Month: June 2018

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The Most Useful ALD Technology Available Today

Young woman with hearing aid using smartphone indoors

Assistive listening devices (ALDs), also acknowledged as assistive listening systems (ALS) are amplifiers that bring sound directly to the ear. These assistive devices can help you communicate better in one-on-one conversations. ALDs separate sounds, most notably speech, from background noise. People with a hearing impairment require a volume increase to achieve the same level of understanding as those without a hearing problem, and an ALD provides this boost in volume without making the sound too loud for everyone else. If you do not use a hearing aid or have a cochlear implant but need an occasional sound boost, an ALD can increase the volume level for you as well.

Multiple Uses

An ALD is appropriate for people with all degrees of hearing loss ranging from mild to profound. Hearing aid users, people with cochlear implants and individuals who use neither a hearing aid or cochlear implant will find an ALD useful. ALDs amplify sound for those without a device and stretch sound for hearing aid and cochlear implant users. ALDs aid listening in three ways:

  • Minimize background noise
  • Reduce the distance between a sound source and the receiver
  • Override poor acoustics

ALDs work well in places of entertainment, workplace, educational settings, and personal use. Here are five ADLs that can improve your listening experience.

Personal Amplifiers

This small box is ideal for one-on-one conversations. These devices allow the person to whom you are speaking to attach a microphone to their clothing while you plug the cord into your amplifier. The result is amplified conversation without background noise. The devices are small and relatively inexpensive.

Infrared Systems

These systems transmit sound via light waves. As the light waves will not penetrate walls, these systems are particularly useful for private situations such as doctor visits and court proceedings. They also work well at theatres and for television viewing.

FM Systems

These ALDs offer mobility. The devices use radio broadcast technology to deliver sounds directly to your ears. This wireless system allows you to hear sounds from up to 150 feet away from the sound source. This system is an excellent choice for educational settings and outdoor activities.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth technology enables two devices such as a cell phone and a wireless hearing aid with streamer to communicate with each other. It provides a secure connection without interference and allows a user to switch back and forth between multiple devices.

Induction Loop Systems

This system utilizes an electromagnetic field of insulated wire to transport sound to a user’s ears. Versatile and inexpensive, this mobile system can find use among the non-hearing aid wearers by the use of headphones or a receiver system.

Boost The Volume

If you wear hearing aids and feel like a boost in volume in certain situations is needed, an ALD might be right for you. Even if you do not use a hearing aid or have a cochlear implant, an ALD can increase the volume while you watch TV, attend a class, or enjoy the theatre. Speak with your hearing healthcare professional today to determine if an ALD is right for you.
 

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Could Your Hearing Aids Keep You Out Of The Emergency Room?

Emergency department building sign closeup, with sky reflecting in the glass.

While millions of Americans have been diagnosed with or report hearing loss, only a fraction of those chooses to treat that hearing impairment with hearing aids. That is despite the growing list of benefits now associated with using hearing aids that now includes a possible connection with emergency room visits.
Could you avoid a costly visit to the emergency room by wearing hearing aids? According to insights from a recent study, the answer is yes, and it’s just one of those many reasons to wear hearing aids.
While most people choose to have a hearing evaluation and purchase hearing aids due to hearing loss, a growing body of research points to the effectiveness of hearing aids in preventing many secondary concerns including:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Dementia
  • Increased risk of falls
  • The negative impact to income
  • Reduced social interaction

The initial cost of hearing aids may cause people to question their need to hear better, but the value of hearing aids beyond their primary use is hard to argue. The latest research findings further underscore what a smart investment hearing aids can be for overall health, wellness and possibly your budget’s bottom line.
 
Hearing Aids Could Help You Avoid The Emergency Room
A recent study, published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, outlined the findings of researchers who studied data of over 1,300 adults aged 65 to 85 with severe hearing loss. The conclusions hinted at possible connections between the use of hearing aids and emergency room visits. The highlights of those findings include:

  • Only 45 percent of the 1,300 adults used a hearing aid.
  • Those who did use a hearing aid were less likely to have gone to an emergency room or spent time in the hospital within the past year.
  • Among seniors who had been hospitalized, those with hearing aids spent an average of half a day less in the hospital than those without hearing aids.
  • Those with hearing aids were more likely to have gone to a doctor’s office in the past year than those without hearing aids, potentially reducing the risk of a costly emergency room visit.

While researchers are quick to point out that findings like these don’t prove cause and effect, the potential connections are hard to ignore.
 
The Importance Of Hearing Aids For Seniors
Over 37 million Americans report some degree of hearing loss, and many of those are seniors who choose to go untreated. It may be for financial reasons, a reluctance to receive treatment, fear of doctors or something else, but there is no denying that untreated hearing loss is about so much more than just staying in the conversation. It is proving so crucial that policymakers are now trying to make it easier than ever to get hearing aids by pushing for increased insurance coverage and treatment alternatives.
Research findings like these that dig into the connections between hearing loss and quality of life continue to highlight just how valuable an investment hearing aids can be – potentially even saving people time, money and their overall health in the long run.