Seven Rules for Success with Your Hearing Aids

1.  Start with a professional who is interested in your hearing.  Get a complete, comprehensive hearing test.  In addition, discuss your expectations from hearing devices.  The professional will help you determine realistic (and unrealistic) expectations.

2.  Based upon the suggestion from your hearing professional, select the hearing devices that best meet your hearing needs.  If the cost is greater than you are able or willing to pay, ask for a product that is more in line with your budget.  Discuss what effect a lesser cost product may do to your realistic expectations.

3.  Have specific expectations from your hearing aid.  For example, “I can hear my wife more clearly when we are eating dinner.”  “I can more easily understand in a crowd.”  Unrealistic expectations are “I will hear everything.”  “I will hear my wife when she’s in another room.”  “I will hear everything my grandchild says.”

4.  Wear the hearing aids throughout the day.  Become accustomed to the benefits of hearing with the hearing aids.

5.  Practice hearing with the hearing aids.  Listen to a tape of a book while you are reading along  in the same book.

6.  Ask your spouse to use good communication strategies. (Look at you when they speak, speak at a slightly slower rate and pause frequently.)

7.  If you miss something, ask them to rephrase what they said.

Enjoy hearing more easily.

Tags: Hearing loss, hearing aids, hearing professional, comprehensive hearing test, communication strategies

© Randall D. Smith, 2010