OTICON ACTO ?

[Vincent87]

Mom had her MRI on Thursday.  Miracle of miracles her AN (GK 2005) was unchanged.  No new tumors.  A hospice nurse friend suggested the sudden hearing loss in her good ear might be antibiotic-related (UTIs).  But she still is dealing with a severe-to-profound hearing loss though some of it has come back and she's able to use the phone.

But TV is her friend...and on Friday she had a hearing aid eval and we walked out with a Oticon Agil Pro loaner, of course the Cadillac that's not in her price range.

I'm trying to quickly come up to speed on hearing aids.  I suspect by the end of next week I'll have a Phd.  I feel like I'm dealing with a bunch of used car salesmen...and if there are any audiologists on this website-hey, that's how I feel and it's a very common comparison especially if the audio is based in an ENT's office.  The five audiologists I've spoken to since yesterday are magnificently gifted in the BS Department!  If I ask for an Acto quote, don't give me a Agil Pro price.  If Mom buys directly from the ENT, it's paid in full, no 30-60 day return policy, no option of a monthly payment plan either.

Mom unfortunately couldn't really make out what was being said on TV, not with a sound bar attached to her new 22" plasma, not with the Agil Pro in place.

I'm reading about the Opticon Acto.  They have this Streamer/ConnectLine necklace that the TV (and phone) volume actually goes directly into the hearing aid.

Is anyone familiar with this hearing aid?  Mom has a landline that's currently attached to Lifeline Alert.  For all of you out there, all of these I've Fallen And Can't Get Up systems are dial tone dependent.  You need a hard line, copper, for it to work PLUS a special jack (used for home security systems) that the rig still works even with the phone off the hook.  They neglect to mention this all in the commercials but I digress.

It's all about getting TV back in Mom's life, her one pleasure. 

Does anyone have an Acto-and obviously Mom's only gonna be buying one; she has SSD.

I have Beltone coming out to see Mom next week.  It's all about options not to mention the best competitive price.  Mom right now is being quoted 1,325.00 for the bigger BTE Acto model.  The streamer is another 300 bucks. 

[nftwoed]

Hello;

  Other brands have the tele-coil for TV. Oticon is a very good brand, however.
  I've had about 10 different hearing aids in life as have NF-2. Would say I'm a Phonak fan.
  Re, choices; I discovered simplicity is the key and high end aids may not be worth the money. Likely one does want directional mics front and front plus rear only, a couple memories ( for different listening situations ) and a telephone switch. A directional mic which follows sound around a room seems too complicated to me.
  If Mom keeps it simple, she won't be spending half her life with an Aud. There are thousands of adjustments in a high end aid and Auds try their darndest to be exacting. That leads to too many changes. The brain might need 3 mos. or more to adapt to the setting the HA is at before it should be changed again.
   I would want FM capability so if she wishes to obtain that and place it remotely. Remote control if her hand coordination is not well.
   Re, Beltone; Ah ... Well ... There are free trials?!? Best wishes.