Beyond the Aids - Adding Accessories!

Hearing aids can really make a difference in your everyday life.  They allow the user to be part of a conversation.  But sometimes, hearing aids may not be enough.  Hearing aid users can still struggle in certain situations – like background noise or watching TV.  An important consideration may be a hearing aid accessory.  There are several different accessory options that can be used in conjunction with your hearing aids. 

An accessory that most hearing aid users already have is a smartphone.  Many of the hearing aid companies also have a hearing aid app for the hearing aids.  The app allows users to increase volume, change listening programs, adjust the treble & base, mute the aids, and even locate the aids if lost.  The ability to connect with smartphones is a standard feature on the hearing aids that our clinic recommends.  Additionally, some phones allow for direct streaming of phone calls to hearing aids.  This allows you to hear your cell phone conversation in both ears.  The benefit of binaural listening is noted for most hearing aid users. 

Another tool that can really change the TV and home entertainment experience is a TV streamer.  These work by streaming the television sound directly to the hearing aid.  This helps with the common situation of the volume being too loud for friends or family to enjoy watching the television together.  Patients have reported that the TV streamer is a must if you struggle with hearing television programs.  Set-up for a TV streamer is very easy to complete. 

Another common situation that patients report difficulty is hearing at meetings, church, or even in the car.  Remote microphones are an awesome solution to these difficult listening environments.  These situations can be difficult because of the distance between the listener and the speaker.  Increasing distance decreases the volume of the speaker.  Also, at such distances, facial cues are difficult to access.  The remote microphone works by picking up the speech signal and streaming it directly to the hearing aids.  The direct stream overcomes the distance between the speaker and listener.  Remote microphones deliver big results for a relatively small investment. 

Last but not least, patients without smartphones can still have control of their hearing aids in the palm of their hands.  Remote controls are a great option for the patient who wants to be able to change programs or change volume levels.  

Accessories can be a great enhancement to your current hearing aid technology.  While the use of accessories will not make hearing aids perfect, it can make them better.  My advice to patients is if you are having trouble why not try an accessory!  Just like an accessory can change an outfit, so can a hearing aid accessory change the experience with hearing aids.  Current technology has given us all lots of tools to improve our ability to hear.  An accessory could be the answer to what you are missing!  Give Yost Hearing a call today to discuss accessories and demo the different options!