James Bond-style kit to enhance your hearing
DO NOT let your h e a r i n g l o s s lead to job loss, s a y s N a t h a n Gluck, a north London hearing care practitioner, adding: “Mistakes can be made when an instruction or message from a workmate is misheard or misunderstood and people become less effective.”
What causes hearing to deteriorate? One reason is constant exposure to loud noise in the past. Hearing can also be affected by medication, or simply by ageing, as the ear receptor cells become worn out.
Hearing loss is very common. According to the national charity Action on Hearing Loss (AoHL), there are 11 million people in the UK who do not hear well — that is one person in every six — but you should, nevertheless, seek help if you notice a problem. Gluck says: “Without help, those with untreated hearing loss cannot communicate effectively with work colleagues, family, friends and those around them.”
People may be reluctant to seek help because they believe that hearing aids will be intrusive or that they show you are getting old. But the digital revolution means that the large batteries, coils and microphones of old-fashioned hearing aids have been miniaturised. New hearing aids are so tiny that they can be placed right inside the ear canal, making them invisible to others; powerful enough to help people with even the most dif- ficult hearing loss and controllable, so that users can adjust them to suit the prevailing environment. Some designs can be left in place for weeks on end — the contact lenses of the ear.
Wireless technology has brought us some useful accessories, too. The DECT cordless phone transmits the voice of a caller to both ears simultaneously, reducing noise and maximising understanding. It includes a booster mode for times when users are not wearing their hearing aids and, thanks to the wireless streaming, the user can hold the phone in a normal position. People without hearing loss can use it like an ordinary phone.
There is also a pen-like microphone which reduces background noise and transfers the clear sound of the voice you want to hear directly to your hearing aids. A discreet clip-on microphone can be worn by a partner or colleague for one-to-one or group communication.
EasyCall, made by Phonak, connects hearing instruments to your mobile phone and to a Bluetooth streamer that allows you to hear stereo sound from your music system. Another attachment turns your hearing instruments into TV headphones.
“We all accept it when our eyesight deteriorates over time, but forget that the same is true for our hearing,” says Gluck, adding, “have your hearing tested every year and if you need help, let new technology change your life.”