Hearing Health Center recently introduced the option to lease hearing aids. It certainly makes sense. After all, we lease our cars, our smart phones, and office equipment. Why not lease our hearing aids?
Although cost isn’t the number one reason for the 80% of Americans who need hearing aids but don’t wear them,* it can certainly be a barrier to getting help.
Why Leasing?
Most people think of cars when they hearing the word leasing. Today, more people lease their cars than actually buy them. Why?
- Because they want to upgrade to the latest model every couple of years
- Because as the car gets older, it will need more maintenance and more repairs.
- Because they can drive a better, more expensive car, with affordable monthly payments.
Leasing quickly spread to other industries, including office equipment, medical and laboratory supplies, computers and IT equipment. The latest leasing trend is our smartphones. By the time we’re done paying for it, in low monthly installments, we are really to trade-in for the latest and greatest phone on the market.
Leasing Hearing Aids
The average life of hearing aids is between 3 and 5 years. Nationally, hearing aid users get new devices every 3.6 years. The reason is not necessarily because their hearing aids are bad. People get new hearing aids because:
- The prescription changed. Hearing never gets better. The hearing aids you got 3 years ago may no longer be appropriate for you.
- Ears change. The size and shape of the ear and the ear canals change with age, and wearing hearing aids often stretch the ear canal. Weight loss and weight gain also have an effect on the ears. Hearing aids may not fit correctly after a while.
- Technology advances and improves. New hearing aids increase clarity, especially in background noise, and enhance ability to communicate and participate in important conversations and activities.
If one of the things holding you back is the expense, leasing is a great solution. Most hearing aids leases are for three years. Monthly payments are as low as $99, for good hearing aid technology. Payments for the best, most advanced, premium hearing aids are approximately $200/month.
At the end of the three year lease, you can buy the hearing aids outright at a discounted price, or better yet, simply sign a new lease and get the newest developments in hearing aid technology. You’ll always have the best hearing and clearest quality of sound.
The Advantages of Leasing Hearing Aids
There are a lot of reasons why a lease may be the right option for your circumstances. Just a few of the benefits of leasing include:
- Affordability
- No large, out-of-pocket expenditure
- Buy-out options
- Flexible payment plans and financing
- No maintenance, repairs, or follow up costs**
Is a Hearing Aid Lease Right for Your Needs?
Only you will be able to answer this question. If you intend to wear your device until it is completely worn out and do not care about having the best possible technology, this may not be the best option. If you are interested in having a technologically advanced device, the ability to upgrade your device and want any potential issues taken care of properly, a lease is the ideal solution.
*The number one reason for not treating hearing problems is that most people don’t think their hearing is “bad enough.”
**Many leasing options include all maintenance, cover routine maintenance, clearings, reprogramming and adjustments, and manufacturer repairs.
Your Voice on a Tape Recorder (or through a Hearing Aid)
Did you ever hear your voice on a recording or through a hearing aid? Bet you didn’t like it. You most likely thought it didn’t sound anything like you. In fact, in a study of subjects listening to recordings of their own voice, along with recordings of 19 unfamiliar voice recordings, only 38% of subjects recognized their own voice.
Whether you liked or hated the sound of your voice on a recording that is the “real” sound of your voice. That is the voice others hear when you speak. It is not however, the voice you hear. The sound waves, created when we talk, create vibrations in our vocal cords, the vibrations of our vocal cords, soft tissue, and bones in our head. This makes us sound richer and deeper to ourselves.
WHAT’S NORMAL? How Your Voice Sounds With a Hearing Aid
Nearly everyone that puts on a hearing aid for the first time hates the sound of their voice. After putting on the hearing aids, every audiologist hears, “Ewww, I hate my own voice.” “I sound hollow and like an echo.” “I sound like I’m in a tunnel.” “I sound so raspy.”
The response of every audiologist is, “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.” That is true. The majority of hearing aid users do quickly get used to, and accept, the sound of their own voice.
“Normal” is what you’re used to. You’re used to hearing yourself with a hearing deficit at many of the pitches of speech. Your hearing changed gradually over 15 to 20 years. You didn’t notice that, little by little, your voice changed subtly along with it. Suddenly, in one minute, you’re hearing all of the pitches that took 20 years to lose.
It’s shocking. You don’t like it. No one likes it. But really, you do get used to the sound of your voice through hearing aids. Your “new” voice becomes your “new” normal. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen overnight
THE GOOD NEWS. Hearing Aids Deliver
Faster Adaptation and more immediate relief are on their way. By understanding, and then manipulating, the intricacies and dynamics of sound, hearing aid manufacturers have gone to great lengths to reduce the shock of hearing a new you.
