Accessorize Your Hearing

By Kathy Mellott, AuD

Hearing aids are electronic medical devices that are designed to work with one’s residual hearing to improve hearing ability. Modern hearing aids are of digital design, which are programmable to optimize one’s hearing in most situations. However, difficult listening situations still exist. A difficult listening situation is when, even under the best circumstances, the average person has difficulty hearing. These situations include restaurant noise, listening in a car, watching television, and talking on the telephone, whether a landline or cell phone.

Hearing aid manufacturers have used state-of-the-art technology to work with hearing aids to improve hearing in those difficult listening situations. Some of the accessories available include:

• Bluetooth apps to control volume and programs with a smart phone

• Bluetooth “streamers” which are designed to take a signal, such as music, tv, or voice from a cell phone, and send it directly to compatible hearing aids

• Remote controls to change volume, tone and programs for various listening situations

• Remote microphones that connect through wirelessly to hearing aids for better hearing, especially in noise

There are some hearing aids that were built to work directly with Apple products, i.e. iPhones, iPads, etc. There is one manufacturer with new hearing aids that connect to the internet.

Most hearing aid manufacturers have rechargeable capability so batteries are changed once per year, instead of once per week and will last a whole day of better hearing. Alerting devices to hear a doorbell or telephone ring are available with the capability of sending the signal directly to hearing aids.

Hearing aid design and programmability has improved with the development of modern technology. Talk with your audiologist about options of accessories for hearing aids.