Hearing aids are expensive – buying them is a major investment. Look after them and make sure you get maximum performance from them for as long as possible. Because if you take the time to care and maintain them, they will reward you with better hearing for longer
Protect your investment, clean and care for your hearing aids
Avoid the shower – When you go for a bath or shower, leave your hearing aids in the bedroom. Steam and moisture will quickly build up in the bathroom while you are in there – that’s not good for your aid.
Keep moisture out – Use a dehumidifying product like Hal Hen’s Super Dri Aid to remove moisture from your hearing aid. No matter how careful you are with your aids there will always be some level of moisture getting in – I firmly believe that products like Hal Hen’s help to keep hearing aids in good working order for longer.
Clean them – When you take your hearing aids out for the night give the outside casing a quick wipe with a dry or slightly damp cloth to remove any wax or other deposits. Always turn the aids off before cleaning them. If you are using a damp cloth to wipe it is a good idea to remove the battery first. I always keep the battery compartment shut to avoid accidently snapping it off. If you have Behind The Ear hearing aids you can detach the tubing so that you can soak it in soapy water. I plan to do a more compehensive post about cleaning hearing aids sometime soon.
Keep them safe – When you buy hearing aids, they usually come in a hard-case box, it is a good idea to store them in that when you are not wearing them. Pretty obvious really! Not only do I keep my aids in their box at night, I also put them on a high-ish shelf – I really don’t want to risk waking to find my daughter playing a game of funny marbles or my dog enjoying a pre-breakfast snack!
Get them serviced – Your hearing aid supplier will almost certainly also offer to service your hearing aids for you too. This can be expensive so it’s worth finding out the cost beforehand. Some hearing aid suppliers may offer free servicing for a limited time after you purchased your aids – use it.
Avoid contact with make-up and hair spray – The fine particles produced by make-up or hair spray can easily bloke the microphone on your hearing aid.
One of my new year resolutions is to begin learning sign language. It is something I have been thinking about for many years but have never got around to doing. I guess, similar to a spoken language, sign is not something your are going to learn in a short period of time – I think I need to take positive action now and start to learn so that when I do eventually lose my ability to hear I will still have a method of communication.
I know next to nothing about ASL and BSL at the moment. I can sign the BSL alphabet, but that’s it.
Does anyone know of any good books, courses or online tutorials for learning ASL and BSL? As I live in the UK, BSL is my main priority but I’d like to learn a bit of ASL too.
Deaf travelers at Salt Lake International Airport now have the latest technology for making phone calls at their fingertips. Sorenson Communications has installed two videophone booths, which spokesperson Diana Lewis says are light-years ahead of the old T-T-Y phones:
“Those phones were developed in the 1960s and you have to type out your message. It’s very slow,” says Lewis. “The videophone has revolutionized the way the deaf community can communicate now.”
The videophone booths connect a deaf person to an American Sign Language interpreter who facilitates a conversation for with a hearing individual through a high-speed video feed. Salt Lake International is the first airport to install the technology – just in time for the Winter Deaflympics to be held here in February.
I have had quite a few emalis from people asking about Hal Hen’s dehumidifier products since I posted this. I’ve compiled some of the questions into a short FAQ below:
Do they work?
Yes! I have been leaving my Siemens ITEs in the pot overnight twice a week for years and I honestly believe that the dehumidification process has prolonged their life. On a couple of occasions I have got some rain-water in my aid and it has stopped working – a day or two in the Dri Aid pot has always managed to dry it out and get if fully operational again.
Where can I buy them?
The –>Hal Hen webiste has a contact form – if you fill that in they will let you know where your nearest stockist is. Alternatively, phone or email hearing aid vendors in your local area as Dri Aid products seem to be widely stocked by most vendors. You may also find some online stores selling them but I have no bought one online so I could not recommend any particular website.
How long do they last for?
I have had a Super Dri Aid pot for well over five years now and, as far as I can see, it is still working as well now as the day I got it! As long as you mircowave the pellets when you need to – you’ll know you need to mircowave them when the blue ones turn white – you should get a few years of service from a Dri Aid pot.
How much do they cost?
Super Dri Aid and Mini Super Dri Aid usually retail for between $15 and $20 in the USA and between £7 and £18 and the UK.
