Hearing is extremely important to our well being.  Helen Keller once
said that if she could have either sight or hearing, she would want to
hear, as she felt so isolated without it.  I believe it also masks a
lot of early dementia.  People get used to grandma sitting at gatherings
staring off into the middle distance with a pleasant look on her face,
and attribute it to not being able to hear the conversation.  Anyone
who thinks a family member may be slipping mentally should also have
their hearing tested and deficiencies corrected, if possible.

My mother's hearing suddenly got much worse recently.  Her hearing aid,
which we'd just had repaired, wasn't helping any more. I found myself
shouting at the top of my lungs -- and I don't have much wind to begin
with.  She was wanting the tv cranked up to volume level of 26, when I
wanted 11.  Both of us were miserable.

I took her to the doctor and they cleaned out the wax with forceps and
irrigation.  It was gross, the amount of stuff that came out of one
ear.  Then they went into the other one, which is too bad even for a
hearing aid.  Out of that they pulled a chunk of cotton, the end of a
Q-tip.

I don't know how or when she got it in there.  I had seen the Q-tip
with one end missing but thought she had just pulled it off.  It
caused enough irritation that I am now putting drops into her ear for
a couple of days, untill the redness and itching go away.  And I have
another household item to lock up.  And another hygiene task: putting
in the Debrox drops and gently irrigating, to prevent wax buildup.

Afterwards, she started asking me to turn down the tv.  I just laugh.