay on top of them, I guess.
Write letter to staff about missing hearing aid. Let them look for 1-2 weeks, then demand that they pay for a new one. You are paying for them to be diligent with their client's devices. Nerves in the ear that don't get stimulated to hear stop working altogether. So the hearing aid is very important to keep your mom's hearing intact. Check with your mom's medical insurance to see how much they will cover for the loss.
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