(Family Features) If you find yourself constantly turning up the volume on the TV or asking people to repeat themselves, you’re not alone. In fact, 1 in 5 Americans – nearly 50 million people – ages 12 and older have hearing loss, according to the Hearing Health Foundation.
In addition, it takes 10 years, on average, for someone with hearing loss to seek help, according to a study published in the “International Journal of Audiology.” That’s 10 years of missed conversations with a spouse, compliments from a friend, secrets from a child and laughs with your family, all because many people aren’t sure where to go for care or have misconceptions about hearing aids.
As more people, especially younger people, are diagnosed with hearing loss, treatment has become easier to access. Hearing care professionals and hearing aid manufacturers, such as Beltone, have adopted advanced technologies and novel forms of care to treat an evolving patient population, ensuring that no one has to experience hearing loss alone. If you’re looking to make your hearing health more of a priority, now is the time as these advancements in technology can help improve your hearing and quality of life:
Clearer, fuller, richer sound. Newer hearing aids incorporate technology that enable advanced hearing capabilities, helping you understand more speech and hear the finer details in social and professional settings.
Rechargeable. Changing hearing aid batteries is a thing of the past. Now you can have hearing aids with a rechargeable battery (with some lasting up to 30 hours) and a portable charger.
Entertainment on demand. Wireless connectivity and Bluetooth technology have made their way to hearing aids. You can now make phone calls and stream TV, videos and more directly to your hearing aids. Some hearing aids, such as the Beltone Amaze, are also fully compatible with both Apple and Android devices.
Support is just a click away. Remote fine-tuning allows you to request and receive adjustments to your hearing aids from the comfort of your own home on a computer or from a smartphone.
Personal control. If you love restaurants, but hate the noise, an option like the Beltone HearMax app allows users to select personalized, preset environments, such as outdoor or restaurant. The app’s geolocation option also automatically remembers when you’re in a favorite spot and can adjust your hearing aids automatically.
Personalized style. Like having your own stylist, hearing care professionals are typically experts in fitting hearing aids to meet your individual needs and tastes. Today’s hearing aids vary in size, color and special features so you can blend in or stand out.
Comprehensive customer care. Working with a hearing care professional is essential in treating hearing loss. For example, Beltone’s exclusive care program is available at most of the company’s 1,500 hearing centers nationwide. Follow-up service is just a push of the button away as an easy-to-use mobile app can connect you directly to your hearing care professional.
Locate lost hearing aids. This is a feature you’ll never want to use, but will be thankful to have should the need arise. Through the use of apps, you can track your hearing aids if you misplace them.
To learn more about the latest in hearing aid technology and find a hearing aid that meets your needs, visit beltone.com.
