Doorbell, fridges, washing machines, televisions and home security systems can now be connected to your smartphone and controlled by apps, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that your hearing aids can be too! There are a lot of hearing-related apps on the market, and it’s important to know which ones actually offer useful features for hearing aid wearers.
What Hearing Apps Are Out There?
If you check your app store, you’ll see there are many apps related to hearing, including ones that measure how loud your environment is, those that help you find quiet places to eat, those that perform basic hearing screenings and even those that help train your brain with hearing-related exercises.
But the most helpful apps for hearing aid wearers are the ones developed by hearing aid manufacturers. These apps connect your hearing aid to your smartphone wirelessly via Bluetooth, providing more control and allowing you to utilize more features.
Hearing Aid App Features
While different manufacturer apps have different features, many have these in common:
Save Personalized Programming
Most people who wear hearing aids experience different listening environments in their day-to-day lives, all of which require different settings for optimum hearing. Whether you’re catching up with family via Zoom call or taking an enriching class at Cascadia College, your hearing aid app lets you save your program settings for the next time you visit.
Make Remote Adjustments
Your smartphone can essentially be used as a remote control for your hearing aids thanks to manufacturers’ apps. Many smartphone apps allow you to adjust volume, treble, bass and more from your phone so you don’t have to mess with tiny manual controls on the hearing aid itself.
Communicate with Your Audiologist
Since we’re in a pandemic, it’s important to be able to talk to your audiologist remotely. Using manufacture hearing aid apps, your audiologist may be able to perform a hearing tests, program/adjust your hearing aids and more.
Check Your Device’s Status
Many apps allow you to check on the status of your hearing aids, such as their battery life, usage and even location of a lost device.
Access the User Manual
Hearing aid apps can walk you through how to use your hearing device as well as provide tips for troubleshooting. For help setting up a hearing aid app or to schedule an appointment with an expert audiologist, call Hearing Advancement Center today.
