Better Hearing & Speech Month: 7 Accessories to Turn Up Your Tech

Have you heard? We’re celebrating Better Hearing & Speech Month in May!

In honor of the theme, “Communication for All,” here are seven hearing aid accessories to make sure you’re communicating and connecting your best with the people, places, and moments that matter in your life.

1. Wireless Mic

   Conversations rock when everybody around the table can join in, but background noise at restaurants and other spaces can make that a tall order. Whether you’re having a one-on-one chat or hanging with a crowd, an extra microphone can help. A wireless Bluetooth® microphone worn on your companion’s lapel can send speech directly to your hearing aid, or place the mic in a central spot for group conversations.

2. Phone Clip

   Does talking on the telephone seem harder than it used to be? Try using a phone clip. The ReSound Phone Clip+, for example, lets you stream phone calls, music, and other audio straight to your hearing device from a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone. It’s hands-free — simply clip it to your clothing — and easily mutes background noise for clearer communication.

3. Captioned Calls

   Speaking of easier phone chats: You may qualify for a caption telephone that shows the spoken words of the person you’re talking to. This landline device is free if a qualified hearing care professional certifies your hearing loss and need for the phone — and it works with hearing aids. All you need is a standard phone line, a broadband internet connection, and electrical power.

4. Audio Loop

   Audio loops or audio induction loops — installed in homes, museums, theaters, churches, classrooms, medical offices, and other venues — allow sound to be broadcast directly to individuals within the loop who have telecoils or T-coils, which can be embedded in hearing aids and cochlear implants. You could even install an audio loop in a vehicle, switch on your hearing aid’s T-coil setting, and voila!

5. Remote Control

   Who says remote controllers are just for TVs, DVRs, car alarms, and drones? With remotes designed for hearing aids, you can change your device’s volume and program settings, switch the source of the audio you’re streaming, set ambient and streamed audio at different sound levels, and keep an eye on battery levels. Boom!

6. TV Streamer

   When it comes to family time with a favorite TV show, setting the volume to everyone’s taste is no small feat. And with hearing loss, it can be even more challenging. Innovations such as the ReSound TV Streamer 2 — a small tabletop device — let you stream audio from your TV, stereo, or PC straight to your hearing aid at a level that’s customized to your needs without changing the volume for everyone else.

7. Batteries

   It may seem pretty basic, but we had to throw this in: Getting the most out of hearing aids takes power, so be sure to keep extra batteries on hand. Batteries can last from a few days to a couple weeks — depending on variables such as size, care, usage, and environmental conditions — but our hearing experts can help you find the right match.

Interested in the latest hearing tech and accessories? Contact our caring team to learn more tips or to schedule a complimentary technology demonstration today!