In today’s world, technology is moving so fast it seems that soon as we buy something – a car, television, smartphone or laptop – a new one and more advanced model has hit the market. It’s a blessing and a curse! The exciting news is that the speed of progress also applies to hearing aids.
While we absolutely understand that hearing aids are an investment and most people aim to get the maximum lifespan from theirs, it’s worth checking in every now and then to make sure your current pair is still fit-for-purpose.
When is it a good time to consider an upgrade? We share some advice on when you might want to re-assess how hard your device is working for you.
You think your hearing has changed
Hearing needs can change over time, particularly as we age. It’s natural to see a decline in hearing acuity, the same as we might with our vision. If you currently wear hearing aids but have noticed it a bit more difficult to follow speech or maybe hear the TV or radio, it could be a good time to visit an audiology clinic. A quick hearing test can shed some light on whether a hearing aid upgrade could benefit you.
You’ve had a career or lifestyle change
Sometimes a change in jobs, living situations, or even picking up a new hobby might throw you into situations that call for better hearing aid performance. For example, you might have moved from a job where you conduct a lot of face-to-face meetings to one where you’re on the phone or joining conference calls a lot. A change in day-to-day activities like this can really highlight the need to upgrade to some more sophisticated technology that serves your new lifestyle better.
Picking up a new hobby can put you in some new, and challenging situations in terms of hearing. Maybe you’re taking up a dance class, where there’s lots of noise, music, and people talking all at once! More modern hearing aid technology can help you isolate the sounds you need to hear, like conversation or instructions, and minimise the ones you don’t, so you can reap all the social benefits of your new pastime.
You’ve had your current hearing aids for a while and are curious to see what’s new
Hearing aid manufacturers rely on their robust research programs to stay at the cutting-edge of technology. They’re continually conducting both desktop research and clinical trials to improve overall hearing aid performance and bring better, more advanced products to the market.
Even if it’s been just a few years since you bought your last pair of hearing aids, you’ll be surprised at the new features and benefits of the latest models.
What can a new pair of hearing aids offer?
It depends! There are many different models out there, depending on your particular lifestyle and hearing health needs. Your audiology clinic is a good place to start, as a hearing specialist can discuss the options with you. There are so many exciting recent advancements we could talk about, but we’ll cover just a few of them here.
One of the most notable advancements in modern hearing aids goes hand-in-hand with the Internet of Things, and the growing movement towards connectivity. Connected hearing aid models can sync to your smartphone and other devices in your home, so you can stream phone calls, music, TV shows and videos wirelessly to your ears. Some can even notify you when you get an SMS and have Siri read it straight to your hearing aids!
In this day and age, we’re rarely without our smartphones – they go wherever we do. So, certain hearing aid devices can now tap into your phone’s geo-tagging functionality to recognise your favourite places and activate a memory profile on arrival based on your setting preferences, e.g. home, work or your favourite coffee shop. This kind of functionality allows you to pop your hearing aids in of a morning, and forget them until you’re ready to take them out at night!
But it’s not all about the fun phone-related features. For those who suffer from tinnitus, relief functionality has advanced in recent years. Hearing aids now have the power to help soothe those annoying sounds, while you hear what you need to, better. This will surely come as exciting news to many of our tinnitus patients out there!
This last one we want to cover may sound like a small improvement, but it’s an important one all the same. We’re excited that some hearing aid models now offer a surface shield technology to help repel water and oil, reducing the need for repairs. For you, this means less time feeling ‘out of action’ without your trusty sidekicks.
Check out and compare all the latest hearing aid models, on our website.
We recommend our hearing aid users have an annual hearing check with one of our specialists to keep track of any changes, or see if an upgrade could be useful. If you’re keen to see what a hearing aid upgrade could do for you, visit your local clinic today.