So, you’ve had a hearing test and hearing loss was confirmed. Now what?
The next step would be to make an appointment with one of our Audiologists. Together we will go through a Communication Needs Assessment to find out what areas of your life are most important to you to improve. We will discuss different styles of hearing aids and different technology levels to determine what is best for you, your lifestyle, and financial considerations. If you choose a custom hearing aid, earmold impressions will be obtained to send to the manufacturer to make your hearing device. We will also discuss the addition of hearing aid accessories such as TV Streaming devices, Remote Controls, Remote Microphones, etc.
After making a recommendation and placing an order, we will schedule a hearing aid fitting appointment. At this appointment we will spend a lot of time counseling and programming the device based on the prescriptive targets from your hearing evaluation. We will discuss care and maintenance of the devices, changing the batteries or using your charging station, how to put the hearing aids in your ears, and how to remove the hearing aids. We may also discuss communication strategies and realistic expectations with the devices. There is a lot of information presented at this appointment, so we recommend that you bring a friend, family member, or loved one.
After the hearing aid fitting appointment, we will schedule you for a follow up appointment at either 1 or 2 weeks into your adjustment period. At this appointment we will make additional programming adjustments if necessary and address specific concerns or questions that you or your guest may have.
It’s that easy!
It is important to utilize the full 60-day adjustment period to your hearing aids. Chances are you are hearing sounds that you may have not heard for a while. Sounds may appear too crisp or tinny or your voice may sound hollow. Just like it takes time to get one’s depth perception back when fit with new glasses or contacts, it takes times to adjust to hearing aids. Hearing is a very complex system. When there is a hearing loss, the ear is unable to pick up on certain sounds and therefore cannot transmit the message clearly to the brain to be processed. The brain is a muscle and constantly adapts to incoming information or if there is a hearing loss, a decrease of information. Wearing your hearing aids consistently will help you to acclimate to the devices quicker.