Don’t let your hearing aids languish in a drawer!
When one person in a family has hearing loss, the entire family has a hearing problem. According to the British Academy of Audiology, there are 11 million people in the UK who are living with a hearing loss greater than 25dB – this equates to 1 in 6 people. This number is expected to rise to 14.2 million people by 2035.
Invisible disability
Did you know that hearing loss is the second most common disability in the UK. However, as an invisible disability, it so often goes unnoticed, making it easier for those living with hearing loss to be ignored or forgotten. And of the 11 million people who have hearing loss, only two million of them are hearing aid users.
For most people, hearing loss is a gradual process. This means that it can sometimes not be very noticeable at first. Unlike going to the dentist when we have toothache or the opticians when we can’t see things properly, many people don’t prioritise their hearing and often wait years before seeking treatment. But of those people who do recognise that there is an issue, get a hearing check and are subsequently prescribed hearing aids, you would think that they would wear them. How wrong you would be!
Every year approximately 340,000 hearing aids are fitted. But according to a study led by University of Manchester researchers, around 20% of people who have been issued with hearing aids do not use them at all, 30% use them some of the time and the remaining 50% most of the time. And the reasons for this do not always relate to money, because hearing aids are free and readily available on the NHS.
Give them time
Reasons for not wearing them vary. Everything from being concerned about how conspicuous they are which makes them feel self-conscious, to fears of drawing unwanted attention and other people’s attitudes, ie. being thought of as either being old or having a disability. In addition, many cite handling problems, eg. volume control adjustment or battery charging/replacement, a poor fit/ear discomfort, a belief that they don’t work, no patience to get them adjusted so they work better, worried about losing them, or they think they don’t need for them as can hear well enough without them.
In researching for this blog, we came across some new ones. Too much hair – keeps getting caught in the hearing aid. Not enough hair – to hide the hearing aid and finally that the hearing aids are itchy.
Having the right hearing aid audiologist
But possibly that the main reason that people do not wear hearing aids has got nothing to do with appearance and everything to do with the quality of your interactions with the hearing aid audiologist. Essentially, if you have someone who spends time with you ensuring that firstly you have the right hearing aid – in terms of design and functionality and secondly someone who asks the right questions, so they can understand what areas of your life need to be improved by wearing them, then the likelihood of you wearing your hearing aids increases. A secondary factor is having the support of close family and friends who understand that this is the right solution and can see and vocalise what a difference it would make to their loved one’s lives.
Hearing aids can restore sound in a few seconds. They are not complicated and are extremely easy to use. But initially things may sound odd, loud, or you just feel a little overwhelmed. Even your own voice may sound weird. After all hearing sounds that you are not used to can be a little unsettling - not unpleasant, simply different. And that’s where hearing aid audiologists come into their own, as they set them up for you, help you to adjust and adapt quickly to your new hearing aids, ensuring your new soundscape is as effective as it can possibly be.
If you opt for the NHS route to hearing aids, which are often less costly, your appointment will be thorough and professional. However, you may find that it doesn’t last as long as a private appointment, due to understandable time constraints. Additionally, many NHS hearing aid users only get one face-to-face appointment to set up their hearing aids and then there is limited, if any, further in person follow ups.
Excuses not reasons
David Peel, Hearing Aid Audiologist at The Sense of Hearing in Banbury said, “Nothing annoys people more than being asked continually to speak up, repeat themselves, or receiving an inappropriate, or incorrect answer to a question. And we know that the many reasons given for not wearing hearing aids are mostly invalid and are in fact just excuses for not taking action.
“For anyone who has been newly prescribed hearing aids, we advise that you spend time getting used to them. But if you’re still not happy, get back in touch with whoever prescribed them. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People has put together some invaluable tips to help you.
“As a Hearing Aid Audiologist, there’s one style of hearing aid that I get worried about. The in-the-drawer hearing aids - those that never see the light of day as their user doesn’t get on with them for whatever reason. These are also sometimes the people who insist on sharing their experience, which can in fact put others off. The fact that hearing aids don’t work out for someone else doesn’t mean they won’t work for you, particularly if you work with a professional hearing aid provider. Because thanks to enhanced technology, hearing aids aren’t what they used to be – they are much smaller and discreet for a start. Add to that a wealth of features, AI, wireless connectivity, smartphone apps etc. and you’ll soon wonder how you ever managed without them.”
If you’re having problems adjusting to life with hearing aids, get in touch with The Sense of Hearing today.