Technology really is amazing (when your computer works).
Tackling Cocktail Parties: The AI Hearing Aids that Read Your Mind
The human brain is unparalleled in its ability to pick out certain phrases and attention-grabbing phrases that pique our interest from the din of everyday life. Hearing aids, on the other hand, are not-so-hot at the so-called “cocktail party effect,” – rather than singling out the center of attention, they amplify all auditory stimuli equally.
However, this past week researchers unveiled a potential solution to this equal-amplification issue: a revolutionary AI (artificial intelligence) hearing aid that is able to read one’s mind. It works by employing artificial intelligence to segment the sounds of different speakers and sources while reading the brain’s activity to select a center of attention. From there, these hearing aids amplify that single voice/stimulus that the brain is focusing on, as explained in Science Advances.
This forward-thinking technology has unlimited potential to disrupt the hearing industry, but there are still significant hurdles to surmount before the consumer is able to benefit from this innovative research. For this AI-powered hearing aid to be widely accessible to all consumers, it cannot require implanting electrodes on the surface of the brain as it currently entails.
This innovative project is led by electrical engineer Nima Mesgarani of Columbia University’s Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, one of many attempting to get hearing aids to mimic the hearing of a healthy individual. For instance, the $500 Bose Hearphone app uses a series of microphones that can be directionally-adjusted from one person to another to focus better on one specific auditory source as well as drowning out ambient noise from the environment. No current device, app or program is able to replicate how a normal brain hears: amplifying selected conversations from multiple different sources in a crowded environment.
“Even the most advanced digital hearing aids don’t know which voices they should suppress and which they should amplify,” Mesgarani states.
If hearing aids were able to unilaterally choose the correct focal point, it would make a major difference in the lives of the hard-of-hearing, says Richard Miller, Director of the Neural Prosthetics Program at the National Institute and Other Communication Disorders which funded the study. “There is real gold to be mined in that hill,” posits Miller.
Building off of his work with a graduate adviser in 2012, Mesgarani started to look for clues in the way that the brain processes stimuli. He found that when people engage in conversation, the listener’s brain waves echo the acoustic attributes of the speaker’s voice, keying in on that voice and filtering out unnecessary auditory provocations.
An individual with healthy hearing is able to focus on the sound of someone speaking through the brain’s secondary auditory cortexes. Found on both sides of the brain behind the ears, these regions amplify one voice over others by the simple means of paying attention. The sound of a friend or loved one, a name, or an emotionally-charged word (secret, confidential) causes a spike in activity in the auditory cortices, resulting in the perceived increase in volume.
This brain-controlled hearing aid will first separate distinct audio signals coming from different sources (people, music, television) and determines the voiceprint of each (frequency). From there, it detects brain waves in the listener’s auditory cortex which indicates where the listener’s attention lies. Finally, the system searches for the source that the brain is focused on and amplifies that incitation. The truly amazing aspect of this technology is that this process repeats every time a new voice is introduced or the attention switches.
This research showcases a growing list of studies that are tapping into the brain’s activity to make up for an output that the body cannot otherwise manage. For there to be widespread adoption of this technology, the mind-reading hearing aids would have to be made to work with using electrodes on the scalp. Luckily, the Columbia team is working on both the scalp version as well as with electrodes surrounding the ears. The earlier iterations of this artificial intelligence-powered hearing aid worked only on familiar voices that individuals had been trained to recognize. It could parse out these voices but couldn’t differentiate between unknown ones. Sounds good right? The next-gen device “can recognize and decode a voice – any voice – right off the bat,” Mesgarani said. To read the full story, click here.
Links:
I recently came across a story by Alan Felman, a 30 year old writer for Medical News Today. I want to share it with you because it expresses so many of the emotions and behaviors I felt and exhibited before getting my hearing aids…and after.
“The big kicker with gradual-onset hearing loss is that you are not aware of how it’s changing you until the physical symptoms have become moderate to severe,” said Adam.
Hearing ability diminishes so slowly that you don’t realize that one day the sound of the turn signal disappeared. You no longer hear the key in the lock or the footsteps behind you. The “sounds of life” that keep us in touch with our environment, that soothe, reassure, and alert us, are gone.
Then there are the misunderstandings, mistakes, embarrassment. Your hearing is crucial for understanding the world around you. When your ability to hear and understand the spoken word diminishes, so too does your enjoyment of the things you love doing, the people you love being with and your ability to achieve closeness and bond with others. It is a frustrating and isolating feeling to be with those whom you hold dear only to feel left out because you do not understand the conversation and cannot participate in sharing.
