Assistive listening devices (ALDs) are devices that can help a listener function better in day-to-day communication situations. ALDs can be used with or without hearing aids to make hearing easier, which can reduce the overall stress and fatigue of listening. ALDs can be used in the home to make alarms, the television and telephone more audible. They can also be connected to personal hearing aids for better listening in noisy environments.
Assistive Listening Devices are not solely for people who use hearing aids. Individuals with different degrees of hearing loss can benefit from these devices. If you are unsure if you are candidate, the following questions may help direct you to a decision :
- Do you often feel frustrated after struggling to carry a conversation?
- Do you turn up the television and radio to maximum volume?
- Do you feel like people are mumbling when they’re talking to you?
- Do you ask people to repeat themselves because you didn’t catch what they said?
- Do you hear better out of one ear compared to the other?
- Do people tell you that you’re speaking loudly?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you should definitely consider investing in an Assistive Listening Device.
Telephone Assistive Listening Devices
Communication through technology can be extremely challenging if you cannot comprehend what the person on the other end of the line is saying to you. Amplified captioned telephones are specifically designed for people with hearing loss, allowing you to turn up the volume in order to hear more clearly.
Some telephone ALDs can be used with hearing aids and these are referred to as hearing aid compatible. There are also telephone amplifying devices that you do not need to wear hearing aids. These telephones can make it much easier to hear high-pitched sounds and include amplified ring tones so you won’t miss a call. The phones also include captions, which is extremely helpful for individuals that have severe hearing loss.
Cell Phone Assistive Listening Devices
Landlines are aging and many people are ditching theirs to just use mobile cell phones. By law, telephone manufacturers must make phones compatible with hearing aids including smartphones like iPhones and Androids. Hearing aid compatible phones use either acoustic or telecoil coupling and there is a difference between these two. Acoustic coupling picks up and amplifies sounds from the phone as well as any noise around you. Telecoil actually blocks out background noises and only picks up the phone signal for amplification. Therefore, many people argue that telecoils in hearing aids are the preferred choice since background noises is blocked out during phone calls.
Television Assistive Listening Devices
Watching television is not supposed to be stressful. However, it certainly can cause stress, frustration, and anger when you don’t understand what the characters in your favorite show are saying. Turning up the volume to full blast could help, but it’s not an ideal situation when you’re watching TV with others or your neighbors complain about the loud noises. Turning on captions or subtitles is helpful, but it’s not as enjoyable as hearing the actual voices and sounds of whatever you’re watching.
TV hearing devices have several advantages for someone who struggles with hearing loss including the following :
- The direct delivery of the auditory signal improves the overall clarity of sound
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They send the signal directly to headphones or hearing aids, minimizing the interference of background noise in the room
- The person with hearing loss can operate their personal volume independently of the volume others watching choose to set the TV volume at
Alarm Clock Assistive Listening Devices
It’s a terrible feeling waking up and realizing you slept through something important that you were supposed to attend. ALD alarm clocks are super useful for helping to wake up people with hearing loss who may sleep through an ordinary alarm clock sound. These clocks use a combination of approaches to wake up people from the deepest of sleeps. For example, many of these clocks have a louder alarm sound and a bed shaker feature. They still have the same functions that a traditional alarm clock would.
You don’t need to have hearing aids or suffer from severe hearing loss to invest in an ALD. These devices are intended to help even those who just have minor hearing problems. If you think you’re a candidate for an ALD, we will help you evaluate several different options and choose the device best suited for you. Make the choice to improve the quality of your life and schedule your appointment today. Contact Us
Article Adapted from : healthyhearing.com
