Hearing Aids Use New Technology
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It’s estimated that only 15 percent of those who need hearing aids actually have them. One reason people are hesitant to use hearing aids is because they can pick up too much background noise, but new digital technology can overcome this and other problems.Click here to view article.
Arnold gets annoyed when his children and wife don’t speak loudly enough for him to hear them. But they become frustrated when he’s constantly yelling “What?” Although Arnold has a hearing aid, he won’t use it, because “it doesn’t work,” he says.
Hearing aids that don’t “work” for whatever reason is a common complaint for many older adults with hearing loss and one of the reasons that many who need hearing aids don’t buy them.
Hearing loss is not a minor issue. One-third of Americans 65 to 74 years of age and 47 percent of those 75 and older suffer from hearing loss. Among seniors, hearing loss is the third most common treatable health issue behind arthritis and hypertension. Nor are its effects to be taken lightly. Evidence is showing that people with hearing loss suffer from mental issues, perhaps from feeling isolated from others and their activities, and have problems with memory and thinking.
A survey by the National Council on Aging of 2,300 hearing-impaired adults age 50 and older found that those with untreated hearing loss were more likely to report depression, anxiety and paranoia, and were less likely to participate in organized social activities, compared to those who wear hearing aids. Perhaps not surprising, the study also found that those who used hearing aids significantly improved their relationships at home and felt more independent.
Another study led by a John Hopkins professor found that men and women with hearing loss showed declines in memory and thinking 30 to 40 percent faster than those with normal hearing. People with more serious hearing loss had steeper declines in mental function (Web MD).
Reasons for Hearing Loss
Generally, hearing loss comes with age, developing over a period of 25 to 30 years. A lifetime of loud noises, such as from lawnmowers, snow blowers or blaring concerts, can damage either the auditory nerve that controls hearing or the hair cells in the ear that help transmit sound. Heredity is also a factor, and viruses, bacteria, heart conditions, strokes, brain injuries or tumors can affect hearing.
Less common is conductive hearing loss, caused by earwax buildup, fluid buildup from an ear infection or a punctured eardrum.
With hearing loss, sometimes high-pitched sounds and consonants such as s, f, and z may be indistinguishable from one another. In this situation, the person may hear you but not be able to understand you.
The National Institute on Aging provides several questions to determine if you have hearing loss:
- Have trouble hearing over the telephone
- Find it hard to follow conversations when two or more people are talking
- Often ask people to repeat what they are saying
- Need to turn up the TV volume so loud that others complain
- Have a problem hearing because of background noise
- Think that others seem to mumble
- Can’t understand when women and children speak to you
How Hearing Aids Work
While conventional hearing aids in the past were analog, which make certain sounds louder and others softer, the standard today is digital, which gives you some choice over which sounds you want to amplify. Digital aids deal with the number one complaint of hearing aid users— background noise. In fact, many digital hearing aids contain a directional microphone, which is aligned to pick up sounds coming from in front of you and reduce noise coming from behind or beside you. By controlling ambient sound, you may hear conversations more easily. Today, less than 10 percent of people use conventional hearing aids.
With digital technology, a computer chip converts the incoming sound into digital code, then analyzes and adjusts the sound based on your hearing loss, listening needs and the level of the sounds around you. The device then converts the signals back into sound waves and delivers them to your ears. The result is sound that’s more finely tuned to your hearing loss. Hearing aids can automatically alternate among programs, or can be manually adjusted for a noisy restaurant, for example, or a quiet conversation with your spouse.
Today’s hearing aids come in various styles, from small, almost-invisible devices that mold to fit completely inside your ear canal, to larger gadgets that sit behind the ear. Each design has advantages and disadvantages, so you can choose the option that works best for your budget, hearing needs and style preferences.
New Technology
Digital technology is creating huge advances in hearing aids. For example, certain hearing aids can transmit sound from Bluetooth devices such as Bluetooth cell phones. They require an interface that wirelessly picks up the Bluetooth signal from Bluetooth-compatible devices and transmits it to the hearing aid. Other devices have a remote control that can adjust the volume and change other settings such as activating the directional microphone or increasing the noise reduction.
“The Best New Technology in Hearing Aids: 2013” reports that “The best of the new hearing aid designs incorporate a sleek design with power and clarity. Several hearing aids now offer water resistance, and one hearing aid is actually waterproof . . . and may be worn while swimming!” The articles reports that “rechargeable batteries, ‘invisible’ hearing aids and hearing aids which stream music and sound from computers, cell phones and MP3 players, are commonplace in today’s hearing aid market. Receiver-in-the-canal options allow hearing aids to remain small, even for severe hearing losses.”
High Cost of Hearing Aids
Despite the touted benefits of hearing aids, one study estimates that only about 15 percent of those who need hearing aids actually have them. Problems are denial (“my hearing is not that bad”), bad experiences (“my hearing aid is not working”), social issues (“I don’t want to appear old”) and cost (“I can’t afford them”). About one-half of hearing-loss patients cite the expense of hearing aids, which average $3,000.
Medicare and most insurance companies do not cover the cost of hearing aids, so most people have to pay out of pocket. (Depending on eligibility, military veterans might be able to get hearing aids for free.) The high price tag is a result of new technology plus the cost of the middleman—either the retailer or the audiologist.
Cheaper hearing aids are available online, but if you need an adjustment, you’ll have to mail the device back, perhaps several times if the adjustment needs fine tuning. Moreover, website personnel aren’t going to understand your problem as well as a local audiologist.
Because of the high demand for hearing aids, especially less expensive ones, Costco, the giant wholesale chain, is getting into the hearing aid business. Costco’s devices range from $900 to $1,400, and unlike Internet retailers, the chain does offer custom service.
However, before you buy a hearing aid, take the necessary steps to ensure you need one and that you’re getting the right product (see sidebar).
Sources
“Hearing Loss and Seniors,” A Place for Mom
“Hearing Loss Linked to Mental Decline in Elderly,” WebMD Health News
“Hearing Aids – Too Expensive? Paying Through the Nose for a Necessity,”About.com
“The Hunt for an Affordble Hearing Aid, “New York Times blogs
“Hearing aids: How to choose the right one” Mayo Clinic