While hearing aids are your first treatment option for your hearing loss, sometimes they can use a little extra help, especially in complex listening situations. Assistive listening devices can help improve your phone calls, television watching, classroom learning and even help make sure you hear your doorbell.
Below is a breakdown of the different types of assistive listening devices and how they can help you hear better.
Telephones
Amplified telephones are designed specifically for people with hearing loss to be able to turn up the volume on the phone calls to hear speech clearly. These telephones do not require you to wear your hearing aids while talking on the phone, and focus on making it easier to hear high-pitched sounds.
Some models also include amplified ringtones to ensure users never miss a call.
Hearing aid compatible phones utilize acoustic or telecoil coupling, picking up the sounds from the phone and sending the information to your hearing aids to be amplified. This helps eliminate distracting background noise.
Televisions
Television shows and movies include a soundtrack, background noise and dialogue. These competing sounds can make it challenging to follow the storyline when the dialogue is distorted and difficult to understand.
Assistive listening devices connect to your television and wirelessly transmit the sound directly into your hearing aids. This allows you to control the volume within your hearing aids instead of having to turn the TV set up loud enough to bother those around you.
FM Systems
This older technology is still used in noisy situations like classrooms or public events. The system includes a transmitter microphone and a receiver. The speaker talks directly into the microphone, and that sound information is picked up by the receiver used by the hearing aid wearer. The speech signal is then delivered directly into their hearing aids.
There are also options users can implement to block out additional background noise.
Alerting Devices
While other assistive listening devices help make listening easier, these devices are focused on improving your safety. Common devices include:
- Vibrating alarm clocks
- Flashing light doorbells
- Vibrating and flashing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Alerting devices can be used by those with hearing loss regardless of whether they wear hearing aids.
To learn more about the benefits you could find from assistive listening devices, contact the experts at Hearing Health Centers today.