The Benefits of Hearing Aids

Hearing aids allow the person wearing them to hear and understand better. But what does “understanding better” really mean?

At first glance, you might think it’s about volume or sound clarity. These are certainly two elements that go along with better hearing. But beyond that, what is it like to get hearing aids and how can it change your daily life?

Rediscovering Your Auditory Environment

Being able to capture the sounds around you not only lets you be aware of your surroundings, but also gives you the chance to fully enjoy what your environment has to offer. For example, a walk in the forest is much more pleasant when you can hear birds singing or the trickle of a stream. During a concert, each note deserves to be heard, because it’s only when they all come together that the melodies truly come alive!

Understanding Every Word

Understanding speech is essential to staying connected to the world around you. Hearing aids can be calibrated so that speech stands out and surrounding noises are slightly quieter. That lets you focus more on the message that’s being shared with you. Conversations with our loved ones are meaningful because we get to share ideas, knowledge, and emotions. By understanding what’s being said, you can better participate in the discussion and share your views.

Speech comprehension is equally important when receiving information from other people in your daily life. When you’re talking to a cashier at the supermarket, a co-worker, or a healthcare professional, all of the important information needs to be properly understood so that you can take the appropriate action.

Safety First

Smoke detectors, oven timers, ringtones: the sounds of everyday life play an important role. They keep you connected to what’s going on around you and alert to potential dangers.

Less Fatigue, More Energy!

Asking people to repeat themselves, changing places to understand someone better, or pretending to understand even though you missed parts of the conversation are all coping methods that can become exhausting and cause a certain amount of stress. Hearing aids reduce the effort of listening and allow you to focus on what really counts: living in the moment.

A Stimulated Brain is a Healthy Brain!

The sensory deprivation caused by hearing loss can lead to anxiety and depression. In the long run, it can also become a factor of cognitive decline that impacts memory, judgment, and attention. Wearing hearing aids slows that decline and gives the brain access to the information.

Don’t miss out on rich conversations, easy understanding, and the beauty of the sounds around you. If you have any doubts about the quality of your hearing, schedule a free* hearing consultation, which includes an evaluation of your hearing.

Tourism and Hearing Loss

When it comes to planning a trip, you probably think about what to pack based on the weather and the activities you have planned. But language, getting around, and safety precautions are also important. Hearing aid wearers will be pleased to know that there are some new features to make their lives easier when going on adventures in foreign lands!

Instant Translation

This feature translates what’s being said into text in the language of your choice on your smartphone—in real time! The translation is sent directly into your hearing aids to help you converse despite the language barrier.

Sound Adjustment

Hearing aids can be adjusted by your audioprosthetist to emphasize people’s speech and slightly lower background noise. This helps you understand better when you’re having a conversation in a noisy place.

In addition to the technological advances designed to give people with hearing loss peace of mind, you can use some of these communication strategies to make sharing and understanding important information easier.

Geolocation

Once installed on your smartphone, the geolocation system can track hearing aids based on their latest connection data. This helps you find them quickly if you misplace them.

¬ Face the speaker to better understand what they are saying and read their lips if necessary.

¬ Ask people to speak slower, no matter if it’s in your native language or a foreign language.

Reminders

Set scheduled alarms on your phone so you don’t forget anything, whether that’s taking medication, leaving for the airport, or doing important tasks. The alarm can go off right in your hearing aids.

Good to Know

¬ Ask questions to clarify the topic or to make sure you correctly understood what was said.

¬ When possible, ask people to speak one at a time.

¬ Do not hesitate to inform people that you have a hearing loss in public places in order to facilitate communication.

¬ Sign up for airport text message alerts to be notified of any flight changes or other important messages on your smartphone.

Safe travels!

Caroll-Ann Marois-Lowe Specialized educator practicing in Pont-Rouge

References :

- Tips and warnings for travelling with hearing aids. (August 8, 2022). Starkey | Find the Best Hearing Aid for You. https://www.starkeycanada.ca/blog/articles/2022/08/tips-and-warnings-for-traveling-with-hearingaids?sc_lang=en-CA

- AI Powered Hearing Aids | Starkey Livio Edge AI. (n.d.). Starkey | Find the Best Hearing Aid for You. https:// www.starkeycanada.ca/hearing-aids/livio-edge-artificial-intelligence-hearing-aids?sc_lang=en-CA

- Thrive Hearing Control App User Guide. (2020). https://home.starkeypro.com/. https://cdn.mediavalet. com/usil/starkeyhearingtech/ObHzu9QgM02pnGeuQJQzlA/ZvNjhQtwJEac0LTvuDcMIA/Original/ Thrive_Hearing_Control_App_User_Guide.pdf

- Travelling with a medical device – Travel.gc.ca. (n.d.). Travel.gc.ca. https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/healthsafety/medical-device?_ga=2.92066394.1176616860.1670652980-1670928301.1670652979

- SMS Alerts. (n.d.). https://www.admtl.com/en/flights/sms-service