New Trends and Technology for Hearing Aids

The Future is Here and It Sounds Promising!

Hearing loss can occur for a variety of reasons, but the most common reason is aging. Fifty percent of people over the age of 75 are going to have enough hearing loss that it will affect the quality of their life. A lifetime of loud noises and the degrading of the delicate systems that allow us to hear are the biggest contributors to hearing loss. Hearing loss can make it difficult to fully enjoy life, you can miss parts of conversations, not get important medical information, or just miss out on the birds singing outside the window. Also, hearing loss can cause a sense of isolation and loneliness. Yet, people are hesitant to get hearing aids, why?

Why Do People Resist Getting a Hearing Aid?

There are a few reasons why people don’t get a hearing aid:

• They don’t think they need one. Even though they consistently ask people to repeat questions or ask their partner to repeat what someone said or keep turning up the television.
• Hearing aids don’t work that well, or won’t work for me, or they will make some sounds too loud, etc.
• Hearing aids are unsightly and have a stigma attached to them.
• Hearing aids are too expensive because you need a prescription and insurance rarely cover costs.

The Actual Facts are More Encouraging Than Most Folks Know

Fortunately, the FDA just approved Over the Counter (OTC) hearing aids, so you no longer have to get a prescription to buy one or a pair. This important change has opened up a number of new choices of hearing aids that are designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Prices vary depending on the features, but they have become more and more affordable as technology improves. Hearing aids are improving in quality, reliability, and getting more discrete.

Prices can range from a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on features and the medical support offered.

Why Get a Hearing Aid?

• You can hear better in crowded rooms, hear the complete conversation, not try to guess what people are saying, turn the TV down to a reasonable level for the household.
• Improved hearing can help keep you safe. You can hear alarms, cars, warning calls that you might miss with hearing loss.
• Hearing loss is connected to cognitive decline, so a hearing aid can mitigate that risk.
• It reduces a sense of isolation and loneliness.
• You can feel more like you’re more fully participating in life when you can hear what everyone else is hearing.

How Do I Help a Loved One Understand the Need for a Hearing Aid?

It might take some time and encouragement to convince a loved one that they can live a better life with a hearing aid. Expressing concern, offering help, highlighting the benefits, encouraging an evaluation are some of the ways you can guide someone to get help for their hearing. Being patient, compassionate, and supportive often helps pave the way for a positive change.

Where Do I Begin?

The first step is to get your hearing tested. What type of hearing aid you get will be determined by the level of hearing loss you’re experiencing. Mild hearing loss is common for people over 65 and it might not need an intervention. However, you might have mild to moderate hearing loss and you’re ready to hear more and better. If you or your audiologist thinks an OTC hearing aid might work for you, shop around for something that fits your budget and lifestyle. Usually, there are financing options available for most OTC hearing aids, so it pays to shop around.

Hear What You’ve Been Missing

With so many options and ways to get a hearing aid, it’s the perfect time to explore what’s available in OTC hearing aids. If your hearing is more severe, you’ll want to talk to an audiologist about what you might need to resolve your problem. For most people, a little bit of help from a hearing aid will greatly improve their quality of life.

More Resources:
You can find a list of recommended hearing aids from the National Council on Aging (NCOA)