Hal Hen is an (oddly named) company that supplies many different types of hearing products. Their Super Dri AidTM and Mini Super Dri AidTM are dehumidifiers for your hearing aid.
Moisture is very, very bad news for your hearing aid. Dampness, sweat and humidity will shorten the lifespan of your battery and cause it to corrode. You can cause permanent damage to your aid if you allow excessive moisture to build up inside it; dropping it in water isn’t a good idea either, but I don’t think Dir Aid will help you out there!
Both the Super and Super Mini products are a glass pot, which is about 2/3 full with pellets. These pellets suck the moisture from your hearing aid once you have placed it inside and screwed the lid shut. Always remove the battery before you leave your aid in the pot. The pot contains white and blue pellets, the blue ones will fade to white after repeated use – once this starts to happen, the pellets have become saturated and it is time to dry them out. To do this, you simply empty the pellets onto a dish, cover them with a second dish and put them in the microwave for a short time.
I’ve been using a Super Dri Aid pot for years. I’ve had my current set of hearing aids for about 5 years now, I’m certain that regular overnight use of the Dri Aid pot has helped to prolong their life.
There is this one question that people ask me when they grow comfortable enough around me. That question: “You know how hearing people usually say they have a little voice in their head when they think? How about you? How do you think?” They are usually nervous that the question would offend me. First of all, it is extremely hard to offend me. Second, that is actually a good question! I recall the first time a friend asked me that and I didn’t even know how to respond because I never really thought too much about that. I just think, why question how I think?
This is a great article from Znuage. I am only partially deaf myself and it had never occured to me that deaf people might not be able to “hear” the voice in their head the same was as I can.
STAGETEXT provides captioning for theatres and other arts venues to provide access to live performances for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people.
STAGETEXT was established in May 2000 by Peter Pullan, Merfyn Williams and Geoff Brown. Each has a different type of deafness and a determination to improve access to the performing arts for all deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people.
“Captioning has made it possible for me to go to the theatre again. I no longer feel left out”
Captions are shown at the same time as the words are spoken or sung
People with any degree of hearing loss can fully understand
Sound effects or off-stage noises can be included
Full or edited text, any language
Scripted or live text
Captioning converts the spoken word into text, which is displayed on a caption unit that is viewed by the audience. As the captions roll (delivered live from a laptop computer by a trained captioner) audience members can follow what is said, when it is said and by whom. Sound effects and off-stage noises are also included.
Look for upcoming performances that are using STAGETEXT
For quite a while we have been trying to help people recognise the signs of hearing loss. We have also been trying to encourage people to take action. In an article I wrote called Why You Don’t Need Hearing Aids, The Lies You Tell Yourself, I tried to smash the lies we tell ourselves about our hearing. Some people even called it strident! I thought, but hey, I didn’t call them gobshites once! Anyway, everything we are saying must be true, a recent article in the Daily Mail (Doyen of legitimate English Journalism that it is) says so. But don’t worry, you can continue to put your fingers in your ears and hum to yourself while I explain it to the adults.
The Effect of Hearing Loss on Loved Ones
The article called “Partners of people who are going deaf endure frustration, anger and upset” detailed the effect of untreated hearing loss on the Partners of people suffering it. The article was based on a report from Nottingham University of a review undertaken of 78 separate studies into the effects of hearing loss.
11 of those studies solely concentrated on the feelings of the Partners of people with hearing loss. A further 18 studies focused on the impact of the person with hearing loss and their Partner. The findings were depressingly familiar for me.
Tales of Loss, Frustration & Sadness
The research highlighted that the partners of people losing their hearing endure frustration, anger and upset. All of the familiar complaints were represented, they have to put up with a blaring television. They consistently have to repeat themselves or raise their voice to be heard. One thing caught me by surprise though (see, not all-knowing), the Partners also reported becoming socially isolated.
They spoke about having to attend events alone as their deaf spouse withdraws over fears they will be unable to hear. I have heard this before, but sadly, I never realised the impact on the Partner. Probably because my focus was on the person with hearing loss. But, I am sad I missed it because I know that hearing loss impacts loved ones, I just didn’t realise how deep that impact could be.
