New beginnings with new hearing aids
Jan Christensen
Copyright 2005
A discussion has come up on my home list about buying hearing aids. How expensive they are. Whether they need to be that expensive. Whether we could program our own aids if we had the software available to us. And whether audiologists or dispensers do all they could for us when we go in for our very first pair of hearing aids.
So, I came up with this laundry list of what I think the person who sees us when we first admit we need a hearing aid or two should also do for us:
- Has she told you to come back right away if the aids are uncomfortable, either because of fit or because of how they sound to you, and she will adjust them?
- Has she told you it might take more than two or three adjustments to get them the way you like them?
- Has she followed up with a phone call or email after a week or so to see how you're doing?
- Has she talked to you about assistive devices, showed you how to use the telecoil and what else it can do for you? Does she have some in her office to demonstrate, such as a PockeTalker ™ or FM system?
- Has she mentioned any organizations to you such as SHHH, SWC, ALDA?
- If you have tinnitus, has she told you about the American Tinnitus Association?
- Has she mentioned any meetings for hard of hearing folks in your area?
- Has she given you a Harris catalog, or any other catalogs or brochures about other items that might help with your hearing loss?
- Does she have a handout with a list of websites which might be helpful to you? Or books to read?
- Does she set up groups of her clients to talk about the practicalities of how to deal with hearing loss, perhaps incorporating most of the above in a group session to save her time?
- Does she have a referral for a mental health counselor or two who have experience counseling people with hearing losses in case you might need one?
- Has she given you a copy of your audiogram. (And are you keeping a file of them?)
- Has she tested your hearing WITH the hearing aids in, and given you an audiogram for that?
- Has she answered ALL your questions to your satisfaction?
I'm sure I've left out some things that would be helpful. Send them along to me at willwriteforfood@mindspring.com, and we can add them to the list!
Jan Christensen
World and Global
Bi-lateral severe-to-profound loss, two BTE digitals help in ideal situations