5 Considerations Before You Buy Hearing Aids, Pt. 2

As we discussed in our last blog post, hearing aids continue to advance at a rapid pace. With all of the features available in modern hearing instruments, how do you know which devices to buy? We recommend 5 considerations before purchasing hearing aids. The first consideration is how well you hear speech in the presence of background noise. Two other important factors to account for are your lifestyle and the presence of any physical limitations. Do you like to be outdoors? Do you golf, hike, ski, or play sports regularly? Are you confined to a wheelchair? Do you require an oxygen tank?

 

An individual's lifestyle and physical limitations must be considered before selecting the appropriate hearing aids.

• Some hearing aids can be firmly attached with acoustically tuned head bands (great for skiing), with sports clips (for kayaking, water-skiing, hiking back-country), and with clips to eyeglasses or collars (used for individuals with dimentia).
• Some hearing aids pick up sounds from behind or to the side.
  • If the user is confined to a wheelchair, rear facing microphones are terrific to hear the caregiver.
  • If the user is a realtor who drives clients who ride "shotgun" and/or in the back seat, two manufacturers provide adaptive microphones who identify the primary talker and "zoom" to that person.
• Some hearing aids are far better suited to individuals who spend lots of time on the phone or on the computer.
• Reduced manual dexterity may result in the inability to deal with changing batteries or even inserting the hearing aid.
• Individuals who use oxygen with a cannula find it difficult to fit behind the ear hearing aids and the oxygen tube simultaneously. They are better fit with custom, in the ear or in the canal hearing aids.
• "Technically challenged" and those resistant to any manual controls on a hearing aid should inquire about the vast number of automatic features to eliminate the need for manual controls.
• Those with ear malformations will be glad to find a large array of features to keep the hearing aids in place.

For more information on how to choose the right hearing instruments, click here.