Adam writes, “Communication is a huge part of navigating every stage of your life. If any element of communication is lacking, it can have a significant impact on the way our personality develops, and the methods you use to connect with the outside world.”
Even though your friends are probably understanding, and although subtitles exist to significantly improve the viewing experience for people who cannot hear as well as others, it can still be hard to ignore the underlying feeling of being ‘different’ and stigmatized.
“I developed subtle, invisible coping mechanisms to anchor my social interactions. For example, I cycle between a set of 10-15 stock phrases that I wheel out based on the tone of voice and the context.”
“Absolutely!”
“100 percent!”
“I can fully understand that!”
“Tell me about it!”
None of these seems out of place in a conversation. However, once they become a substitute for genuine responses and coherent conversational flow, they develop into a cornerstone of shame and awkwardness in daily encounters. Especially when they are the wrong response.
Socializing becomes too much of a risk. Every pang of guilt or embarrassment after saying “what?” or “huh?” might lead to another night when you don’t risk going out to socialize. You end up distancing softly spoken colleagues, friends, and even family members, simply because the effort it takes to process their speech can become draining.
“I have a lot to learn about life with hearing aids, but my first lesson was that no one close to me sees it as a negative life event. Everyone has been congratulating me as if I’ve just become a parent for the first time. I’ve realized that however self-conscious you might feel about wearing hearing aids, people only see it as a connection with the world, and this is huge.”
Adam’s hearing aids gave him back the intimate details of life: easily hearing and understanding those around him and whispering a joke to a friend helped him close the gap that hearing loss drives between individuals. Our need to socialize with others is innately human.
Adam says his new hearing aids are discreet, nearly invisible, yet powerful. Sometimes, to his underused ears, things sound a little too powerful. A packet of chips opening across the room, wheels of the stroller on the balcony above, even the “cacophony during bathroom breaks sounds like a National Geographic documentary.”
“There are unexpected changes, too. My experience of food has completely altered — the additional frequencies and sounds add a lightness of bite and extra crunch that I was previously unaware of.”
“My hearing no longer feels impaired — that is, until I remove the hearing aids. Those few moments in the day without them, such as going to the gym or grabbing a shower, are now pretty draining by comparison.
“I have a lot to learn about life with hearing aids, but my first lesson was that no one close to me sees it as a negative life event. Everyone has been congratulating me as if I’ve just become a parent for the first time. I’ve realized that however self-conscious you might feel about wearing hearing aids, people only see it as a connection with the world, and this is huge.”
Most hearing aid users know that their hearing health, treatment, and their hearing aids are crucial. In fact, they probably see their doctor of Audiology more often than any other health care provider. They understand that their hearing capacity and their ability to understand and process speech is critical for effective communication and enjoyment.
First time hearing aid wearers do not realize that hearing aids can require multiple adjustments to obtain the best settings and the right sound for them. Custom hearing aids, especially the tiny, invisible ones, are often re-made several times for fit and comfort. Hearing aids require maintenance, regular cleaning and sometimes repairs. Hearing aids reside in a wax- filled, sweaty, oily and moist environment all day and expected to perform optimally all the time.
Hearing levels, processing ability, and prescriptions change. Yearly monitoring, reprogramming, and fine- tuning of your hearing aids are critical to your ability to communicate.
You are not “done” after you get your hearing aids. Just like with your internist, dentist, and ophthalmologist, your hearing care is ongoing and forever.
BENEFITS vs. DISCOUNTS
- Benefit (definition) – An advantage or profit gained. A payment or gift.
- Discount (definition) – A deduction from the usual cost of something.
“Benefits are far more reliable than perks or discounts and cover more basic needs. Perks are like bonuses that companies offer to make their offer seem better than the competition.”
Many insurance Companies and Medicare supplement policies lure new members by offering “hearing aid benefits.”
Are they really offering you a “benefit?” NO! The insurance Company is actually offering a perk that doesn’t cost them a penny. You, the member, get a discount on hearing aids if you call the 800-number to a 3rd party broker. The 3rd party broker rakes in a fortune from the referrals.
PROS AND CONS OF BUYING YOUR HEARING AIDS FROM A BROKER
PROS
- You get a discount on the purchase of your hearing aids.
- You can sometimes get them from your provider of choice.
- You can save money upfront on the purchase of your hearing aids.
CONS
- You are not purchasing your hearing aids or hearing treatment from your provider.
- The broker pays your provider a set fee for your initial consultation, delivery and fitting your hearing aids, and one or two follow up visits, even one year.
