Hearing aids

In 2018, I paid £2000 to get hearing aids with rechargeable batteries. The batteries stopped recharging after about 18 months, so I've been using the little disposable ones ever since.
My hearing loss is from the upper register (very common with age, I'm told) and I mainly use the aids for listening to radio, also tv if no subtitles are available.
My question is, should I get some new more modern hearing aids? Are the NHS aids as good as people are telling me? Is it difficult using the features connected to a mobile phone?

l am glad this subject has come up because l am fed up of my (very good ) opticien peddling their hearing loss service. My hearing was tested yearly because of my profession in the NHS so l know my hearing was normal until l was in my 40's then technology rendered this checking unnecessary. Fast forward to 68 and l am loosing some frequencies which is normal in old age. l went to my GP for a referral the day the first lock down came. However the hospital sent me a letter to down load a hearing test which gave a number which l relaid to the audiologist for assessment. Out come was l had a moderate loss and an appointment came much quicker than l expected. For reasons that are not relevant l cancelled and a year later l contacted the department and was seen in an outreach clinic in my GP surgery within 6 weeks and assessed. A month later my aids were fitted and l was amazed at the difference. l asked the audiologist fitting them would l get any further improvement by private ones. His opinion was for me, being a common cause,no. NHS aids are not cutting edge but are digital and not "second class" l know mine to buy are £1500 to £2k. To get a new supply of batteries l can either go to the Dr's surgery where a supply is kept or send the department at the local hospital a sae and they will send a 3mth supply of batteries and any other replacement paraphernalia. You are also asked to contact the department yearly in order to have your aids checked and serviced. l never expected for such a good service. l am the weak link in the process due to my disorganisation. My mother had a similar comprehensive service in her part of the country.
l find it frustrating that people sign post to private services when the NHS Assessment are comprehensive and are very good especially when the cause is unusual. My daughter in law's mother has her hearing aids in her glasses because she dislikes ear aids. So l would have no problem for paying for that or the "invisible" dot type. l have to pay £400 + for my lenses in my glasses before l start with any coatings or the frames so l am grateful for these at least.

Abt 10 years ago I got NHS aids (free I think) that were useless. I can't remember why but even though I persevered I don't think they were very good. Six months ago I paid about £3k for up-to-date ones and they are superb - with one exception in that my ear canals are very narrow so they don't fit as snuggly as they should and can easily drop out. I am researching ways of keeping them safe, and have specific insurance cover for loss or damage. A few weeks after getting them I lost one. I could find it nowhere - until I was taking out the rubbish bins one morning and spotted it in my strawberry bed!!!

Yes you need to persevere for a couple of weeks, I can confirm that I had a lot of buzzing, sounds were strange to me, the volume needed adjusting a couple of times, but now they are fantastic. I don't wear them constantly at home, but make sure I keep my brain "topped up" to avoid reverting back to those first weeks.

The only other issue is that the audiologist tuned them in to my mobile phone. It makes using the phone a lot clearer but I found it a nuisance in that if the phone rang and I had left it in another room/handbag, my ears told me it was ringing but I had no idea where it was, so I switched that function off.

Persevere, and go back to your audiologist for advice if you are not 100% happy.

The OP has nailed it, we expect hearing aids to help us as much as glasses do - but they can't! All they can do is 'only amplify what hearing you have left'.
They are not perfect but they're all we've got.
We have to use out brain to deal with the problem but sadly some people just can't.

Without his NHS hearing aids my husband hears nothing. We have a wonderful clinic locally with friendly and very caring staff. If there’s any problem with the aids he can be seen within a few days. He is given a box of replacement batteries when required. All free - so very grateful for this NHS service.

Yes there is quire a lot to the subject.
And if you have sudden loss in one ear see Dr asap or go to A/E as a course of steroids may help you recover your hearing.

Apart from time to get used to them they need the tiny filters replacing from time to time as they get bunged up with wax.

I would confirm everything posters have said here. Without my NHS hearing Aids, my life would be very miserable and I would be isolated. Have had these for past twenty years and seen the enormous improvements in them and how the size has got smaller and smaller.

People seem to think that they will get their hearing aids, pop them into their ears and - magically - they will be transported back (hearingwise), to a time many years in the past. It is not like that - as with many other medical miracles, it is down to the wearer to some work with new aids.

Yes, it takes time for the brain to adjust to them, so they need to be worn for increasing amounts of time over, at least, a two week period. If they are not working for any reason,, then need to take them and wearer back to Audiologist for any adjustments.

My Aids, get popped into my ears when I get out of bed each morning, and are taking out when I go to bed at night. We are so fortunate in UK that audiology seems to be one of the few sections of our NHS which still works as it should and no cost to the patient for these wonderful little items.

I can never understand people who quite obviously have hearing loss, happily wear spectacles for their eyes, and refuse to have a hearing test.

Hearing loss is very under treated in the UK.
Please get a appointment to have your hearing reviewed .
New nhs aids are better but do persist.

Deafness runs in my family, I've had an aid for many years, you have to persevere.

Hearing aids are not useless although it's true many people don't put enough effort into getting used to them and give up.
My hearing loss is unusual but my NHS aids are programmed to my needs.

Deafness is a major factor in loneliness and isolation in ol age and is linked to dementia. It's really really worth persevering. Go back to audiology for help.

I have had NHS hearing aids for many years, they are an absolute lifeline. Yes, they took some getting used t. l had no idea how many sounds l couldn't hear - birds singing, rain on metal roof, certain people including a son. I wish l'd had them years ago, l suspect I've had hearing loss since measles in my childhood and it has deteriorated as time went in.

Some people have hearing loss in different registers. DH has an unusual hearing loss because of his job.

He opted for private ones as they can be tweeked to help his specific loss.

In what way are your hearing aids no use to you?
For many people, they don't wear their hearing aids because of irritation to the ear or because all of a sudden everything is too loud. You need to wear the hearing aids so your brain can acclimatize to what you are hearing. If it's too loud your brain will gradually learn to deal with the increased volume until you suddenly realise that you are comfortable with everything a couple of weeks down the line.
Most hearing aids now are digital and when you are set up with them, they are set to what the computer says. You need to go back with a list of everything you are having issues with. Too much background noise, not able to hear conversations, whatever your issues they need to be made known to your audiologist so they can adjust your hearing aids accordingly. It can take a couple of visits to get things right and yes you are right - hearing aids can only assist what you can hear. They are not the wonderful aid or cure that normal hearing people assume happens as soon as you put your hearing aids in. It is just ignorance on their part.
DH's DD realised this when she had ear problems for a few weeks and was unable to hear properly - she is much more appreciative of the issues that deaf people have now.