You know it’s time to upgrade your hearing aid if you’re still using one of those old-school ear trumpets. Making that call when you wear conventional hearing aids is trickier, though, so how does one know? You got your hearing aids a decade ago, and they still do the job, right?
While it could be true that older hearing aids are better than nothing, chances are what little advantage you get from using them comes at a cost. Hearing aid tech has progressed in the last several years. Some of the features of modern-day hearing aids hadn’t even been designed a decade ago. For one thing, they’ve gone to digital from analog. Why should you be thinking about an upgrade? Here are some good reasons.
Old Hearing Aids Are Not Very Reliable
Older or even poor-quality hearing aids have serious issues like that irritating buzz you hear every once in a while. What about that feedback whenever you get close to a phone, that’s a lot of fun. That noisy feedback occasionally happens for no obvious reason. Now why is this happening?
You’ve Gotten Used to Its Failings
You’re now used to wondering why the sound of traffic is so loud or to sitting quietly while everyone else has engaging discussions. 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 going out. But you still clapped.
These are all weaknesses associated with outdated hearing aids. Ten years ago the emphasis was on turning up the volume. Now, unwelcome noise can be filtered out and modern hearing aids can do lots of other truly amazing things.
Old Hearing Aids Are Wasting Money
When you’re considering upgrading your hearing aid, cost is a big factor. You will need to make an initial investment with new hearing aids but old ones will also be costly over time. You will be constantly buying new batteries with an analog hearing aid. If you are purchasing new batteries on a daily basis, or even more often than that, the costs can get very high.
Old hearings aids can potentially spend more time at the shop, too. If you think of your hearing aid like you think of a 1992 car you would get the point. It’s in the repair shop more than it’s in your ear and repairs expensive.
Smart Technology is a Thing Now
Most contemporary hearing aids have Bluetooth functionality. You won’t find that in an analog unit. Your phone, tablet, and even your computer can be connected, via Bluetooth, to your hearing digital aid.
The Secret to Everything is Communication
Studies show that hearing loss can mean a reduced paycheck. So it’s clear that it would be a benefit to your career if you had better hearing aids. It will be easier to hear what customers and your boss are saying. You will be capable of following directions without being concerned whether you heard it right and have critical conversations without worrying about whether your hearing aids will hold up or not.
Of course, better communication means a better quality of life, as well. You don’t need to sit like a wallflower during conversations anymore. Jump in and engage with the people around you.
You Just Want Your Hearing Aid to be More Stylish
When you look in the mirror at your old hearing aid, how do you feel? Clunky? Totally obvious? Oh my god? One of the most substantial perks that come with replacing old hearing aids is style and flexibility. Contemporary hearing aids come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. You can wear a visible one in your favorite color or a discrete one hidden from sight inside your ear.
Clues That It’s Time
Now you know all the reasons you should want a hearing aid upgrade, but not what you should specifically look for that says your device is at risk of being called an antique. Here are a few telling indications that the time has come:
- Your hearing has changed. Even when you have the hearing aids in, it seems as if you don’t hear as well.
- Your old hearing aid just can’t keep up with your evolving life. Every time you have to talk on the phone, you have to take it out and background noise has become a real challenge.
- Your hearing aid keeps cutting out. It’s simply not reliable anymore, and that’s problematic.
- It’s obvious that you have an analog hearing aid. Ouch, go digital right away.
- Your hearing aid is heavy. Awkward, old technology weighs a lot.
- Your hearing aid is the only thing you see when you look in a mirror. Back when that old hearing aid was new, technology was much larger.
- You need to replace the batteries constantly. Contemporary hearing aids are more energy efficient, and many come with rechargeable batteries.
It isn’t brain surgery. If you’ve had your hearing aids for more than seven years, it’s time to trade up and hear better.