All hearing aids have standard capabilities to amplify sounds and help you hear certain frequencies and levels of noise in various environments. Beyond this, today’s hearing aids can be programmed with many advanced features to further enhance your ability to hear in unique circumstances, settings and lifestyles. Consider the following features based on which of these three lifestyles or personal characteristics most resonate with you.

Mobile and connectivity solutions

Many of us always have our smartphones or tablets within arms’ reach and enjoy media through many different electronics. With hearing loss, these devices become more challenging to use, especially with traditional hearing aids. If this is you, wireless connectivity is an important feature to consider. Many newer hearing aids are equipped with Bluetooth technology to connect to many different devices without having to be plugged into anything or tied to one location.

Social features

Hearing loss poses a challenge to conversations most of all, but if you’re social, keeping in touch with friends and family is an important part of your everyday life. Hearing aids alone can enhance your conversations, but additional features like feedback cancellation, speech enhancement, directional microphones and telecoil switches can further benefit your social activities. Whether chatting with friends in a restaurant, talking on the phone or listening to someone with a soft voice, these features are specially designed to fine-tune your ability to hear what you need to hear to fully engage in the social life you enjoy.  

Dexterity features

If you have poor hand dexterity from arthritis or just don’t like handling small buttons or figuring out new devices, don’t worry — there are many hearing aid features and programs that can be automated for people just like you. If you have difficulty with the buttons that adjust your volume or power your hearing aid, consider devices that come with (or can be compatible with) remote controls. This eliminates the frustration and inconvenience of taking out your hearing aid just to make an adjustment.

These are just a few of the types of features and programs your hearing aids can be programmed with. If you have more questions about features you think you might benefit from or how certain features work, contact your audiologist for more information.