Overly complicated hearing aids can pose several challenges for the users, especially for older adults and young children. Here, we will discuss how to choose hearing aids that are easier to use.
Hearing aids are considered easy to use depending on the model, volume adjusting buttons, switching hearing modes, noise-canceling features, ease of adding assistive devices, rechargeable battery, and connecting with mobile devices. We will discuss them in more detail right below.
Buying Guide for Easy to Use Device
An easy-to-use hearing aid device will need to give you the best hearing experience without compromising the sound quality. So, while getting your hearing aid, consider the following factors:
Hearing Aid Model
The hearing aid models are one of the primary concerns for ease of use. There are four distinguishable hearing aid models available to buy:
- Receiver in the canal or receiver in the ear (RIC or RIE)
- Behind the ear (BTE)
- In the ear (ITE)
- In the Canal (ITC)
RIC and BTE hearing aids feature the largest hearing aid models, while ITC is the smallest of them all. Therefore, ITC and ITE hearing aid models will need more careful handling as they can pose problems if you are a new hearing aid user.
BTE and RIC hearing aids are easier to handle and will give you easily adjusting options. However, if you want a comparatively discrete yet easier-to-use device, RIC hearing aids that are barely noticeable while behind the ear are your best bet.
Check out this RIC model hearing aid from NanoHearingAids. This product is very easy to use, and many users used and recommended this product.
Volume Adjusting Buttons
For children and less technologically advanced folks, bigger volume buttons on their hearing aids can be beneficial. With bigger volume buttons, the users can easily identify them and adjust according to their needs.
Generally, bigger hearing models feature bigger volume buttons. Therefore, RIC and BTE hearing aids are prescribed for older adults and younger children.
Some ITE hearing aids also feature bigger buttons for adjusting volumes. Here the earmolds are custom-made to accommodate the user’s preferences.
Switching Hearing Modes
It is natural for anyone to be in different environments at different times. Therefore, hearing aids users will need their devices to work differently when they change places.
They may need to reduce background noise or hear everything louder depending on their surroundings. Hearing aids that can automatically change mode when the user changes places are a great advantage.
Many hearing aids now can calibrate for different environments and automatically shift to accommodate the user’s hearing necessities. The more modes a hearing aid can host, the better the user’s hearing experience.
Additionally, the mood changing needs to be automatic, quick, and precise for a hearing aid to be user-friendly.
Noise-canceling Features
Noise is one of the most faced problems for hearing loss patients. It can make a huge difference for hearing aid users in hearing sounds.
Hearing aids with the noise-canceling feature can address this problem accordingly and give the users the best hearing experience.
Ease of Adding Assistive Devices
Some hearing aid users may need assistance from hearing assistive devices to hear sounds and lead their daily lives. Therefore, an easy-to-use hearing aid should host assistive devices to help users.
Users may need to add microphones or TV streamers to make their lives easier. So, hearing aids that can accommodate hearing assistive devices are best for users.
Rechargeable Battery
Changing batteries in hearing aids can pose some challenges for users. Hearing aids with rechargeable batteries can solve this problem greatly.
Rechargeable batteries in hearing aids allow users to charge the device once the battery is low. Therefore, you don’t have to deal with small hearing aid parts and forget the hassle of changing batteries.
Connecting with Mobile Devices
Most hearing aid devices nowadays are enabled to connect with smartphones. It has allowed the hearing aids more functionality and makes them easier to control.
Hearing aids that are enabled to connect via Bluetooth or WiFi can be controlled easily by smartphones. The user can customize their hearing through hearing aids with this feature easily.
Moreover, these hearing aids can stream music and other important information directly from the phone to users’ ears. Thus, users may not need assistive devices to hear clearly. Also, if the users want, they can connect with nearby devices for hearing sounds better.
Bottom Line
Hearing aids need to accommodate the best interest of the users without compromising the sound quality. A good hearing aid should offer you all the functionality while giving you the best hearing experience. Therefore, you should ask your audiologist about all the functions you can have from a hearing aid before purchasing the device.
If you follow our buying guide, you can easily find a hearing aid device that serves all your requirements.