I have heard from my clients hundreds of times how their loved one(s) are very hard of hearing yet they refuse to wear their hearing aids! I am always perplexed as to why anyone would intentionally make it difficult to communicate by refusing to utilize their hearing aids?
I have to ask, if one could not see would they wear glasses or contacts, and the answer is always yes! I have surmised two primary reasons, the first is what I call the “vanity factor,” and the second is due to lack of understanding on how to ensure your devices work properly. I will explain shortly but first some history.
I began wearing hearing aids when I was only 45 years old. I noticed when watching television that I could not always understand all of the dialogue. I could always “hear,” but discerning every word correctly, was at times difficult. At the time my twins were only ten years old, I would constantly ask them “What did you say?” I finally decided I had to figure out what was going on with my hearing after I asked my son for the third time to repeat himself, and he looked at me and said, “oh never mind,” and walked away.
At the time I had been participating in health fairs for Senior Care resources, and by sheer coincidence three times consecutively my table was right next to a hearing centers table. Call it what you like, I got the message loud and clear, no pun intended. I had my hearing tested, and have significant high frequency hearing loss caused by working in nightclubs during my college years. I could not believe what I hadn’t been able to hear, and how much better everything sounded with my new devices!
Many older adults refuse to wear their devices because of the negative stigma they believe is associated with wearing hearing aids. Now thanks to modern medicine and brilliant technology, a tiny device can improve one’s hearing substantially.
Like many “wearables,” you will need to wear your devices for a week or two to ensure they are working properly. Your audiologist can fine tune one’s hearing aid to one’s specific requirements. Adjustments for background noise, frequencies, tones and so much more can all be addressed. It is most important to have your hearing tested annually. This is absolutely critical, and should be scheduled just like your physical, and or eye screening.
You should not need new hearing aids every year, and if your hearing changes your audiologist can adjust your devices based on those changes. If you notice at any time prior to your annual screening that you are not hearing as well; make an appointment immediately. Hearing aids can last years if your hearing does not decline, however you should know that one set of devices typically won’t last forever nor should you expect it to.
There are stand alone hearing centers all From Dallas to Fort Worth, not to mention Sam’s Club and Costco. I even recently came across virtual hearing centers. You literally do everything including the hearing test online using your phone, or computer, or tablet, which facilitates convenience. Do not wait another day missing out on everything going on around you!
