Hard to wake father with hearing issues. Any suggestions?

I know this was asked a few months ago...
When I was a cna in memory care, we'd always wake everyone up for breakfast, first of all. Sometimes had to check 2, 3 times before they'd come out if they walked. Or, we'd finally escort them. Everyone got to eat.
We had a wonderful man who was rather independent but, couldn't hear a thing. Every eve. he'd faithfully set his alarm clock. Every morning we'd hear it beeping away loudly, while he was still asleep. The routine was we would go in and say, it's time to get up! He'd say, my alarm clock didn't go off again, wonder what's the matter with it? We would say, hmm, I don't know..?! Every. single. day. Loved him!

Thanks everybody. I got him the shaker and it didn't wake him at all but we heard it all through our house until we finally turned it off and told him the assisted living people were going to wake him. He has the clock so he feels he can set it (he can't understand it though). They are waking him and getting him to activities now (4 days at AL as of today). I was just hoping there was something that would actually work before I bought something that was useless.

I am a bit confused here - mind boggled in fact - surely the staff make sure residents are OK every morning, take them a morning drink or make a call (to ensure they aren't lying on the floor after a fall or worse). Why would he think he will miss meals or activities if they are checking on him and waking him up if necessary in the process.
Otherwise why can't he just have a timer on a light or music, if you are worried about the noise of an alarm clock.
Talk to the staff and ask them what they find works best - they will have come across this situation before, they well be able to help.

Marydys,

Does he have a roommate?

If not, why not get him an old school alarm clock (very loud)!

That is provided it's easy for him to use!

Best wishes!

Imho, let the AL wake him up.

Check to see if there is a watch version that you can return if it doesn't work.

I am very hard of hearing. You can purchase online an alarm that also vibrates. There is a disk that goes under the mattress and vibrates. This works very well for me and wakes me right away. There is also an alarm but it does not have to be turned on. The clock has very large numbers and very easy to read. It is called Sonic Alert and I have had it for about 4 years.

Give him a "soft" alarm clock so he has a feeling of being in control but arrange for him to be awakened. I doubt he will know the difference. They can say they heard the alarm and turned it off and he woke up.

Find the deaf community, they have all kinds of adaptations for life. I believe that there are alarms that shake the entire bed. I think they can be hooked to regular timed alarms but also smoke detectors.

When I toured assisted living facilities in my area I was concerned that my mom wouldn’t socialize with others.

So, I asked if the staff encouraged interaction with others.

I was told that if the staff doesn’t see the resident out and about, that they automatically go into their room to check on them.

I don’t believe there was an additional fee for checking on someone.

Let the staff wake him. Just ask them to say something like - I was on your hall and thought I would check in on you to make sure you didn't miss breakfast, bingo, etc.

Or buy one of those old alarm clocks that has the loud bell on the top. Maybe he can hear that. If he can hear the phone, there may be an automated or personal calling service that could call him each morning - like in a hotel.

As far as wearing hearing aids---they really are not supposed to be worn all night. In fact, he'd probably pull them out during the night, and the night is when they need to be 'docked' so they can recharge.

The assisted living will make sure he is up and it doesn't cost extra. But to relieve your father's anxity get him a alarm clock.

If the facility doesn't allow clocks with loud alarms (and I can understand why they wouldn't!), there are also alarm clocks that awaken people with a gradually brightening light that simulates the sun coming up. Do a search for "sunrise alarm clocks". Maybe one of these would help wake your father, yet it wouldn't disturb other residents.

Mostly an echo of what others have shared:
There are alarms that vibrate / shake the bed. Even some that you wear on your wrist.
A quick internet search will provide many options.
Another resource might be found under the topic of vibrating alarm for deaf / hard of hearing.

I saw a wristwatch (years ago, don't remember the brand) that vibrated on alarm. I believe the Fitbit also does this, rather than paying lots for a smart watch.

get an echo dot! you can set a reminder! and play a loud song!

First question I would ask would be with the AL facility. They may not allow very loud alarm clocks due to it disturbing other residents. If they allow one, the loudest I've ever heard in my life is the Screaming Meanie. If you'd like to hear it for yourself, stop by a truck stop and see if they have one. Best wishes to you all.

Check with the Hearing Impaired in your area and I'm sure they have something available.

Also, before your Dad's move, take him to an Ear Dr and have them ckean his ears and remove the ear wax.

He could also be fitted with hearing aides.

I would have it listed on his records and on his door in big writing..

Wake Dad up for all meals and Activities.

We rarely use an alarm, but when we do DH uses his phone. It grunts, then flashes lights, then rings. It’s hard to ignore when they are all going at once!

Can you adjust the vibration on the shaker?
There are lights that can be installed that will flash. Not sure if this is just emergency lighting or if there are some that can be set as an alarm.
There are watches that will shake.
Do a search for Alarms for the Deaf and lots of ideas will pop up.

My Dh is hearing impaired and rarely wears his incredibly expensive h/a's so he has learned to tune out ALL extraneous noise--so when we are home alone I have to practically scream to wake him. I can vacuum in the room he's sleeping in and it doesn't disturb him.

A phone that vibrates VERY loudly, along with a very loud alarm, set to go off every 10 minutes for an hour usually does the trick. The phone will vibrate until he handles it and turns it off. That alone is loud enough for me (I sleep in the bedroom underneath his) to wake up. The alarm going off is just annoying, and it does take some time for his brain to remember what it means.

And he's not impaired at all, mentally. Not old, just very deaf.

You may well end up having someone come in to wake him up, don't discount that as a possibility, Many, many mornings I wake up DH as he doesn't respond to the alarms. Best of luck with that.