Which assistive listening devices will work alongside my hearing aids?

You’ve gone ahead and purchased your new hearing aids. You’re getting on brilliantly and are now wondering what else there is available to further improve your hearing experience…

TV Streamers

Perhaps one of the most popular assistive listening devices is a TV streamer. The various different hearing aid manufacturers each have their own version of a TV streamer. You can purchase the correct device for your hearing aids, plug it into your TV and have the sound streamed directly into your hearing aids. For some TV streamers, your Audiologist will need to pair your hearing aids to the device for you.

A Phonak TV Streaming Device

Remote Control

Whilst a lot of hearing aid users are now relying on their apps to control their hearing aids, there are still remote controls that can be purchased to help with this. You can use a remote to discreetly control your hearing aids, for example, turning the volume up and down. This is a great accessory for someone who isn’t tech savvy and doesn’t feel comfortable using the app.

Phonak Hearing Aid Remote Control

Charging Case

Rechargeable hearing aids will mean you no longer need to spend any money on hearing aid batteries! Hearing aid batteries typically last anywhere between 2 and 10 days depending on how much you use them and what you use them for. If you are streaming the TV and all of your phone calls through your aids then it is likely you will need to replace the batteries more often. Clearly none of this is a concern any more when you make the change to rechargeable hearing aids. As there is no need for disposable batteries, rechargeable hearing aids produce no waste which is much better for the environment. It’s as simple as popping your hearing aids into their charging case each night when you go to bed. Talk to your Audiologist if you’d like to make the move to rechargeable hearing aids.

Phonak Hearing Aid Charger Case

Landline Phone

The majority of hearing aid users pair their hearing aids to their mobile phones via Bluetooth. This means that your phone calls can stream directly into your ear via your hearing aids. However, there are people who rely more heavily on their landline phones. There are specific Bluetooth landline phones that you can purchase which you can then pair to your hearing aids. Make sure you discuss this with your Audiologist before purchasing a phone to be sure it is compatible.

A Phonak landline phone

Telecoils

Hearing loops can connect to hearing aids users in an audience of either 1 or 1000 people. A hearing loop is a thin copper wire which is discreetly placed to encircle a room and is connected through an amplifier to the PA system which is in the room. The amplifier feeds the sound from the PA to the loop wire which in turn transmits it as a silent electromagnetic signal which is received by hearing loop enabled hearing aids. Hearing aids that are able to receive these sounds have receivers in called telecoils. They are available as an option on most hearing aids. Places that have hearing loops may call them T-loops, hearing loops or assisted listening.

A hearing loop sign

If you are interested in purchasing any assistive listening devices to work alongside your hearing aids, please discuss this with your Audiologist first. We are always here for advice if you need any.