Step 1: We’ll discuss your hearing aid options
If after your hearing test we found that you have hearing loss, we’ll talk about the best way to improve your hearing and whether you need any medical follow up.
Often, we recommend the use of hearing aids.
At this stage, it’s common to feel a range of emotions, such as shock, denial, embarrassment or relief. We’ll discuss how you feel about hearing aids and make sure you’re comfortable with the decision before proceeding. Being happy with your hearing aids is a key part of your success, so it’s important not to rush the decision and ask as many questions as you need.
Being an independent provider means we’re not owned by a hearing aid manufacturer. That gives us the flexibility to recommend a range of hearings aids and find the best solution for you and your lifestyle.
Step 2: We’ll talk about your needs
When we recommend hearing aids we’ll consider the following factors:
How ready you are.
One of the most important factors is how ready you feel to use hearings aids. If you don’t want to wear them they’ll end up in your bedside drawer, and they’re no use in there!
Your motivation.
You need to be motivated enough to give your hearing aids a good go, fix little issues when they arise, and have the patience to wear them long enough to let your brain adjust to the sound. This can take up to 6 months, but is usually much quicker
How difficult you find it to communicate.
People hear and experience noise in different ways. We’ll discuss the environments where you have the most difficulty communicating, for example in a noisy café, and look at the best solutions.
Your goals.
No two people have the same communication goals. We’ll work with you to find the situations where you find it difficult to hear, and where you would like to hear better. An example of this might be wanting to better understand speech in a group of people or watching the TV at a lower volume to make it more comfortable for your family.
Step: 3 Fitting your hearing aids
Once you’ve chosen your hearing aid, we’ll order it for you. Depending on the style chosen this may include taking impressions of your ear. Once we’ve received the hearing aid we’ll pre-program it to suit your hearing levels.
At your fitting appointment, we’ll go through the following:
- You’ll try the hearing aids to see how they feel. This is important as they need to be comfortable enough to wear every day.
- We’ll check how the aids sound. We’ll have pre-programmed your hearing aids to your hearing levels before your appointment. We’ll also run some tests on the aids while they are in your ears to make sure you’re getting the correct sound for your hearing levels.
- We’ll make further little adjustments to make sure the sound is comfortable for you.
- We’ll show you how to manage the hearing aids, such as taking them in and out and cleaning them
We’ll cover a lot of information during your fitting appointment, so it can be helpful to bring a friend or family member along to help you remember all the information. We’re always available if you forget anything though! If you use reading glasses please bring them along as we’ll be looking at some small parts and they’ll help you see what we’re discussing.