Time to Read: 10 minutes
Researchers have listed 10 reasons why people don’t wear their hearing aids.
We go through them one by one to explore the reasons why people don’t wear their hearing aids, what you and your audiologist can do to make sure your hearing aids work best for you, and how to ensure your experience with your chosen clinic is a positive one.
Those reasons are:
- The device itself - either wearing or handling the aid
- The device itself - the effectiveness of aid
- Your attitude to wearing hearing aids
- Personal - how you feel about wearing hearing aids
- Situational - getting used to wearing hearing aids
- Financial factors
- Appearance of the hearing aid
- Health care professionals' attitudes
- Ear problems
- Recommendations from others
Are you the one-in-three who doesn’t wear their aid?* Let’s find out.
*Did you know that Value Hearing clients enjoy a better than 95% success rate?
The device itself (wearing or handling the aid)
If you’re not wearing your hearing aids it might not be your fault - it could very be the hearing aid!
The smaller the hearing aid, the more difficult it is to correctly place in your ears, to clean and to change batteries, especially if you have dexterity issues.
And while some people say they would like to have the smallest, invisible hearing aids, the reality is, a behind the ear hearing aid model is easier to operate, and you might be surprised at how discreet they are.
Here is a link with an overview of the types hearing aids available.
Some people can find opening the little battery doors to switch off their aids, and to replace the batteries, extremely fiddly. If that is the case, consider using rechargeable hearing aids which sit in a docking station overnight and say goodbye to easily lost batteries.
The device itself (effectiveness of aid)
Today’s modern hearing aids are excellent and generally speaking, any brand you choose has a model that will suit most people.
However, some brands and types are better at addressing certain types of hearing loss than others. If you are seeing an audiologist who works for a manufacturer, you may not get to know about another brand that might be just a little bit better (and possibly less expensive).
Avoid disappointment by doing some homework before your appointment. We have a great 6 step guide that will help you choose the right hearing aid clinician and a Hearing Aid Buyers Guide that will help you choose the right hearing aid for the right reasons.
Your attitude to wearing hearing aids
Use it or lose it! It’s true when it comes to skills, fitness and hearing.
There is no question that hearing aids are important. We have a number of great articles here about the importance and value of wearing hearing aids but the biggest factor in the success of wearing hearing aids.
But the single most important factor is determining whether hearing aids will work is up to you and your motivation.
If you are resentful about the idea of wearing hearing aids at all, then you’re unlikely to get the most out of them - just like that unused gym membership.
And there are unrealistic expectations to overcome too. We explain why hearing aids won’t give you ‘20-20’ hearing.
Personal
Only you can truly know whether hearing aids are working effectively for you or not. Your audiologist will be able to tell how well the aids are transmitting sound, but that is only one half of the equation.
The ears hear but the brain listens - interpreting and making sense of the ‘noise’ that allows you to discern music, speech, warning sounds and other noises.
Many people give up on wearing their hearing aids too soon. Successfully wearing hearing aids takes time. We have some great articles on what to do to retrain your brain to start processing sound properly again.
Situational
Some people give up wearing hearing aids because they sound too loud or the new hearing aids pick up sounds that you don’t want to hear, like traffic or wind noise.
Others are dismayed by the idea that people will notice they’re wearing hearing aids.
Perhaps you believe you only need to wear hearing aids at particular times - such as a couple of hours while going out to dinner. Unfortunately that is not the case. Ideally, your hearing aids should be comfortable to wear for at least 10 hours a day and should work just as well in quiet as it does in noisy situations.
If you are finding this difficult, then contact your audiologist and ask for further assistance in understanding hearing aid programs and how to make the best use of them
Financial Factors
Hearing aids may be small, but they are jam packed with sophisticated technology, and as a result, they are not inexpensive.
We have an article here that looks at why hearing aids cost what they do.
The good news is they can be very affordable. The first thing to do is shop around. Hearing aid prices are not regulated so exactly the same hearing aid may wildly differ in price between providers. You can literally save thousands this way.
Ensure your clinician conducts a speech in noise test. This simple two-minute test, conducted alongside ‘real ear measurements’ homes in on the right hearing aid that will suit you - and you might be surprised that lower specified hearing aid is better than one with a higher spec.
Appearance
Appearances can be deceiving. And if your memory of hearing aids are large conspicuous devices, then you will be very pleasantly surprised by how small and convenient they are.
Some will fit completely in the ear canal and are virtually invisible but they may not suit every type of hearing loss.
Many behind the ears hearing aids are three cm long or less and come in a range of colours to blend in with your own hair colour.
Health Care Professionals' Attitudes
It is important that you supported on your hearing journey. You should be made to feel welcome and supported by everyone from the person who takes your call or email enquiry, through to the clinician and the people who help you afterwards.
If you are feeling like more a patient than a client, or just one of a quota to be filled or someone to be sold to, then make sure you visit a number of different clinics to make sure you find one that makes you feel valued.
When you’re a Value Hearing client, we share the processes we have in place to make sure your experience is consistent, no matter which clinic you attend.
Ear Problems
Sometimes with the best will in the world, you may struggle to use even the best hearing aids. And there can be any number of reasons for that, including:
- Ear wax
- Ear infections
- Narrow ear canal
- Surfer’s Ear
- Meniere’s Disease
- Damaged ears
- Tinnitus
We have some articles that will help you understand the issue and what you can do to help maximise your hearing with their conditions
Recommendations From Others
Don’t second guess yourself. Hearing aids which work well for one person won’t necessarily work well for another. If you’re not sure why your clinician has recommended a particular hearing aids for you, then ask.
Another thing to note, is that hearing aids which have been tuned for someone else may not work well for you. These devices should not be shared.
