I hope you can get the remote repaired. Was that a remote control or a remote microphone? The Pocket Talker should help, however, it helps best if the mike can be as close to the speaker's mouth as possible. Not always easy to do. If you sister is open to learning, try this: Make a list of ten 3 or 4 syllable words like motorcycle, telephone, educate, etc. Then eliminate all the consonants from the words and have your sister tell you what the words are. Most hearing losses are high frequency losses, consonants define words, and most are high frequency sounds. Vowels give words power. We hear most of those but miss the clues to the word meaning. Consequently, we are always trying to keep up. While our minds are trying to figure out one sentence, the speaker is on another one, or even another topic. This is what causes auditory fatigue. If you give them the word with only the consonants they will figure it our fast. Here's one: _o_o__y_ _e vs m_t_rc_cl_ or an easier one like: _u_ _ _e instead of p_rpl_

In presentations, I sometimes use the Gettysburg Address. I have someone read the first paragraph while a timer keeps track of how many seconds it takes the person to read it. Then try the second paragraph that has a few missing consonants. The time will be longer because they have to figure out what is missing. Then try a third paragraph with more consonants missing. Even with a familiar passage it will take considerably more time. That often helps the hearing family member understand what is happening.

Our hearing loss is frustrating to others too. It does help if they understand what's happening.

I agree that a hearing aid works better than a Pocketalker but even with my hearing aids, I miss words. As Julie mentioned, moving the microphone as close as possible to the persons mouth will help. We can also ask people to paraphrase instead of just asking them to repeat. For example, if the person asks "Do your parents go to church on Sunday?", perhaps they can say "Does your mom and dad attend church on Sunday?" It's sometimes not easy to think of other words but it does keep us thinking. In case you do not know, newer hearing aids do not need a remote control if you have a smart phone. The hearing aid manufacturers have apps that control the aids. Remotes are still available for those that do not have smart phones. A smart phone has other apps, such as the ability to transcribe speech to text, that can help with understanding speech also.
Tony in Michigan