Fitting Hearing Aids

Question 1

Define realistic expectations

Answer 1

• hearing aids are an AID not a cure
• noisy environment may still be problematic for certain individuals
• not going to be able to hear through walls or at great distances
• further you are from someone, the less effective the hearing aids will be

Question 2

Those w one unusable ear

Answer 2

• individuals who only wear a hearing aid in one ear will experience more difficult in noisy environments than those w two
• auditory nerves play a big role in how we are able to function noise, with two equal signals coming into the aud nerve our aud system does a better job of filtering out noise

Question 3

What to expect when the hearing aids go on

Answer 3

Common things ppl say the first time they get hearing aids:

• my voice is very loud
• things sound lispy, breathy, tinny
• I feel like I’m talking into a barrel

Question 4

What to expect when they leave the Clinic

Answer 4

• car ride home will be louder
• paper crinkling
• toilet may sound like Niagara Falls
• typing on keyboard
• dishes clattering

Question 5

Acclimatization

Answer 5

• the brain has heard the world the way it has for many years
• hearing aids flip that script and the expectation of what things sound like changes drastically
• takes time for the brain to re-acclimatize itself to its new environment

Question 6

Things that are covered during appointment

Answer 6

• Red is right and blue is left
• explanation of any additional programs and how to get from one to another
• how to use phone w hearing aid
• keep aid away from water
• don’t wear while sleeping
• remote controls or accessories are explained

Question 7

Main goal to teach individuals

Answer 7

• get the hearing aid in and out of ear
• know how to change the battery
• know how to change wax guard

Question 8

By the time they leave …

Answer 8

• the NEW hearing aid wearer should have an idea of what they will be hearing that they might not have heard before
• expectations need to be realistic
• basic understanding of how to maintain aid (insertion and removal, changing batteries and wax guard)

Question 9

Future goals for hearing aid wearers

Answer 9

• want them to understand how and when to use additional programs (noise program, music program)
• be able to troubleshoot issues beyond changing the wax guard and battery
• advocate for themselves

Question 10

Fitting hearing aids

Answer 10

• when someone comes in for a hearing aid fitting, the vol of the hearing aid had already been pre-set, colour of aid, and sizing has been determined
• some come anxious, others excited
• want to make it positive experience:
• is it comfortable ? Does it sit okay? How are you hearing ?