Deafness

I wondered if anyone on here has any knowledge or experience of Cochlear Implants?
I went along to my Audiology Unit at the hospital yesterday because I thought that my right digital aid might have a fault but I was told that it's working perfectly and the problem is me.

I've been put in for another hearing assessment in September but the Audiologist pre-warned me by telling me that, even with all the anticipated improvements in digital aid technology, it won't help me and I should prepare myself for the fact that they may recommend that I have a cochlear implant. I now have about 5% natural hearing in my right ear and 10% in the left.
The whole idea worries and frightens me to be honest with what restrictions will it impose on my life being the Number One concern.
I've read-up on it and found that most recipients say it's completely different to a digital aid and takes some getting used to. Some have reported that they regretted having one fitted and that it had "ruined their lives" so I really do not know what to do.
I'm 60 years old in September and, theoretically I should be working until at least 65 but after having been unemployed now since last December, I've found that my deafness excludes me from almost everything now, regardless of the toothless and, to be quite honest, totally useless legislation to supposedly "protect" disabled job seekers.
I have found a part-time job and I'm waiting for CRB clearance to start but I've had first-hand experience of the reluctance of employers in employing the disabled so I consider myself extremely lucky to have got a job at all, especially since the state wrote me off a month ago and I no longer get any help.
I'd appreciate anything from anyone who knows about Cochlear Implants though - or even deafies like me.
I know there's at least one on here and he's already a friend. stevmk2

Re: Deafness

I have digital hearing aids Stevmk, and am not over the moon with them, infact only wear them to watch TV, they get hot and make your ears itch.I dont know about the ones you are interested in, good luck anyway.

Re: Deafness

I've had digital aids for about 6 years now Annie and I've reached the point where they are not good enough now, hence the Cochlear Implant question.
As for getting hot and making your ears itch it's only to be expected but I know what you mean.
I can't function without aids at all though because I have virtually no natural hearing left and with most TV I need the subtitles to understand what's going on although at times they are so far behind the speech that making sense of anything is often difficult or even impossible when there are errors that make subtitles unintelligible!!
The reason for that is that they all use Speech Recognition Software these days BUT they've not got logic built in so the computer interprets what it thinks the presenter or actor is saying and this is entirely dependent on how well they speak, and that's got far worse over the years. For example, last night the subtitles kept referring to "Shipley" in the BBC News but the newsreader was actually saying Tripoli!!

Switching to Lip reading doesn't help either because TV producers do not consider lip readers at all when deciding on camera angles or the position and distance of the speaker from the camera.
Dramas and films are the worst with off-camera dialogue the norm - a nightmare for lip reading!! stevmk2

Re: Deafness

I have digital hearing aids but my impairment is only age related. You have my sympathy Stevmk, I can imagine how distressing yours must be. I agree with you on TV subtitles, in fact I have found some mistakes hilarious. A friend used earphones like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-1...4196209&sr=8-3 to hear TV. However I know this won't help find employment. I do wish you luck.