Living with hearing loss

Even a mild degree of hearing loss can make it difficult to enjoy simple things such as watching TV. However, today there are now many options available to help improve your listening experience, so you don’t have to miss your favorite shows, even with hearing loss.

• Direct TV audio streaming to hearing aids uses Bluetooth connectivity to allow audio to stream wireless from your TV directly to your hearing aids
• Hearing aid streamers are a device that enables hearing aids without direct connectivity to wirelessly receive the signal from the TV and transmit it to your hearing aids
• Loop systems provide wireless transmission to hearing aids that are equipped with a telecoil
• Wireless TV devices work without the need for hearing aids and are suited to people with all degrees of hearing loss

Find out whether the place you wish to go to is suitable for you before you go there. Look at the venue’s website for information about their facilities you and get in touch with them to use to ask any questions about the venue. You may wish to ask if:

• Music is played and how loud
• There’s a quiet area away from speaker systems
• There are furnishings such as tablecloths and carpets that can diminish background noise
• The lighting is good enough for lipreading

While you are coming to terms with your hearing loss, one of the things you may be particularly worried about is managing your hearing loss at work. But there are some key ways to support your hearing loss at work:

• Tell your co-workers about your hearing loss and the best way for them to communicate with you
• Ensure that suitable arrangements are in place if you cannot hear the fire alarm or other important auditory alerts
• Explain to your employer about any work area adjustments you need so you can be as productive as possible
• Find out about accommodations such as CART (Computer Assisted Realtime Translation) and assisted listening devices such as amplified, captioned or flashing light phones, FM systems and personal sound amplification devices
• Request the agenda in advance of meetings and meeting notes afterwards

Your ability to hear contributes to how well you function every day and your relationships with friends, family and co-workers. Learning how to manage your hearing loss effectively will ensure that you can enjoy a happy and fulfilled life.