Heading for a Better Quality of Life!
Thanks to miniaturization and technological advances, today’s hearing aid circuits allow us to better understand speech in noise and in everyday situations.
Six tips for getting the most out of your hearing aids
- If you have hearing loss in both ears, it is strongly recommended to wear hearing aids in both ears.
- When at a restaurant, sit facing the wall and the person you are with. Try to have the background noise behind you.
- Bring your hearing aids to your audioprosthetist for regular cleaning and maintenance.
- Make sure to keep new batteries nearby.
- Turn off your hearing aids by opening the battery compartment when you aren’t using them, to avoid draining the batteries unnecessarily.
- In public places with more complex sound environments (like auditoriums or conference rooms), it is best to sit at the front or the center of the room, where the acoustics are best for understanding. You can also ask if the room is equipped with an assistive listening system and if seats are reserved for hearing-impaired people. Audition Québec has a French directory of rooms equipped with these systems at www.auditionquebec.org/repertoire.
Adaptation
Getting used to wearing new hearing aids may take a few months. The adjustment period varies from person to person. Once you’ve adjusted, you’ll be able to enjoy hearing and understanding better.
To help you get used to your hearing aids:
- Wear them in a quiet environment (at home) for the first few days.
- Read aloud for 10 to 15 minutes a day to get used
- to the sound of your voice.
- Wear them as often as
- possible.
- Take a break if you feel tired.
- Set realistic expectations. Hearing aids will obviously not allow you to hear through the walls, but they will facilitate listening and make it much more enjoyable.
To learn more, talk to an audioprosthetist.
Don't forget!
An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient's needs.
