Important Sounds Can Be Hard to Notice With Hearing Loss
Examples of everyday sounds that most people take for granted include fire alarms and alarm clocks. Get the assurance that when there’s an emergency or important event, you’ll know about it first. Assistive listening devices are designed to make that possible.
Alarm Clocks
Amplified alarm clocks sound off at a higher volume than typical alarm clocks. They feature up to 30 decibels more sound than a typical alarm clock, and some even include a physical vibration for extra assurance.
Amplified Telephones
Amplified phones allow you to increase the volume of the ringer and the volume of the voice coming through the receiver. On most amplified phones, you can raise the volume 35 decibels or more.
Many amplified phones also come with “emergency memory” — settings that allow you to call people remotely if you’re in an emergency situation.
Telephone Amplifiers
Phone amplifiers let you boost the volume of your landline telephone and adjust the tone, which helps with clarity and reduces background noise. They’re compatible for most corded home and office phones.
Portable telephone amplifiers are also available for those who travel often but still need a boost in volume and clarity during conversation.
Fire Alarms
Amplified fire alarms emit much louder tones than traditional fire alarms. Many will flash when activated, and options include a flashing wireless alert for your bedside. Some alarms also shake or vibrate the bed as an additional safety measure.
Personal Sound Amplifiers
Personal sound amplifiers are similar to hearing aids, but they aren’t programmed to your unique hearing loss. In fact, they aren’t FDA approved to treat hearing loss, and most work by amplifying all sounds — even the ones you hear just fine. This could lead to hearing damage. Wearers are urged to use caution.
TV Listening Systems
Make TV watching easy with these systems that allow you to listen to TV without disturbing others. They’re ideal for late-night watching.
Many hearing aids come equipped with a telecoil (or T-coil), which can pick up sounds from systems that use induction loops. These systems are available for installation in your home, and they’re great for homes with multiple hearing aid users.
If you prefer listening to the TV with headphones, wireless sets are available. Some cover your entire ear and allow you to wear your hearing aids. Other styles are worn more like a doctor’s stethoscope, with smaller speakers that sit directly in your ear. This style typically requires you to remove your hearing aids.
There are also closed-caption boxes that decode dialog and display it on your television, so you can read and hear at the same time.