Getting hearing aids today is very different than it was even just a few short years ago. Technology has come a long way, and there are new features to consider. However, not all features are equally important – or may not be equally important to you. Here are five factors to consider when deciding on a new hearing aid…
1. Sound Processing
Hearing aids have to do more than just make sound louder. In fact, if they simply make everything louder, then noisy hearing environments become even more challenging. This is actually the way many traditional hearing aids work.
Hearing aids should be able to reduce the effects of background noise when highlighting speech. This is what’s called “sound processing” – and while the ability of hearing aids to handle background noise has evolved over the decades, the last several years have yielded very little improvement.
This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes in. The use of AI in sound processing is a brand new approach, and it’s revolutionizing the hearing aid industry. Instead of simply amplifying sounds, AI can be used to separate voices from noise.
Whisper’s advanced Sound Separation Engine does just that. By pulling apart the sounds you want to hear from the noise you don’t, this revolutionary hearing aid makes it up to 6x easier for you to hear in noisy environments than traditional hearing aids.
2. Individual Hearing Differences
In addition to being able to process sounds effectively, a good hearing aid should also take into account individual differences in hearing. Everyone perceives sound in a different way, and that variation gets even greater with hearing loss.
The one-size-fits-all approach that hearing aids have traditionally used isn’t working anymore. Even at companies like Whisper that customize hearing aids for your particular needs, it’s important to try it out. That’s because a hearing assessment only tells part of the story about how a person hears, and it’s impossible to know how an individual will respond to amplified sound until hearing aids are actually used.
Whichever hearing aid you end up choosing, be sure to ask about the option of a risk free trial, so that you can try it out before making sure it works for you.
3. Ability to Improve Over Time
We learn things everyday about hearing loss and what works best for patients who use hearing aids. But traditional hearing aids stay frozen in time throughout their lifespan, which may be five years or longer.
The Whisper Hearing System is the first hearing aid that actually gets better over time. It uses software that can roll out updates to the device, much like a smartphone.
4. Care Options
One of the changes that is sweeping through all areas of healthcare is the development of consumer-driven care processes. Patients today have more choices and more control over how, where and with whom to receive their care.
Some healthcare companies like Whisper are now offering telehealth and video health appointments in addition to traditional doctor visits – and many customers prefer care in the comfort of their own homes instead of having to travel. We are able to accomplish the same level of expert care in both environments, so the choice is yours.
5. Cost and Affordability
Hearing care should be accessible and affordable. And you shouldn’t have to pay extra to get the latest technology, especially when it comes to something as important as your hearing.
Whisper strives to make its top hearing system available to as many patients as possible. Not only is the cost affordable and comparable to other leading brands, but you also have choices as to how you’ll pay: up front in a lump sum or monthly over a few years. Many FSAs or HSAs can even be used to offset the costs.
Making the decision to buy hearing aids for the first time or to switch from a product you’ve been using for a while is not always easy. We hope that these guidelines provide some clarity as you explore the path toward better hearing.
If we can help to answer any questions, or if you’d like to try out the Whisper Hearing System, please feel free to schedule a consultation or call us anytime at (844) 936-4327.
