You know it’s time to upgrade your hearing aid if you’re walking around with one of those old-fashioned ear trumpets. Making that call when you have conventional hearing aids is trickier, though, so how do you know? You purchased your hearing aids 10 years ago, and they still get the job done, right?
Maybe you are better off using older hearing aids than having none, what’s the real cost? Hearing aid tech has advanced in the past several years. It’s gone from analog to digital, to begin with, and there are features now that weren’t even invented 10 years ago. Why should you be contemplating an upgrade? Here are a few good reasons.
Old Hearing Aids Are Not Very Reliable
Outdated or even low-quality hearing aids have real issues like that aggravating buzz you hear every once in a while. How about that feedback whenever you get close to a phone, that’s enjoyable. Occasionally that shrill feedback comes out of nowhere, too. Now why is it feeding back?
You’ve Become Desensitized to its Low Quality
You are used to going to a quiet place while everyone around you participates in conversation or wondering why the air conditioner is so noisy. Remember the time your grandchild sang you a great song she learned at school, but you could only hear every other word because your hearing aids kept cutting out. You still clapped, though.
Outdated hearing aids have all of these types of problems. A decade ago the attention was on raising the volume. Now, unwanted noise can be filtered out and modern hearing aids can do many other truly awesome things.
Old Hearing Aids Are Bleeding Money
Cost is always a factor when it comes to an upgrade. Newer technology is not cheap, but neither is wearing an old, obsolete hearing aid. Analog devices require new batteries frequently. You can imagine how expensive it will be, purchasing new batteries at least once every day.
Repair costs can also soar with older hearing aids. If you picture your hearing aid like a 1992 Buick, you get the point. Repairs are expensive and it’s constantly in the repair shop.
Nowadays, we Have Smart Technology
Bluetooth connectivity is a newer technology which has revolutionized hearing aid functionality. An analog device won’t have that feature. Having Bluetooth built into your digital hearing aid means that it’s compatible with your phone, your computer, perhaps even your television (unless they’re a decade old, too.)
The Key to Everything is Communication
It has been revealed by research, that you may earn less money if you suffer from hearing loss. So it’s apparent that it would be a benefit to your career if you had better hearing aids. It will be easier to hear what your boss and customers are saying. You will follow directions without being concerned whether you got it right and have essential interactions without worrying about whether your hearing aids will hold up or not.
Needless to say, better communication means an improved quality of life, as well. You don’t need to sit like a wallflower in the middle of discussions anymore. Jump right in and engage with the people around you.
You Just Want Your Hearing Aid to be More Stylish
How do you feel when you look at yourself in the mirror with that old hearing aid? Clunky? Totally obvious? Does this make me look old? Versatility and style are some of the most significant reasons to replace your hearing aid. Today’s hearing aids come in a number of colors, sizes, and shapes. You can have one hidden so tight into your ear that no one will ever see it, or you can make a fashion statement with an out of the ear hearing aid in your favorite color.
Clues That It’s Time
Now you recognize why a hearing aid upgrade is important, so now it’s time to learn what makes a hearing aid outdated. The time has come and here are the indications:
- There are changes in your hearing. Even when you have the hearing aids in, it seems like you don’t hear as well.
- Your life has changed, and your hearing aid has a difficult time keeping up. It’s annoying to take it out just to talk on the phone, or maybe you got a new job and now have to deal with more background noise.
- Your hearing aid randomly cuts out. You really can’t count on it working when you most need it.
- It’s obvious that you have an analog device. You should go digital as soon as possible.
- Your hearing aid feels heavy. Clunky, old technology weighs more.
- Your hearing aid is all you see when you look in a mirror. That obsolete technology takes up a lot of space, also.
- You are replacing the batteries every day. Modern hearing aids are more energy efficient, and many are rechargeable.
It’s not rocket science. If you’ve had your hearing aids for more than seven years, it’s time to trade up and hear better.