Least expensive way is to get a “personal amplifier”- a web search will turn up several. Williams sound makes several good ones. There is a bunch of junk in this category of product, so expect to spend in the $200- $300 range to be happy. If you spend less than $80- you might as well just set fire to the money and skip the middle man. Remember that these product have NO BACKGROUND NOISE CONTROL- that is why they are so cheap. They work best in a reasonably quiet room with one person speaking at a time.

If the need is for an inexpensive aid that works in a dining hall with some degree of success- The new Starkey AMP or a similar product from other manufacturers might do the trick. We recently saw a product called Q Leaf that seemed to have a good range of products, but they were in the same price range as the AMP ($1500 a pair).

The best product is an amplified phone or a telephone amplifier. Both should be available from your local hearing aid dealer or do a search on the web for “amplified telephone” and follow the links. This assumes that your mom can understand when the volume gets high enough. There is a huge difference between what a person can hear and what they can understand. If she can not process the language- no device will help her understand.

If your mom can not understand you when you raise your voice in the same room and she has her eyes shut- she will not do well with the amplified telephone or any hearing aid.