Communication with Hearing Aids
Hearing aid microphones are most effective when picking up sound originating from a source within several feet. The further you are from your sound source the less effective the hearing aids will work. Listening to a person from another room or a television at a great distance may still be difficult. In situations where distance is an issue, Hearing Assistive Devices may be beneficial.- Hearing aids will always be most effective in quiet surroundings, but is still useful in noisy situations. Hearing aids will NOT eliminate background noise. There have been many advances in hearing aid features that help with speech understanding and comfort in noise, but background noise will always be difficult for the person with hearing loss.
- Telephone use may be difficult for many patients with hearing aids, but there are options to help, such as Amplified Telephones, special telephone programs, and assistive devices.
- Room acoustics also play a significant role in communication. High ceilings, hard walls and floors make hearing and understanding more difficult. In your own home, manipulate the environment as much as possible (drapes, carpeting, low ceilings) to improve acoustics.
- Communication Strategies are very important to reinforce when a hearing loss exists. Good communication strategies, such as looking at the speaker, will still need to be utilized when using hearing aids.
Hearing aid microphones are most effective when picking up sound originating from a source within several feet. The further you are from your sound source the less effective the
