We have seen enormous changes in the help for hearing loss or the last few years. Do you remember seeing drawings in your childhood storybooks of people holding a big curved cone to their ear to help them hear? Compare that to the equipment or surgery available now. Hearing aids are almost invisible and custom fit and other aids are available to help people with hearing loss. Amplified telephones, doorbells, alarm clocks, and other assistive devices are now available to help people with hearing loss. There are many options to help meet the need and recent technological advances have improved the listening and amplification quality.
For example, an inline amplifier can be installed on the telephone or a portable amplifier can be attached to the handset and hearing a telephone conversation just might be possible again. This is important for all of us and for someone with a hearing loss, the telephone may be the link that allows them to remain at home independently.
Hearing in a room crowded with people talking has always been a challenge for all of us, and especially so for those with hearing loss and for those developing equipment to help with hearing loss. A personal sound amplifier can be very helpful for many people. These small units have a microphone and can pick up sounds in a theatre, meetings, lectures, a worship service, listening to the TV or just a simple conversation. Some of them can dampen background noise and focus on the person speaking. They are available with a variety of headphones, earbuds or neckloops and some of these can be attached to a hearing aid.
Wireless FM systems have made it possible for students to attend regular classes. If the lecturer wears a clip-on microphone the student's receiver can amplify the sound and deliver it by headphones or a neckloop connected to their hearing aid. The same type of technology is available to help with listening to your TV, radio or MP3 player. Some of the systems are designed to be flexible with various add on options for different needs and occasions. This can help maintain an active social life. One system has a transmitter for audio signals from the TV, radio or MP3 player directly to the receiver, which produces sound without delay to a hearing aid. It has a microphone for use with conversations and a Bluetooth microphone that will deliver mobile phone calls directly to your hearing aid. These devices have simple controls and are easy to set up and use. New and better technology is being developed all the time, but we have come a long way from the handheld hearing cone pictured in our storybooks.
