Hearing aid + microwave = bad combination
Care and maintenance of hearing aids requires some knowledge about cleaning, storing and using the devices. Any extremes of temperature are not conducive to prolonging the life of your devices. It is worth considering your hearing aids as an investment, even if they have been provided free of charge by the government. Each device is designed to accommodate some degree of heat, moisture and general wear and tear. On average, if one looks after the hearing aid, it should survive approximately four to five years. This will be affected by various factors such as the style of aid, the amount of use and if the aid is exposed to excessive perspiration. Savvy Audiology strongly recommends insuring your hearing devices with your private health provider. Costs associated with this will of course depend on the value of the aids and your level of cover.
Hearing Aid Confusion
One of my 90+ year old clients arrived and placed these on the desk. It is not surprising this caused some confusion. When our clients are upgraded to newer technology, it is recommended to encourage use of the new devices and store older hearing aids out of sight. I often ask family to keep them at their home for emergency use only. For experienced aid users, it can be tempting to swap back to the old device because there is a familiarity with the sound quality and feel of the device in the ear. However, to acclimatise and accept the new hearing aids requires regular use.
A Poem
Isolation is a poem penned by a friend of mine. As one reads, it is clear how hearing loss makes her feel – isolated, left out, fearful of missing out, disconnected from family, burdensome and disheartened. Such feelings are not uncommon among those with significant hearing impairment.
For anyone who has a family member with hearing loss, it is important to consider his or her ability to remain engaged and encouraged to actively participate in conversation. Quality of life is everything.
Life changing work with implantable hearing technology
Over the years I have had clients who made the decision to go ahead with an implantable device. These devices have given them such improved quality of life and in addition, a device which is not dependent on chronic middle ear health problems.
Savvy Audiology recommends discussing the option of an implantable hearing device not only with your audiologist and doctor, but also with other individuals who are wearing and using the devices every day. They can give a first hand account of the benefits and positive effects of this hearing pathway.
