What? What Did You Say? - You May Need Hearing Aids!
Health
If your family walks into your house and your TV’s volume is at a setting that could puncture an eardrum…you may need hearing aids! If you are at a dinner table and everyone is laughing and you cannot hear a thing they are saying…you may need hearing aids! If you say “What? What did you say?” more then two times an hour….you may need hearing aids! If you have a blank look on your face when the sales associate is trying to talk to you and a child is screaming behind you or there is music playing…you most certainly need hearing aids!!
Val’s family had been trying to urge her for years to get her hearing checked. Val resisted vehemently! What….hearing aids at my age…NO WAY! She finally broke down and had her hearing checked and was surprised that she had moderate hearing loss in both ears! Val still did not believe it and scheduled an appointment to get a second opinion. She went to Dr. Kristin Hinderliter in Birmingham, MI who gently told her…you have moderate hearing loss both ears and you need hearing aids!
Why does hearing loss occur? Many people have hearing loss due to genetics which is Val’s diagnosis…in fact, it’s 50-60% of the time. Hearing health affects all aspects of your life and is related to many common health conditions such as diabetes, dementia, kidney desease, vision loss, and cognitive decline. More importantly, the social isolation can be so difficult such as not being able to follow conversations in public gatherings. How embarrassing to constantly ask…what did you say? Talking on the phone with hearing loss can also be challenging especially when you are talking with someone who does not speak clearly. These are the emotional effects of untreated hearing loss!
Not being able to hear clearly can also be dangerous such as not hearing a car approaching behind you or not hearing your grandchildren when they are in the other room calling out to you. This is clearly a safety issue. The benefits of wearing a hearing aid outnumber not wearing them and there should no embarrassment!
We are to tell you that hearing aids are a great fashion accessory! The hearing aid stimulates the auditory nerve and this is the best way to preserve your current level of hearing. Preserving your hearing is critical at this point and the real reason to diligently wear your hearing aids.
The Steps Involved In Getting A Hearing Aid
The first step is a hearing test. Everyone should get a hearing test..it is covered by health insurance and Medicare! When you receive your diagnosis and it is determined you need hearing aids your doctor will have you trial several pair from different companies until you decide which pair you are more comfortable with. Val tried a few and ended up with Starkey Livio. They come in various colors to match your hair! Once the brand is established, the doctor will program your hearing aids for your particular needs…such as do you eat out often and need restaurant mode…how about outdoor mode if you have a boat and are on the water which creates it’s own set of problems (wind tunnel!). This is all so easy and managed by an app on your phone or a button on the back of your hearing aid. You can toggle between settings! For instance Val has three settings…normal, Grandkid mode (they scream) and restaurant.
Here are the steps!
1.) First appointment is an hour and a half which includes your hearing test.
2.) Diagnosis is determined and a hearing aid try on and selection for you to trial for a week.
3.) Next appointment to check fit and review patients questions.
4.) Set up app on your phone with your personal setting selection depending on your lifestyle.
5.) Every four months is clean and check!
6.) Welcome to better hearing! Simple!!
Taking care of your hearing is so important in maintaining your all around health! Hearing aids will definitely improve your quality of life and the people around you will thank you too!
Gracefully Greying contributing writers: Bev and Val are co-founders of Seasons Embraced