You know it’s time to replace your hearing aid if you’re still using one of those old-school ear trumpets. When you wear conventional hearing aids, coming to that realization is more tricky. Your ten year old hearing aids still function, right?
While it might be true that older hearing aids are better than no hearing aids, chances are what little benefit you get from them comes at a price. Hearing aid tech has advanced in the past few years. Some of the functions of modern hearing aids hadn’t even been designed 10 years ago. For starters, they’ve gone to digital from analog. Consider some reasons why it’s time for you to be thinking about an upgrade.
Your Old Hearing Aid Isn’t That Reliable
Outdated or even poor-quality hearing aids have real issues like that aggravating buzz you hear every now and then. And it’s always a great time when you get near a phone and your hearing aid starts to feedback. At times that high pitched feedback comes out of nowhere, too. Now why is it feeding back?
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 everybody else has engaging discussions. Do you remember when your hearing aid wouldn’t stop dropping out when you were trying to listen to your grandson perform a song and you could only hear parts of what they were singing. But you still clapped.
Older hearing aids have all of these kinds of problems. Raising the volume was the primary objective in hearing aids a decade ago. Today, hearing aids perform magic tricks such as filtering out background noise, so no more noisy air conditioner.
Older Hearing Aids Will Cost You More Money
When you’re thinking about a hearing aid upgrade, expense is a big factor. You will have to make an initial purchase with new hearing aids but older ones will also be costly with time. You will be constantly buying new batteries when you have an analog hearing aid. You can imagine how expensive it will be, replacing batteries at least once a day.
Repair costs can also be very high with older hearing aids. If you think of your hearing aid like a 1992 Buick, you get the idea. It’s in the shop more than it’s in your ear and repairs expensive.
Smart Tech is a Thing Now
Bluetooth connectivity is a newer technology which has transformed hearing aid capability. You won’t get that in an analog device. Your tablet, phone, and even your computer can be connected, using Bluetooth, to your hearing digital aid.
Communication is The Secret to Everything
Studies show that hearing loss can mean a lower paycheck. Doesn’t it seem sensible then that better hearing aids would be a career asset? It will be easier to hear what your boss and customers are saying. You won’t have to stress out about missing some essential information or if your hearing aid battery will quit when you need it most.
Obviously, better communication means a better quality of life, too. You don’t need to sit like a wallflower during conversations anymore. Don’t hesitate to get right in and connect with others.
You Really Want a More Stylish Looking Hearing Aid
When you look at your old hearing aid in the mirror, what words come to mind? Clunky? Obvious? Does this make me look old? One of the most significant benefits that come with replacing old hearing aids is design and flexibility. Today’s hearing aids come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. You can have one hidden so tightly in 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.
How to Know That it’s Time to Upgrade
Now you know all the reasons why you should get a hearing aid upgrade, but not what to specifically look for that says your device may end up being called an antique. Here are a few telltale signs that the time has come:
- Your hearing has changed. You don’t hear as well as you once did even with the hearing aid in.
- Your life has evolved, and your hearing aid has a difficult time keeping up. Whenever you need to use the phone, you have to take it out and background noise has become a real challenge.
- Your hearing aid keeps quitting. It’s just not dependable anymore, and that’s a problem.
- It’s clear that you have an analog hearing aid. You should go digital as soon as possible.
- Your ears feel weighted down. Analog hearing aids weigh a lot.
- Your hearing aid is all you see when you look in a mirror. Back when that old hearing aid was made, technology was a lot bigger.
- You are replacing the batteries constantly. Modern hearing aids are more energy efficient, and many come with rechargeable batteries.
It’s an easy choice. It’s time to replace your hearing aids if they’re more than 7 years old.
