Up to 30 million people across the United States have issues with hearing loss and could benefit from using a hearing aid. However, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) states that despite hearing aids being a necessity for some, realistically, less than 30% of those over 70s actually own and use a hearing aid regularly and just 16% of people between the ages of 20 and 69. So, why is this?
The truth is that many people doubt the massive advantages and developments of modern hearing aids and may still be embarrassed wearing one due to the misconception that they don’t make that much difference to hearing and may appear unsightly. However, with the massive advancements in technology, hearing aids can now replicate normal, healthy hearing more easily and are almost invisible due to much needed design changes.
Kivoney Mehrer is a hearing instrument specialist in Millvile and collaborates for the well known company Fairway Hearing, and we’d like to highlight that Mr. Mehrer has dedicated his career to improving the performance and style of hearing aids to encourage individuals with hearing difficulties to improve their quality of life. He says “Hearing technology has advanced exponentially in the past 10 years with more acute sensitivity, reduced interference issues and a modern look, meaning they can restore a person’s independence and improve their quality of life. The stigma around hearing aids should now be a thing of the past.”
Fairway’s new range of hearing aids that have just launched in 2022 offer a ton of extra features and much better sound quality to put people at ease. Let’s take a look at just a few of the fantastic new features that Fairway has to offer:
Hearing aids of the past held tiny batteries which required changing fairly regularly. However, as the majority of people who required a hearing aid are likely to be older and have more dexterity issues, changing these tiny batteries could become an issue.
Fairway aims to avoid this be presenting the brand-new rechargeable hearing aid. They can charge overnight using a charger included in the package. A full charge gives over 30 hours of listening, meaning you can charge the hearing aid overnight and be confident that you have enough charge to hear perfectly for the full day ahead.
These days there are apps for everything, and the Fairway hearing aid is no different. The new hearing aids are able to connect through an app to iPhone or Android devices meaning that you can turn up the volume and adjust your settings from your phone depending on your circumstances and the environment without having to fiddle behind your ear. For example, if you’re in a busy restaurant or on public transport, you can change your settings to block out background noise, meaning you can really focus on the event or the people you’re with.
There are also specific settings for talking on the phone to ensure the sound quality is better coming through the phone, so your remote conversations aren’t affected either and you can even stream sounds from your TV so you can really focus on your favorite movies.
For people who live a fair distance from the doctor’s office, it can become a hassle if the hearing aid needs tweaking to fit your exact requirements. Because there are lots of different hearing issues at many different stages, there’s no one size fits all option for fitting, and it can require a bit of trial and error.
However, the resound testing features allow you to communicate with your audiologist remotely and discuss the issue. The audiologist can then submit amendments through the app to update your earpiece. The President of Hearing Industries of America, Kate Carr, acknowledges “these types of updates are not only providing an efficient service to customers, but they’re also saving them time and money on travel. It’s an excellent piece of technology that’s been lacking for a long time.”
It’s a common phenomenon to dislike the sound of your own voice, but in those who wear hearing aids, this problem is often escalated and is names occlusion. When a person with a hearing aid talks, the hearing aid often blocks the ear canal providing an unnatural perception of their voice. This can cause a certain amount of paranoia and put people off wearing a hearing aid altogether.
The Fairway hearing aid solves these issues due to their partnered research with the University of Northern Colorado Audiology Clinic. Signia’s new technology, aptly named Own Voice Processing (OVP) detects the user’s voice and removes any background or interference sounds, meaning that the voice that the user’ hears is much truer to their actual voice and will make them feel more comfortable.
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits, Tom Wiffler, states that “The likelihood of someone with a hearing aid having a fall is around 300% higher than people without. This is because the majority of individuals using a hearing aid are in the later stages of life and may struggle with mobility, but also because hearing is an important sense which helps you to understand your surroundings. Without it, there’s more chance of accidents.”
The new technology in Starkey’s Livio AI device can detect the sound and change in the movement of a person who is falling or who has just fallen. The device itself is now able to contact up to 3 emergency contacts in this situation, meaning they can immediately call a family member, a home care service or even an ambulance, giving the user and their loved one peace of mind.
For more information about Fairway Hearing visit: https://www.fairwayhearing.com/
