Are hearing aids expensive?
For anyone suffering from a Hearing Loss, a hearing aid will be the best investment ever made. Effective communication is fundamental to all our personal relationships.
Hearing instruments are distinguished by design and technology, with the variety of hearing aids available today makes it very likely that you will be able to find excellent sound in a comfortable price range.
PENSIONERS – If you are on a pension you are eligible for hearing aids which the government provides a subsidy. This subsidy will cover the full cost of some devices. The Hearing Services Program also provides the flexibility to “top up” the government subsidy to access more sophisticated technology.
VETERANS – If you have a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) card, you may be entitled to the full range of hearing services.
PRIVATE HEALTH FUNDS – It is worth while checking what your private health fund would contribute to hearing devices as many policies will have some allotment.
Hearing instruments are distinguished by design and technology, with the variety of hearing aids available today makes it very likely that you will be able to find excellent sound in a comfortable price range.
PENSIONERS – If you are on a pension you are eligible for hearing aids which the government provides a subsidy. This subsidy will cover the full cost of some devices. The Hearing Services Program also provides the flexibility to “top up” the government subsidy to access more sophisticated technology.
VETERANS – If you have a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) card, you may be entitled to the full range of hearing services.
PRIVATE HEALTH FUNDS – It is worth while checking what your private health fund would contribute to hearing devices as many policies will have some allotment.
Will a hearing aid restore my hearing?
While a hearing device will aid you in meeting your listening goals, the hearing aid will not restore your hearing. You will need to continue to wear the hearing aid to continue to benefit from it.
Will using a hearing aid make my hearing worse?
The hearing aid will not worsen or damage your hearing. Modern hearing aids are designed to decrease amplification of loud sounds, so that sounds are audible but not too loud. It is important to protect your residual hearing though. If you are going to be using loud machinery, equipment or attending a concert it is recommended that you remove your hearing aids and use ear protection (such as ear plugs or earmuffs).
Will people be aware that I am wearing a hearing aid?
There are a variety of different hearing aid styles available. Some styles are particularly discreet, with the only people knowing that you have a hearing aid being the ones that you tell. To find out which style of hearing aid would suit the anatomy of your ear and your hearing loss, please come in and speak with our friendly clinicians.
I tried hearing aids a few years ago and they didn’t work. Have they improved?
Hearing aid technology has made some quantum leaps forward in recent times in terms of size, fit and sound. Hearing aids no longer whistle and magnify the background noise. Digital microprocessors guarantee exceptional sound. Recent developments in hearing aid technology include:
The hearing aid itself is only half the solution. Receiving the correct training and ongoing support from a qualified clinician is fundamental to the success of the hearing aid.
- Noise cancellation which allows for an improvement in high level background noise reduction
- Program selection to allow for continued sound quality in different listening environments
- Wind noise reduction for greater comfort outdoors
- Wireless communication for easy integration with mobile phones
The hearing aid itself is only half the solution. Receiving the correct training and ongoing support from a qualified clinician is fundamental to the success of the hearing aid.
How long will it take me to get used to a hearing aid?
Every person’s hearing journey is different. There are several factors which contribute to the acclimatisation process, including the period of time that you have been living with an unaided hearing loss, the configuration of your hearing loss and speech discrimination scores and your ear health.
How long will my hearing aid last?
Although estimates vary, hearing instruments are generally expected to last 5-7 years. To extend the life of your hearing aid, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for daily maintenance and avoid exposing your hearing aid to moisture as this can cause corrosion in the device. Having regular appointments with your hearing car provider, will ensure that your hearing aid is working optimally for you.
Are two hearing aids better than one?
In most cases, yes. When both ears are impaired, studies have shown that two hearing aids improve speech understanding in the majority of listening environments, particularly in the presence of background noise. It also ensures that both ears stay active to reduce speech processing deterioration and enhances the ability to localise a sound source.
What are Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)?
Assistive listening devices can be used with or instead of hearing aids. They can assist when watching television, communicating over the telephone or going to public venues such as churches and theatres. An example of an ALD would be a TV headset, this device typically has a charging station that plugs into the TV and a power source and you would wear a headset which would stream the TV wirelessly to your ears. The benefit of this ALD is that you can watch TV at a moderate volume with others or mute the TV to allow TV watching without disturbing others.
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Code of Conduct Summary
Code of Conduct Summary