Advanced Hearing Aid Centre
Questions & Answers
For anyone suffering from a Hearing Loss, a hearing aid will be he best investment ever made. Effective communication is fundamental to all our personal relationships.
Hearing instruments are distinguished by design and technology, with the variety of hearing aids available today makes it very likely that you will be able to find excellent sound in a comfortable price range. The cost of hearing instruments range between $1,500 and $5,500.
PENSIONERS – If you are on a pension you are eligible for free hearing care. The Office of Hearing Services program covers you for your hearing tests Robina and hearing aid fitting, also providing the flexibility to “top up” to more sophisticated technology.
VETERANS – If you have a DVA card, you are entitled to the full range of hearing services and hearing aid fittings. with DVA Gold Card holders are exempt from paying any maintenance fees.
PRIVATE HEALTH FUNDS – Most funds partially cover hearing instruments.
While a hearing device will aide your hearing and improve it – it can’t completely fix it. With most hearing loss the inner ear and/or the hearing nerve has significantly deteriorated. Currently, there are no medical treatments to reverse this type of hearing loss.
Modern hearing aids are designed to decrease amplification of loud sounds, so that sounds are audible but not too loud. The hearing aid will reactivate the part of your brain that deals with hearing and help you get better at understanding speech.
One of the main reasons people choose to put up with a hearing loss is because they don’t want to wear a hearing aid which they think will be noticeable and ugly. However new technology has redefined the word small, with the latest hearing aids considered by many to be marvels of science. Best of all, their reduced size has no impact on the quality of sound achieved. Ergonomic design and extremely thin tubing allows the aids to disappear behind the ear and you forget you are wearing them – until you hear the astonishing difference they make. Hearing aids also come in a range of different styles and colours to match a number of different fashion tastes.
Hearing aid technology has made some quantum leaps forward in recent times in terms of size, fit and sound. Hearing aids no longer whistle and magnify the background noise. Digital microprocessors guarantee exceptional sound. Recent developments in hearing aid technology include:
- Noise cancellation which allows for an improvement in high level background noise reduction
- Program selection to allow for continued sound quality in different listening environments
- Wind noise reduction for greater comfort outdoors
- Wireless communication for easy integration with mobile phones and other communication devices such as MP3 players
- Remote controls for easier access to features
The hearing aid itself is only half the solution. Receiving the correct training and ongoing support from a qualified clinician is fundamental to the success of the hearing aid.
If you have lived with untreated hearing loss for many years, you will go through a process of “remembering” to hear sounds again. This period varies from person to person, and for some people can be difficult. It is important to follow your hearing professional’s advice and keep in mind that it is indeed a process, but ultimately with practice listening will become an enjoyable experience again.
Although estimates vary, hearing instruments are generally expected to last 5-7 years. Certain types of hearing aids, such as the Behind the Ear type, may last longer. To extend the life of your hearing aid, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for daily maintenance. It is important to note that your hearing may change during these years. It is a good idea to have regular “check ups”. At these review appointments your hearing will be re-tested and your hearing aids will be adjusted if required.
In most cases, yes. When both ears are impaired, studies have shown that two hearing aids improve speech understanding in the majority of listening environments, particularly in the presence of background noise. It also ensures that both ears stay active to reduce speech processing deterioration and enhances the ability to localise a sound source. Generally the benefits of using two hearing aids outweigh the additional cost.
Assistive listening devices can be used with or instead of hearing aids. They can assist when watching television, communicating over the telephone or going to public venues such as churches and theatres.
Our dedicated clinicians are members of a relevant Professional Body and strive to uphold the highest standards. If you feel one of our clinicians failed to meet the Code of Conduct, you can contact the Ethics Officer at ethics@auderc.org.au or call (03) 9940 3911