Hearing aids, while extremely durable and reliable, need replacing after a certain period of time. Hearing aids have an average lifespan of 3-6 years, however in some cases may need to be upgraded earlier. Think of your hearing aids as you would a pair of eyeglasses; your eyesight will change over time, and so will your hearing.
While we absolutely understand that hearing aids are an investment and most people aim to get the maximum lifespan from theirs, it’s worth checking in every now and then to make sure your current pair is still fit-for-purpose.
So, when is it a good time to consider an upgrade? Here are some reasons you may want to consider a hearing aid upgrade;
You think your hearing has changed
Hearing needs can change over time, particularly as we age. It’s a possibility that your current hearing aids, while initially optimally prescribed, are now not capable of handling your hearing loss. If you find it increasingly difficult to follow speech or hear the TV and radio, it could be a good time to visit your nearest HearClear Audiology clinic for an assessment and adjustment. A new hearing assessment can shed some light on whether your hearing has changed and whether your current hearing aids can be reset to meet your changing needs, or if a new pair of hearing aids may be required.
Your hearing aids are not working the way you’d like them to
One of the most common signs that someone is not happy with their hearing aids is that the hearing aids spend more time in a drawer than they do in/on the ears. If your hearing aids are not functioning as effectively as they once did, the first thing to look into is cleaning or repair.
Hearing aids are subjected to earwax, moisture, and other debris, so your hearing aids may merely require a cleaning. In other cases, the electronics within the hearing aids require repair, but otherwise the hearing aids are still effective.
If your hearing aids are damaged beyond repair or if they are beyond their regular life-span, you might wish to upgrade to a new pair.
You’ve had a career or lifestyle change
Sometimes a change in jobs, living situations, or even picking up a new hobby might throw you into situations that call for better hearing aid performance. For example, you might have moved from a job where you conduct a lot of face-to-face meetings to one where you’re on the phone or joining conference calls a lot. A change in day-to-day activities like this can really highlight the need to upgrade to more sophisticated technology. New brands of hearing aids can stream phone calls and other media wirelessly from your mobile phone straight to your hearing aids, producing clear sound that you can freely adjust.
Picking up a new hobby can put you in some new, and challenging situations in terms of hearing. Maybe you’re taking up a dance class, where there’s lots of noise, music, and people talking all at once! More modern hearing aid technology can help you isolate the sounds you need to hear, like conversation or instructions, and minimise the ones you don’t, so you can reap all the social benefits of your new pastime.
It’s a good idea to make a list of all the circumstances in which your present hearing aids are not performing the way you’d like them to. This will help our audiologists identify the hearing aids that can better meet your needs.
You want to take advantage of the latest technology
Hearing aid technology is changing quickly. Every year, remarkable new hearing aid functionality is released. Connected hearing aid models can sync to your smartphone and other devices in your home, so you can stream phone calls, music, TV shows and videos wirelessly to your ears. Some can even notify you when you get an SMS and have Siri read it straight to your hearing aids.
In this day and age, we’re rarely without our smartphones – they go wherever we do. So, certain hearing aid devices can now tap into your phone’s geo-tagging functionality to recognise your favourite places and activate a memory profile on arrival based on your setting preferences, e.g. home, work or your favourite coffee shop. This kind of functionality allows you to pop your hearing aids in of a morning, and forget them until you’re ready to take them out at night.
Even if it’s been just a few years since you were fitted with your last pair of hearing aids, you’ll be surprised at the new features and benefits of the latest models.
Still not sure whether you can benefit from an upgrade of your hearing aids?
At HearClear Audiology we offer our clients a 30-day obligation free trial to allow you to test the latest technology in your world, not just in our clinics. This means you can test drive the new hearing aids in all the settings where your current ones are not meeting your expectations and make a comparison for yourself.
Click here to view all HearClear Audiology locations or call us on 1300 552 207 to make an appointment at any of our clinics.
We recommend our hearing aid users have an annual hearing check with one of our hearing specialists to keep track of any changes, make adjustments if necessary or see if an upgrade could be beneficial. If you haven’t had your hearing checked for a while or you’re keen to see what a hearing aid upgrade could do for you, call us on 1300 552 207 to book an appointment.
