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Hearing Aid batteries aren't "hearing pills"!

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Earlier this week, I heard a story about a colleague who once worked in a hospital setting. They were citing an example of patient misunderstanding with regards to hearing aid instructions--use and care, insertion, removal, expectations vs. reality, the fact that the batteries go in the hearing aids; you don't swallow them!  As Audiologists, we see things like this every day. And part of the reason is because people who need hearing aids don't have hearing aids, people who have hearing aids won't wear their hearing aids as prescribed, or because the individual has already suffered the kind of cognitive decline that a pair of well-fit, well-worn hearing aids could've helped combat.  I don't know what became of this individual who once swallowed their "hearing pills", but I can say with confidence that swallowing hearing aid batteries does not  improve your hearing! Here are some tips to get the most out of your investment:  1) Don't put off having your

What I wish they knew

Today I had the pleasure of seeing a patient who I've been treating for about three years. What originally brought her in was difficulty hearing her family and customers after the death of her husband. He husband was the one that typically dealt with travelers visiting their business. After his death, she had to take on more of an active role and found herself struggling to hear, interact, and conduct basic business. She also noticed she hadn't been hearing her family as well. She had been so busy taking care of her ailing husband, that she'd let her own health needs slide, including her hearing. She has been successfully wearing hearing aids since she took that important first step and had her hearing tested and chose to be fit with hearing aids. She has been diligent in getting regular cleanings from our office and well as maintaining them at home. Her most recent hearing test is less than a year old and the hearing aids were programmed to the test at the time. So why d