Hearing Aids - Some observations - Part 1
By Annalise K. Walker
Editor: In this article, Annalise Walker provides some interesting
perspectives on the love-hate relationship many people have with hearing
aids and the hearing aid industry. You can contact Annalise at enilorak@telus.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am eighty years of age and have been wearing hearing aids for more
than twenty-five years now. On this basis, I would like to offer some of
my observations and experiences, particularly the most recent ones.
Hearing aids are a very necessary adjunct for those of us, who have
lost the ability to hear or understand sounds and words; they are
necessary to continue communicating with the outside world. Some of us
have a minor hearing loss; some of us, me included, have lost almost all
hearing ability. In this situation, we are at the mercy of hearing aid
manufacturers as well as audiologists and hearing aid practitioners, all
of which can judge the effectiveness of these little instruments only by
what we, the clients, are prepared or able to tell them.
At first, I wore analog hearing aids, and they seemed to be quite
effective. Five years ago, I obtained, at the recommendation of my
audiologist, a pair of analog programmable aids. These instruments could
be programmed, with the aid of a small, digital apparatus.
My audiologist gave me the programmer, along with a descriptive
leaflet, to take home and accomplish the settings in various situations
to my own satisfaction. This I did and the hearing aids worked fine.
Until, three years later, I was called for a re-evaluation of my
hearing. My former audiologist was no longer available, and another
professional lady performed a new audio test and then reset the hearing
aids with the help of a computer program, instead of the special
programmer. The result left much to be desired, but, being in the middle
of a major move to another province, I did not go back to have the
settings revised.
Having settled down in my new home, I visited a hearing aid facility
and had a new audiogram taken, which showed that my hearing had not
changed significantly since the previous test. I enquired about the
special programmer, but was told, that such loaning of programmers is
not permitted here. I then asked the audiologist to reset the hearing
aids to my original settings. This was, again, done with computer
software, and, although the audiologist assures me that the computer
software is identical to the workings of the programmer, I was not too
happy with the result. I would like, here to refer the reader to Rick
Ledbetter's letter (at www.hearinglossweb.com/Technology/HearingAids/led.htm)
in which he says : "Just looking at the numbers doesn't insure that the
right setting will be gotten - as I learned the hard way - what is on
the screen does not reflect what actually happens in the aid."
The hearing aids provided me with a lot of irritating, extraneous
noises, particularly accompanying speech. A few months later, I
reluctantly decided to look into obtaining new hearing aids.
On my first visit, we discussed pricing of hearing aids, and I was
given several brochures covering various models of two makers. The
brochures extolled the virtues of these hearing aids in glowing terms,
but nowhere, on any of them, no matter of which make, were there any
specifications given, nor did the brochures give the cost of the
individual models; instead, the price was handwritten on the front
cover.
This indicates that the cost may be flexible; and the absence of both
technical data and price means that the average prospective buyer is
totally in the dark of what is generally available.
When we buy computers or cameras, or cars, we look at the
specifications first to see what is available and to compare the
technology and cost of several models. Such items are freely advertised
in newspapers and magazines, but hearing aids are not. Hearing aid
information seems to be available only on the Internet, but, since the
great majority of hearing impaired people are seniors, the question is :
how many of them have computers and know how to get information from the
Internet ?
Now to more detailed considerations :
1) Cost
Why are hearing aids so expensive? In comparison, computers cost
something like $800 to $1,000, while hearing aids cost in the range of
$1,500 to $3,000 and more. Computers have a far greater range and
capacity than hearing aids, and perform a much greater number of tasks -
often several at one time - as well as far more complicated tasks than
hearing aids.
There should be a law that cost of hearing aids be itemised, so that
the buyer knows exactly what the instrument itself costs, what is the
cost of the audiogram, and what is charged for additional consultation
with the audiologist. As mentioned above, buying a hearing aid through
an audiologist, limits us severely in our choice and in making
comparisons between various makes. In fact, in most cases we don't know
what other makes and models exist and at what price. We should be able,
audio graph in hand, to shop around and compare, before we commit
ourselves. Instead we are limited to the recommendations of our
audiologist, and few of us have the nerve to say "no thanks" and go
somewhere else. As things are at present, "going somewhere else" will,
almost certainly, involve yet another audiogram - and an additional $50
in consultation fees.
Here's Part 2
