Written by Michael LeMay, Au.D. |
For those of us with normal hearing, we take for granted the fact that listening and hearing is automatic. Our connection to the world through face-to-face conversation, telephone conversations, radio and television is a way of life and is in general, effortless. For those individuals who struggle with partial or significant hearing loss, this connection is certainly not effortless or automatic and can be extremely difficult.
Staying connected to the world is extremely important to our health and psychological well-being. Our hearing is a vital link to friends, family and all that is going on around us. Impaired hearing limits the ability to connect and can have a significant impact on our overall feeling of being involved in life. The consequences of this lack of feeling connected can be frustration, isolation, depression and a general feeling of loneliness.
The telephone can be an extremely important link for many people. It is common to see patients in an Audiology practice who are very dependent on telephone communication as their primary connection to family and the general outside world. There are a variety of amplified telephones available designed specifically for the hearing impaired. For those individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, close captioned telephones can be obtained to provide the additional visual cues to supplement the auditory message. There is now new hearing aid technology that allows the connection of the hearing aid to a landline or the cell phone.
Hearing aids themselves are small and very unobtrusive. The hearing aid user can simply tap a button on a “streamer device” which pairs their telephone to the hearing aid and be able to use the telephone via a direct Bluetooth connection without having to use any type of headset. This streamer can also be paired to the television, radio or computer. This technology offers the individual with hearing loss who is using hearing instruments hands-free connection to their telephone. Wireless Bluetooth technology is opening new doors for the hearing impaired.
Individuals with significant hearing loss can often have difficulty hearing and understanding television despite the use of their hearing aids. Available now are a variety of assistive listening devices for the television which can be used either without hearing aids or in conjunction with hearing aids to substantially improve this situation.
It is important to realize that most of the common problems that individuals with hearing impairment have been struggling with in the past can be helped and sometimes eliminated with modern technology. It may be a matter of being fit with the appropriate hearing instruments. In some cases, it may be necessary to supplement a wearable hearing aid with some type of assistive listening device.
References:
1. Yanz, J & Preves, D. Assessing the feasibility of Bluetooth in hearing rehabilitation. The Hearing Journal. Nov. 2007: 60: 52.
For more info, contact Michael LeMay, Au. D. at (775) 323-5566, specializing in Audiology.
