What Most People Don’t Know About Hearing Aids

Dr. Juliëtte Sterkens, a doctor of audiology, makes things clearer in this TEDx talk:

The sound of the future

Half of all adults experience hearing loss by the age of 75, and by 85, that goes up to two thirds. Untreated hearing loss leads to depression, social isolation, cognitive decline, and even an increased fall risk.

It’s not just about reduced volume though; Dr. Sterkens points out that for many (like this writer!) it’s more a matter of unequal pitch perception and difficulty in speech clarity. Most hearing aids just amplify sound, and don’t fully restore clarity, especially beyond a short range.

However, technology keeps marching forwards there have been improvements in the move from analog to digital, and today’s bluetooth-enabled hearing aids often do a lot better, especially in the case of things like TV transmitters and clip-on microphones.

Out and about, you might see signs sometimes saying “Hearing Loop Enabled”, and those transmit sound directly to telecoil-equipped hearing aids—venues with public address systems are legally required to provide hearing accommodations like this. Many hearing aids include telecoils, but users often aren’t informed or don’t have them activated, which is unfortunate, because telecoils improve hearing dramatically in loop-enabled venues.

Dr. Sterkens makes a plea for us to, as applicable,

• Activate telecoils and insist on them in new hearing aids.
• Advocate for assistive listening systems in public venues.
• Use available resources like the Hearing Loss Association of America for tools and information.
• Familiarize ourselves with accessibility laws and report non-compliance.
• Aim to make the world more accessible for people with hearing loss through advocacy, technology, and awareness.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like to read:

Dealing With Hearing Loss

Take care!