- Restrictions and limitations – Number of visits or specified time are included in your purchase. Thereafter, you pay the provider every time you walk in the door for an office visit. Every 6-month cleaning, annual monitoring, in-office repair, fed-ex shipping and handling to the manufacturer, adjustment, reprogramming, and fine-tuning.
- All of the restrictions and limitations are included with your hearing aid purchase from your provider. One or two re-programming charges alone may exceed your initial savings.
PROS AND CONS OF BUYING YOUR HEARING AIDS FROM A BROKER
Your insurance policy or supplement may have an agreement with any one of the numbers of 3rd party brokers of hearing aids. They all have different prices and limitations in the fine print.
We know them all. Before calling the 800 number and saying “yes,” call us and let us help you on your journey to better hearing.
Click here to schedule an appointment.
JUST AS TECHNOLOGY IN HEARING AIDS CHANGE, HEARING AID BATTERY TECHNOLOGY IS ALSO CHANGING.
HERE IS WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER
TYPES OF BATTERIES
REGULAR, DISPOSABLE ZINC-AIR BATTERIES
Zinc-air hearing aid batteries are the traditional, pull-tab disposable batteries most frequently used in hearing aids. When the tab is pulled, the oxygen from the air oxidizes with the zinc in the battery and creates a charge.
ZINC-AIR BATTERIES
- Batteries are color-coded. Regardless of the manufacturer (Ray o vac, Duracell, Energizer, etc.), the color corresponding to the battery size is the same.
- All size 10 batteries (the smallest hearing aid battery) are yellow and last between 3-5 days.
- All size 312 batteries are brown and last between 5-8 days.
- All size 13 batteries are orange and last between 10-14 days.
- All size 675 batteries (rarely used today) are blue.
- After pulling the tab, you should wait 2-5 minutes before putting the battery in the hearing aid to allow time for oxygen to react with the zinc for the fullest charge and longest battery life.
RECHARGEABLE HEARING AID BATTERIES
Rechargeable hearing aids have been around for over 30 years, but they were never very popular because the charge did not last all day. Two new battery technologies in the last 18 months fixed that problem and rechargeable hearing aids are now all the rage. Every major manufacturer offers rechargeable hearing aid options.
LITHIUM- ION BATTERY TECHNOLOGY – all lithium-ion batteries (also used in computers, cell phones, even Tesla’s) are totally sealed (encased) in any device for safety reasons. They can be a fire hazard if mishandled or damaged.
PROS OF LITHIUM-ION RECHARGEABLE HEARING AIDS
- Eliminates expense of disposable batteries.
- No hassle of changing batteries every 3-7 days.
- Last battery life. Lasts 4 to 5 years.
- Gets the longest usage with one charge – 30 hours per charge and/or 24 hours of continuous use with 5 hours of streaming.
- Better moisture protection- water and perspiration problems are greatly reduced.
CONS OF LITHIUM-ION RECHARGEABLE HEARING AIDS
- The hearing aids are slightly larger and heavier
- No access to the battery compartment. You cannot use regular, disposable, batteries in an emergency.
- You must take the charger with you on trips and vacations
- Power limitations – if you stream phone calls and music a lot, the charge may not last all day. Streaming uses a lot of power.
- Your hearing aids are “out of commission” when they are being charged, and any problems with the battery require manufacturer repair.
SILVER ZINC RECHARGEABLE HEARING AIDS
PROS OF SILVER ZINC RECHARGEABLE HEARING AIDS
- Eliminates expense of disposable batteries. However, the cost of the hearing aid is slightly more expensive (They pretty much cancel each other out).
- No hassle of changing batteries every 3-7 days.
- 24 hours of continuous use with up to 5 hours of streaming.
- Flexibility – Because they are removable, the rechargeable battery can be replaced with regular, disposable hearing aid batteries in an emergency, you do not want to carry your charger with you and/or forget your charger at home.
- Silver-zinc is no- flammable, non- toxic and 100% recyclable.
- Silver-zinc is smaller than lithium-ion. Hearing aids are slightly smaller and lighter.
- Backwards Compatibility – Many manufacturer’s hearing aids can be changed or retrofit since the rechargeable component is in the battery door.
CONS OF SILVER-ZINC RECHARGEABLE HEARING AIDS
- Battery must be replaced once a year (replacement cost of rechargeable battery is about the same as purchasing disposable batteries)
- Power limitations – if you stream a lot of phone calls and music, the batteries may not last the full 24-hour day.
There is a lot to think about when it comes to rechargeable hearing aids. Both systems has its pros and cons. Just like with the style, technology, features and benefits of hearing aids, it is about what is right for you.
Your hearing care provider should be knowledgeable and familiar with every type of hearing aid available and know your lifestyle, hearing needs and you.
