4 Tips When Buying Hearing Aids for Seniors

hearing aid

Growing old is inevitable. While we may not be able to do the things we used to during our younger years, being old is not as bad as what people think. However, part of growing old means that we get to experience deterioration of our bodily functions, such as hearing.

Not being able to hear is a scary thought to most people. The good news is that there’s hope for elders: hearing aids. Hearing aids are the best solution for hearing loss, but many seniors tend not to use them.

The primary reason is that they think that it’s too expensive. In some cases, seniors refuse to use a hearing aid because they feel uncomfortable while wearing it. With this in mind, it’s crucial to get them the right kind of hearing aid.

What should you consider when buying the appropriate type of hearing aid for seniors? This article will tell you everything you need to know. Read on below to learn more.

#1 Prioritize Ease of Use

Since you’re buying a hearing aid for someone else, you should always have the wearer’s best interests. Ease-of-use depends on the wearer’s needs, such as hearing acuity, lifestyle, and preferences.

For your parents or grandparents, you can choose a hearing aid that has rechargeable batteries. These kinds of hearing aids are relatively easy to use since all you need is to fit them with a battery, and they’re good to go. You can also get them hearing aids with added features, such as noise reduction.

#2 – Choose Digital over Analog

Like most kinds of technology, even hearing aids have evolved from analog to digital. The only thing that analog hearing aids do is pick up existing sounds and make them louder for the wearer to hear.

On the other hand, digital hearing aids do way more than that. A digital hearing aid first digitizes the sounds before amplification, which allows for a cleaner, clearer sound. Digital hearing aids are the way to go if you want to make an elder’s life easier when it comes to hearing.

#3 – Find a Hearing Aid for a Specific Condition

It may seem that all hearing aids are the same at first glance, but that’s not the case at all. Some hearing aids are specifically designed to help with hearing-related illnesses, such as tinnitus, dementia, or severe hearing loss.

To help you get the best kind of hearing aid possible, you should take your family member to an audiologist for a diagnostic hearing test.

#4 – Get a Hearing Aid with a High IP Rating

It’s an unfortunate fact that no hearing aid is entirely waterproof. However, there are hearing aids that have significant water resistance. Every hearing aid has a two-digit Ingress Protection (IP) rating from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The first digit has a scale of 1 to 7 and indicates the degree of protection against dust and debris.

It’s also important to remember that the second digit has a scale of 1 to 9 and indicates moisture resistance. If a hearing aid has an IP rating of 78, that means it’s very well-protected. While they can be exposed to water, make sure to do so for only a short time because prolonged exposure to water can damage a hearing aid.

Conclusion

A hearing aid user, especially a senior, has to take all the time necessary to adjust to wearing a hearing aid. Your patience is also required because there may be instances where they’ll need assistance. A hearing aid may cost you, but there’s no cost greater than letting a loved one be able to hear again.

Fraser Valley Beltone provides hearing assessments to help patients determine if they are experiencing hearing problems or not. Our team of audiologists is well-equipped with the knowledge, and they will also prescribe the best treatment possible. Contact our Abbotsford or Langley hearing clinics today for a consultation!

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