While those with hearing loss suffer (needless) embarrassment, worry and fear of rejection. It was clear from the studies that both they and their partners experience frustration, anger and upset. The Partners of people with hearing loss said that acting as an interpreter, handling every telephone call, raising their voice, repeating words and avoiding misunderstandings is exhausting.
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Needless Pain
Why oh why, oh why? Honestly, why? Hearing loss is generally completely treatable, modern hearing aids are pretty damn exceptional. They are easy to use, easy to wear and they pretty much do what they are supposed to. So why would anyone put up with frustration, loss and emotional pain in their life?
Why Would You Inflict it on a Loved One?
Why would you inflict that on a loved one? Honestly, why?
No One Cares
Believe me, when I say it, no one cares about the fact that you may wear hearing aids. I have said it before, hearing loss is not a statement on you, it just is. Not doing something about a hearing loss that is obvious to everyone, is more of a statement on you. Especially if it is causing so much emotional harm.
Truly, is it more embarrassing to be in control of your own ability to communicate or to stumble through life trying to bluff something while everyone knows you have a problem?
Withdrawal and Lost Opportunity
Steve wrote a great article recently, it was called “My life with hearing loss“. In the article, he was very honest about his experiences with hearing loss as he grew up. One of the things that struck me was his sense of lost opportunity and his question of what if? He said
“Looking back, I realise I started to withdraw from group conversations quite a bit, simply because it was the easier to do that than try to follow. I can remember the dread of being in a group and worrying someone might turn to me and say something like, “so, what do you think, Steve?”, to which my only answer could have been, “eh…I have no idea what we are talking about”. I guess some people who knew me back then must have thought I was weird, rude or stupid. I must have answered some people with some things that were totally out of context with what they were saying, I must not have heard a lot of people and misheard a lot more. I also wonder if I would have gotten better grades at school if I’d worn my hearing aids, the grades I left with were decent but could I have done much better?”
Balancing The Voices in Your Head
Steve echoed my own thoughts in the article, I often talk about the voices in your head, the ones who would rob you of your confidence. The wheedly little voices we all know too well. The fact is, that we give them power, they are our own thoughts, not the thoughts of others. He put it eloquently when he said:
“I realise now that it was my own negative thoughts, my own worries that may have held me back in some small things, not my hearing loss, that was just my excuse that I could have easily fixed had I had the self-belief to do so. I should have worn hearing aids at an earlier age, should have embraced it and told everyone I couldn’t hear so well, turns out no-one is really bothered about it, it was just my own concerns. So, I don’t think my life today would be any different if I had perfect hearing, but I could have made the journey a lot easier on myself.”
Life is too important not to be living it
So maybe it is time to make your journey a little easier, oh and cut your Partner some needed slack. Life is too important not to be living it.
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A new type of stethoscope will enable doctors to hear the sounds of the body in extremely loud situations, such as during the transportation of wounded soldiers in helicopters.
The stethoscope uses ultrasound technology, similar to that used to generate images of internal organs, muscles and unborn foetuses.
The ultrasound stethoscope is almost impervious to loud noise and is capable of making accurate readings at noise levels up to 120 decibels, similar to the volume experienced at the front row of a rock concert.
In a report issued on Tuesday 07 November 2006, RNID, the national charity representing the UK’s 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people, claims only 63% of deaf and hard of hearing people of working age are in employment, compared to 75% of the national work force.
Dr John Low, Chief Executive of RNID, says: “The report clearly shows that many deaf and hard of hearing people are being denied the opportunity to work. If the Government is serious about providing employment opportunities for disabled people through its welfare reform programme, it must provide improved support to deaf and hard of hearing people seeking work through Jobcentre Plus and increase investment into its Access to Work programme.”
RNID investigated respondents’ experience of using Jobcentre Plus, which provides individuals with advice and assistance in getting into work. The report reveals nearly half (49%) of respondents feel Jobcentre Plus staff are not deaf aware. Obviously not all staff within Jobcentre Plus offices will be aware of the specific needs of all disabled people, so specialist Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) exist. However, 34% of respondents thought their DEA was not aware of the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people. Such a low level of deaf awareness amongst the very professionals who are supposed to provide expert advice and assistance is a cause for significant concern.
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