Our campaigns team saw this recent article about a 24 carat gold and diamond hearing aid and control: http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/2007/08/26/gold_hearing_ai.html (external link, opens new browser window)

They're interested to know your thoughts?
Would you wear it?
How do you think others would react?

The reason we're asking is because our Breaking the Sound Barrier campaign (www.breakingthesoundbarrier.org.uk) aims to get people taking the first steps to getting help with their hearing loss. But some people find their hearing loss difficult to accept.

They're interested to know your thoughts? … haha
Would you wear it? … no thanks
How do you think others would react? …. hmmm … the same as if I wore a gold medallion and gold front tooth.

Well, its my birthday new week...

She indoors has advised me she won't be buying me these and doesn't want to be seen near me if I buy a pair myself!

Further, I think there might be some questions raised as to where I might have found the readies from...

would I wear it...hell no! Firstly, have to come up with the cash! Secondly (being young...ish I am 35) I am don't like to advertise that I am hard of hearing and try to hide it as much as possible, so take your point on the breaking the barrier thing. Thirdly, I am horrified that the article mentions that some "disabled individual" might wear it. I certainly DO NOT see myself as being DISABLED because I wear hearing aids. Do people with glasses think they are DISABLED because they cannot see properly? I think NOT!!!!

or …. from the same blog …. what do you make of this?

http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/2007/05/21/wirear_brings_f.html (external link, opens new browser window)

I don’t know why all H/A’s are not in the ear nowadays … seems the logical place to keep them.

That gold thing - hideous - no way would I wear that, or anything like it. I suggest they give them all to DelBoy Trotter to sell from a suitcase in Regent Street.They are comical.
I want my HAs small, comfortable, lightweight, discreet, good sound quality and affordable.(In fact my HNS aids are pretty good on all those points).
I agree with "verybadhairdoo", I certainly don't regard myself as disabled in anyway just because my hearing is below par, I'm young and active and it doesn't hold me back from doing anything (and I have glasses too...be on the scrap heap soon!).
I think that advertising hearing loss/aids with images like that and labels like "disbaled" is only going to put people off taking action for any loss they may have, and do nothing to retrain society that wearing HAs doesn't mean old and stupid.That's the biggest issue, people are frightened to wear aids because there is still this image attached to them that if you are deaf there is something wrong with you, you're old and probably a bit dim. We all know it's not so.

Opps!!! I mean "disabled", not "disbaled", that sounds painful.

Yes, it sounds incredibly pretentious.

The adjective 'disabled' I totally dislike. I became aware of my hearing loss 2004, age 35 and was appaled when someone used the word to describe me. I have always been highly involved in sport and it was abhorrent to be called disabled.

However, looking on the bright side, hearing loss does now come under the disability discrimination act and there are some benefits such as access to work and disabled rail card.

I'm sorry if this has swamped the hearing aid being used as jewellry topic, the 'disability' aspect is just something I feel strongly about.

to lessen the blow, you will be referred to as “impaired”

(oh … I love that name, it’s just somehow a little meaningless on its own)

as in “Hearing Impaired”

;-)

I like your sarcasim!