My name is Doris Gelbman and I am an Elder Law attorney in Charlottesville. My job brings me into contact with many elderly people; some – many – have hearing deficiencies.
For some elderly, often frail clients, I serve as the surrogate decision-maker (sometimes called “POA”) to help them with health and financial decisions. One such client, whom I’ll call Mrs. G., suffers from a very serious hearing loss due to age and possibly injury. Such hearing loss is not uncommon and, as is also commonly the case, such hearing loss leads friends and family to believe that an aging person is suffering from dementia or other cognitive deficiency.
This happens because they cannot understand what is going on and become very isolated and confused. That was the case with my client.
To help Mrs. G., we contacted Jimmy at Hearing At Home who arranged to have our client’s hearing tested. Because Mrs. G. is quite frail, it was an enormous benefit for the hearing test to take place right in Mrs. G’s home. It’s a bit of an undertaking to get her into a car, to the right place, get parked, get her out of the car and into unfamiliar professional offices.
She was also much less anxious and stressed by remaining at home.
Following the audiology test, and a determination of the level of deficiency, Hearing At Home professionals – again, right in our client’s home – were able to fit her for custom hearing aids.
Having worked with many elderly people (including my own parents) I’m well aware that good custom hearing aids can cost many thousands of dollars. The custom-fitted, warranteed and adjusted aids for Mrs. G. cost about ½ what I’m accustomed to paying for high quality, technologically advanced aids.
Not long after Mrs. G. received her new hearing aids, and unrelated to her hearing loss, Mrs. G. was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Because it was an emergency, the paramedics did not gather her hearing aids to go with her. One call to Jimmy at Hearing At Home Mobile Hearing Center was all it took to remedy this unfortunate situation.
He and his colleagues understand how difficult and disorienting hospitalizations can be at the best of times. When I called, he was away from the office but made immediate arrangements to visit Mrs. G. in the hospital – that very evening and on his own time – to bring her a spare set of hearing aids.
This made all the difference in the world. Mrs. G. could immediately better communicate with the doctors, nurses, and therapists trying to care for her. This made her hospital stay shorter, less traumatic, and much more successful.
Having good working hearing aids has made all the difference for our shared client. Working with an agency and experts who understand, but more importantly, who care deeply about their clients (and mine!) has been a tremendous boon to us all.
Mrs. G. now has more social interaction, is able to participate more in her own affairs and is generally happier. I highly recommend – without reservation – Jimmy and all his colleagues at Hearing At Home.
Contact us to learn more about our mobile hearing care service in Virginia at Harrisonburg Office Phone Number(540) 908-9494.