Helping people to use their hearing aids: a guide for carers and families

Simple steps to be incorporated into the

daily care of hearing aids users

Why is hearing important?

We live in a world of sound and hearing is our connection to that

world

Imagine a life without sound, or one where sounds were hard to

distinguish. How would it affect you if you could no longer do the

following things?

• Talk with friends and family

• Listen to music

• Watch TV

• Hear birdsong

• Order a meal at a restaurant

How does untreated hearing loss

affect people?

Untreated hearing difficulties commonly lead to:

• Frustration and fatigue

• Distorted communication

• Depression and feelings of paranoia

• Unemployment, under-employment or early retirement

• Loneliness and social isolation

• Loss of self esteem

• Cognitive decline

• Early onset of dementia

What this means for care staff?

Difficulty communicating with your clients can lead to:

• Difficulty determining the clients wants or needs

• Difficulty communicating requests to the client

• More time and effort spent with the client administering basic care

Your job can also be made more difficult if:

• The client is frustrated, angry, depressed, fatigued, paranoid,

suffering from cognitive decline, or any of the other symptoms of

untreated hearing loss

Most importantly

You work in this profession because you

care!

This is not an easy profession; you do it

because you want to make a positive

difference in the lives of people you care for

Assisting people to treat their hearing loss

should be a part of that care

How can hearing aids help?

With successful hearing aid use, some of the conditions associated

with hearing loss can be reversed, but if it’s left too long, the benefits

are less and harder to obtain.

Effective hearing aid use can equal effective communication. This

can make a HUGE difference to everyone involved

Hearing aid use

Nearly 4 million people in Australia have at least mild hearing loss and

less than 1 in 4 do anything about it.

Of those who own hearing aids, less than half these people actually

use them

Reasons behind the non-use of hearing aids are often easy to correct

We need to assist people to use their hearing

aids

Common reasons why people don’t

use their hearing aids

“I don’t want to use my hearing aids, they

are useless!”

Find out what the perceived problem is

• Are they physically uncomfortable?

• Is the volume too low or too high?

• Is the hearing aid whistling?

• Are certain sounds too harsh?

• Is the hearing aid unsuitable for this person?

• Are they too difficult to use?

• Are they working?

The client will need to contact their hearing aid supplier if:

• The hearing aids are physically uncomfortable

• The sound quality is poor. Eg. they can’t hear certain

sounds such as speech

• Certain sounds are too harsh

You may be able to help if:

• The volume is too low

• The hearing aids are whistling

• The hearing aids are too difficult to use• The hearing aids are not working

Once you have established the

problem

Overview of different types of

hearing aids

There are four main types of hearing aids

BTE with earmold

Open fit with hollow

tube

Open fit with speaker in

the ear

In the ear (ITE)

Cleaning hearing aidsThe most common cause of apparent hearing aid failure is

wax. To avoid wax build up, hearing aids should be cleaned

every night

• If wax gets into the hearing aid components, sound cannot

travel through and volume will be affected

• Wax can also cause whistling and sound distortion

Wax stop totally blocked with wax Small amount of wax causing loss

of volume

Changing wax stopsA wax stop is a filter that protects the

speaker from wax

Wax stop

Replacement wax stops

Cleaning brush

Cleaning hearing aids with hollow

tubes

• Remove the tube

• Use a cleaning wire to push any wax through the tube

• Tubes can be rinsed in warm water but must be thoroughly

dried before use.

Cleaning hearing aids with earmolds

• Wipe the earmolds clean daily with a soft, dry cloth,

carefully removing any traces of wax and dirt

• After disconnecting the earmold from the hearing aid, the

earmold can be washed in lukewarm water with a mild

detergent.

• Reconnect the earmold, after drying it thoroughly.

Batteries

The first thing to check if a hearing aid is not working is the

battery

• Different hearing aids use different size batteries

• Battery doors open in different ways depending on the

model

• Using a piece of draw liner can make it easier to change

the battery

Yes

ITEOpen fit with hollow tubeBTE with earmold

Hearing aid not working or volume reduced?Use this quick checklist to see if you can solve the problem

Does inserting a new battery solve the problem?

What type of hearing aid is it?

Yes

Open fit with speaker in the ear

Even a small amount of wax can affect the

volume. Does cleaning the earmold and/or tubing

of wax solve the problem?

Remove the tubing and switch the hearing aid on

and turn the volume to maximum. Does any

sound come out?

Yes

Yes No

No

No

There may be a problem

with the hearing aid.

Contact the supplier

This indicates a wax

blockage or kinked tube.

Check for wax again and

if possible, replace the

tube. Contact the supplier

Even a small amount of wax can affect the

volume. Does changing the wax stop solve the

problem? YesNo

ITE

If a vent is present, does

cleaning it solve the

problem?

Open fit with speaker in the ear

Remove the wax stop and check underneath

for wax. Use a magnifier and good light.

If wax is found, does cleaning the speaker

solve the problem?.

There may be a wax

blockage, or a problem with

the wiring or hearing aid.

Replace tube if possible or

contact the supplierThere may be a problem

with the hearing aid.

Contact the supplier

No

YesNo

CleanBlocked

Hearing aids and water

• Do not store hearing aids in the bathroom

- humidity can cause internal corrosion

• Store hearing aids in a drying jar every night

• Remove hearing aids before showering

- a sign on the bathroom door can help to remind everyone

• Check pockets for hearing aids before washing cloths

Basic listening and communication

skills

• Always face the person you are speaking to

- Blamey Saunders aids have automatic directional microphones

- People use a combination of hearing and seeing to

communicate

• Speak slowly and clearly

- Our ability to code sound slows with age

Practice time!