Complementary Technology for your Hearing Aid

For most people who are hard of hearing, hearing aids can be an effective way to diminish the impact that these conditions can have on people's lives. However, they are not the only option for someone looking for assistance with this problem. There are a wide range of products available today that can be used individually or in conjunction with hearing aids to counteract the frustrating problems that hearing loss can create in day-to-day life.

Some examples of assistive technology that many people find very helpful include:

Alarm clocks for the hard of hearing - People with significant hearing loss, especially the kind that affects the high frequency range of sounds, may have a difficult time using standard alarm clocks that make high pitched beeping or buzzing noises. Fortunately, alarm clocks with various helpful features are easy to find. Some are simply louder than typical models, while others are connected to pads that can be placed under a pillow or mattress and begin vibrating when the alarm goes off. Still other models include flashing lights or low frequency alarms that are easier for people with certain conditions to hear.

TTY - Also known as teletypewriters, TTD, and text telephones, TTY was developed before the advent of cell phones with text messaging capability and remains a highly useful service. These devices are small type pads with screens that can be attached to nearly any standard phone. Users contact a Telephone Relay Service, which is provided by each state in the US free of charge. A TRS operator will then assist with conversation between the user and whoever he or she wants to call. The user types their messages into the pad, the TRS employee reads them to the other party, and then types the other party's replies into a device that relays them to the screen of the user's type pad.

Home alarms - One of the risks of significant hearing loss is a reduced ability to hear fire alarms, doorbells, ringing phones, and so on. Fortunately, there are many different kinds of systems that can be installed in homes and offices to counteract this problem. For example, many fire alarm systems are available that flash lights throughout the building in addition to ringing. There are also doorbells and phones that can flash lights or even cause light fixtures in the building to dim and brighten.

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