Before new hearing aid patients depart from their first fitting, I always deliver a few brief reminders. I advise patients to exercise patience with their new technology. Unlike acquiring a new pair of glasses, which allows for an immediate verification of improved vision with a mere blink, the journey for a new hearing aid user requires an adjustment period. This involves acclimatizing to their proper fit, familiarizing themselves with the volume controls and understanding additional features, including cleaning and maintenance needs.

To the families of these new hearing aid users, I urge them to extend their patience as well. Your loved one, now equipped with hearing aids, has likely developed deeply entrenched habits of asking “what” or “huh.”

Regrettably, many elderly patients speak of experiences to me of emotional distress stemming from unsympathetic family members who ridicule or chastise them for mishearing words after

receiving their hearing aids. Having worn hearing aids for 17 years myself, I can attest that I still occasionally request my wife to repeat herself (…and I happen to know a reputable hearing aid specialist!).

Many individuals are astonished to discover that adjusting to hearing aids can require a considerable amount of time, particularly if one has never utilized them previously. This is one reason that Pennsylvania has a built-in 30-day trial period. Although it may take a while to adjust to the altered hearing landscape (including the perception of your own voice), there are measures you can undertake to facilitate this transition and adapt more swiftly.

How can one become

accustomed to hearing aids?

Start by wearing your hearing aids in the comfort of your home or in other tranquil listening environments. Consider the following:

— Prioritize engaging in one-on-one conversations.

— Inform your friends and family about your new hearing aids so they can provide encouragement as you cultivate confidence in wearing them in more challenging listening situations.

— Reading aloud or conversing with your pet can also assist you in acclimating to the sound of your own voice.

— Assign yourself exercises.

— For additional practice with your hearing aids, endeavor to identify the origins of all the sounds in your surroundings, or listen to audiobooks or talk radio while you are home alone.

— Remember to take regular pauses. Initially, wear them for a few hours on the first day. Subsequently, incrementally extend the duration of wear each day.

— Augment both the number of hours you wear them daily and the contexts in which you use

them.

— Attend follow-up consultations with unwavering diligence. It is crucial to confer with your hearing care professional for as many follow-up appointments as necessary to refine the auditory experiences you encounter, adjust the fit within your ear and discuss the situations that present the greatest challenges for you.

— Prepare yourself for potential frustration. If you have been living with untreated hearing loss for an extended duration, the introduction of hearing aids may inundate your auditory perception with sounds you had previously overlooked, which can be quite overwhelming. Even ambient noises that typically go unnoticed, such as the gentle hum of the refrigerator, may now resonate

excessively loud or become intolerable. This phenomenon arises because your brain has become unaccustomed to discerning inconsequential sounds and prioritizing certain auditory stimuli over others. All of these sounds can be meticulously controlled with appropriate adjustments by your hearing care professional.

It is crucial to exercise patience as you undergo the process of relearning how to disregard background noise and to progress gradually as your brain adapts.

How can you assist your loved one in acclimating

to hearing aids?

Given that the transition to hearing aids can be significant, the presence of supportive friends and family members can facilitate this adjustment considerably.

If someone you care for is acclimating to hearing aids, consider the following methods to extend your support:

— Exhibit patience. The process of adjusting to new hearing aids can be both challenging and exasperating, yet the long-term benefits are invaluable. Being a calm and patient conversational partner during one-on-one interactions can greatly assist your loved one as they practice their listening skills.

— Engage in practice sessions with them. Consider reading a book or newspaper aloud while

your loved one follows along silently. This exercise can aid them in relearning difficult sounds. Additionally, you might practice sound differentiation by reading pairs of similar words (such as “dish” and “fish”) and having them listen attentively to discern the distinctions.

— Provide a compassionate ear. Your partner or loved one experiencing hearing loss may require an outlet for their frustrations, and your empathy and moral support can be invaluable during particularly trying days.

— Participate in appointments. Your loved one will likely need to attend at least one or two follow-up visits to the hearing care professional for adjustments to their hearing aids. Your presence can be beneficial in addressing any lingering questions.

— Maintain a sense of humor. This is especially vital during stressful moments.

— Educate yourself about hearing loss, hearing aids and hearing aid accessories such as batteries (your loved one may require assistance in changing them). Familiarize yourself with the advantages of hearing aids and engage in discussions about them. Hearing loss constitutes a form of sensory deprivation, referred to as auditory deprivation. However, the use of hearing aids effectively mitigates this deprivation, offering a multitude of health benefits associated with their use.

If you experience symptoms indicative of hearing loss, seek the assistance of a professional to ascertain the underlying causes. The hearing specialist will guide you in determining the appropriate level of technology tailored to your specific needs and budget, while also addressing any questions you may have regarding your hearing health.

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Jeff Bayliff, NBC-HIS is owner of Hear the Birds Hearing Aid Center in Lock Haven, Pa.