You know it’s time to upgrade your hearing aid if you’re walking around with one of those old-fashioned ear trumpets. Making that call when you have conventional hearing aids is more difficult, however, so how do you know? You got your hearing aids ten years ago, and they still do the job, right?
It’s possible that you are better off having older hearing aids than not having one, what’s the real cost? Hearing aid tech has advanced in the last several years. Some of the functions of modern-day hearing aids hadn’t even been invented 10 years ago. For starters, they’ve gone from analog to digital. Why should you be contemplating an upgrade? Here are some good reasons.
The Old Hearing Aid is Not That Reliable
Cheaper or older hearing aids often have an irritating buzzing sound. And it’s always a fun time when you get near a phone and your hearing aid starts to feedback. That noisy feedback sometimes happens for no noticeable reason. What caused it this time?
You’ve Gotten Complacent With Its Failings
You’re now used to pondering why the sound of traffic is so noisy or to going off quietly while everyone else has engaging discussions. Remember when your hearing aid wouldn’t stop dropping out while you were trying to hear your grandchild sing a song and you could only hear some of what they were singing. But you still clapped.
These are all drawbacks associated with old hearing aids. Turning up the volume was the primary objective in hearing aids ten years ago. Nowadays, unwelcome noise can be filtered out and modern hearing aids can do lots of other truly amazing things.
Old Hearing Aids Will Cost You More Money
Expenses are always a factor when considering an upgrade. You will have to make a preliminary purchase with new hearing aids but old ones will also be expensive over time. Analog devices require new batteries frequently. If you are buying new batteries on a daily basis, or even more than once a day, the costs can get very high.
Old hearings aids can potentially need repair, too. If you think of your hearing aid like you think of a 1992 car you would get the point. Repairs are expensive and it’s constantly in the shop.
Smart Tech is a Thing Now
Many modern hearing aids have Bluetooth functionality. You won’t find that in an analog unit. Your phone, tablet, and even your computer can be connected, using Bluetooth, to your hearing digital aid.
The Secret to Everything is Communication
It has been revealed by research, that you will earn less money if you have hearing loss. So it’s obvious that it would be an asset to your career if you had newer hearing aids. You will hear customers and your boss better. You will be capable of following directions without wondering if you got it right and have critical discussions without worrying about whether your hearing aids will cut out or not.
And clearly you will have a better quality of life if you have good communication skills. You won’t have to go sit alone when people are talking. Jump right in and get involved with the people around you.
You Only Want Your Hearing Aid to be Cooler
How do you feel when you look at yourself in the mirror wearing that old hearing aid? Embarrassing? Obvious? Oh my god? One of the most substantial benefits that come with upgrading old hearing aids is versatility and design. You can buy hearing aids in many colors, shapes, and sizes today. You can wear a visible one in your favorite color or a discrete one hidden from sight inside your ear.
How to Know When it’s Time to Upgrade
Now you understand all the reasons why you should get a hearing aid upgrade, but not what you should specifically look for that says your device may end up being called an antique. The time has come and here are the signs:
- There are changes in your hearing. Even when you have the hearing aids in your ears, it seems as if you can’t hear as well.
- Your outdated hearing aid just can’t keep up with your evolving life. Whenever you have to talk on the phone, you have to take it out and background noise has become a big problem.
- Your hearing aid intermittently quits working. You just can’t count on it working when you need it most.
- It’s clear that you have an analog hearing aid. Ouch, go digital fast.
- Your ears feel heavy. Analog hearing aids weigh more.
- Your hearing aid is all you see when you look in a mirror. That obsolete technology takes up a lot of space, too.
- You are replacing the batteries every day. Contemporary hearing aids are frequently rechargeable and are also more energy efficient.
It’s an easy choice. If you’ve had your hearing aids for seven years or more, it’s time to trade up and hear better.