Hearing Aids
Modern hearing aids are not like the aids that you may have seen in the past. In fact, many people you see during the course of your day may be wearing aids that you never even noticed! Like computers, the hearing technology is progressing at a tremendous rate, and a top-notch hearing aid from 5 years ago may not be the best hearing aid for your loss today.
Unlike glasses, hearing aids often have to overcome difficulties in the processing of sound. Glasses simply have to focus light in the correct place. Nerve hearing loss often means that even with the finest aid, sound quality is not as good as it was when your ears were healthier. Because of that, it is important to try hearing aids, and practice with them to get their full advantage. Maintain close contact with you audiologist to adjust them as necessary. In cases of severe hearing loss, sometimes the best option is a surgically placed .
Our audiologists can evaluate your current hearing aids, or assist you in finding the right kind of hearing aids for you loss, in concert with our physicians. For questions about hearing aids, please contact us for a hearing aid evaluation.
Here are some additional tips that can help with hearing loss, whether or not you are wearing hearing aids.
Communication Strategies
1. Relearn the trick of concentration.
2. Avoid pretending you understand.
3. Dont be afraid to ask for clarification.
Repeat what you heard
4. Admit you have difficulty hearing.
5. Be assertive.
Remind people to look at you while speaking
Ask people to speak slowly, louder
Ask people to call you name before they speak to you
6. Position yourself to see the persons face
Look for nonverbal cues:
Lipreading, facial expression, body language
7. Limit the number of people in your group.
One-on-one conversations are easiest
Small groups are easier than large groups
8. Realize that hearing in noise is a problem for all listeners.
Limit the background noise, reduce the noise in your area
Get close to the person you are speaking with
Use your auxiliary microphone to cut down background noise
9. Encourage the use of public address systems whenever possible
FM system, Infrared system, Induction system
10.Arrive early to all meetings, functions, and parties so that you will have the option of choosing the best place to hear, as well as see.
11.When using the telephone, position the receiver over the microphone of the processor or use the telephone adapter.
12.Identify sounds you hear to help establish auditory memory.
13.Ask for the topic when entering a conversation. Familiarize yourself with the hobbies and interests of friends and family, as well as current events. Being well informed makes communication easier.
14.Anticipate the topics of conversation for specific situations such as the grocery store, doctors office, restaurant, etc.
15.Notice the distance that is comfortable for you to hear and follow a conversation. Make sure that you maintain that distance in all situations.
Listening Practice & Speech Understanding Exercises for Cochlear Implant Patients
One method of learning how to hear with your speech processor is referred to as a vicarious method, which is a natural way of establishing meaning to daily sounds in your environment. By paying attention to everyday listening experiences, you can improve your listening abilities. Most of your listening experiences will be through this method.
Establishing basic auditory skills will provide the best speech and language understanding. Whether listening to environmental sounds, words, sentences, or music pay attention to:
Intensity- is the volume loud or soft?
Pitch- is it high or low in tone?
Duration- how long does the sound continue?
Distance- how close or far away is the sound and where is it coming from?
Distortion- is the sound clear?
Competition- is there background noise competing with the sound?
Building auditory memory requires auditory training.
Try making a list of people to speak on a daily basis.
Make another list of people you speak with less often.
Note whom you remember to be difficult to hear and who was easier to hear.
Remember familiar voices are usually easier to understand.
Try to figure out why it was easy or difficult.
Note the pitch of the persons voice, high-low.
Note the rate at which the person talks, fast-medium-slow.
Note the amount of lip movement, a lot-medium-none.
Note the pronunciation, clear-medium-muffled.
Others may not know what they can or need to do to help you.
Give specific suggestions that would make communication more effective.
Ask another person to verify your observations.
Practice with Audio Books
Choose unabridged tapes, so you can follow word for word.
Consider the speakers pitch, gender may make a big difference to you.
Start with recorded childrens books. They are simple and familiar.
Advance to juvenile books. The vocabulary is easier than adult books.
Pick adult books or topics that are familiar to you.
Lectures/presentations are easier to follow than novels.
Listening on a stereo with a patch cord will provide clearer sound.
As you become more proficient, try listening without reading along.
Have realistic goals and build on your progress. You will need patience.
Keep a list of books you have finished. Go back to them if necessary.
Try to practice 15 minutes per day.
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TV and Radio
Continue to use closed captioning so you can get some experience with TV.
Single speakers, without competing noise is easiest.
Try reading the paper daily BEFORE watching or listening to the news.
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Music
Start with familiar music; carols, nursery rhymes, childrens songs.
Try simple rhythms; concentrate on the beat not the words.
Music with one or two instruments is easier than orchestra or band music.
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Enlist a friend or family member to help you. Make a list of familiar words like: days of the week, months of the year, names of family members, or commonly used vocabulary. Have the person sit on the side where the microphone is placed. Have the person tell you the topic, so you know what to expect and have them say the words in random order. You repeat them. Dedicate some time each day to listening to this person speak, without lipreading. You can graduate to words that sound similar (bit, bat, boat), common phrases (good morning, good afternoon, good night, goodbye, hello, excuse me), and common sentences (what time is it, how old are you, what is your name). Progress only as quickly as you are comfortable. If you are having difficulty, go back to an easier task.
Communication Tips
Watch the speaker, even if listening is not difficult
Dont analyze every sound. Try to listen to phrases and concepts. Listening is identifying ideas and meaning rather than isolated words and sounds.
Identify key words. Key words help you follow the conversation without hearing every word.
Dont interrupt; listen to the entire sentence or thought before responding.
Summarize what you hear.
Dont be afraid to guess!
Stay informed. Ask family and friends to keep you aware of current events, neighborhood activities, and their interests. Familiarize yourself with words and phrases that are common to these events. If you know the topic and some of the words beforehand you can anticipate what is being said. This will make following the conversation much easier.
Keep a sense of humor!
