Hearing Loss

Lesson 3: Assistive Devices

Hearing Aids and Closed Captions

Hearing Aids

If your hearing loss warrants them, your audiologist will prescribe the hearing aid that is right for you. Hearing aids come in different styles and strengths and depending on your hearing loss, you might have a choice of several style types.

There are completely-in-the-canal (CIC) aids which are very small and not very noticeable, In-the-canal (ITC), which are small too, but more visible, In-the-ear (ITC), which are a little bigger and visible in the outer ear, and Behind-the-ear (BTE), which have the most power.

The Behind-the-ear aids offer more flexibility and features but they’re bulkier to wear. If you also wear eyeglasses, you should consider wearing frames with thinner temples. It can get a little heavy on the ears, but you do get used to it.

Don’t be disappointed if you have no choice. The severity and type of hearing loss has to determine what you get. You want to have the best possible hearing you can, so it’s not a time for vanity.

I’ve been wearing hearing aids for about 15 years now and the technology keeps changing. The one thing that doesn’t change is that they help me. Without them, I hear nothing. They let enough sound come in to help me read lips and not feel so cut off.

A lot of people don’t want to wear their hearing aids because they think there’s a stigma attached. I promise you, that not hearing what’s going on is more trouble than wearing the hearing aids. You wouldn’t walk on a broken leg without crutches – don’t consider struggling without help for your ears.

Hearing aids usually last a pretty long time. Your hearing aid practitioner will surprise you with what he can fix and with a little care, you’ll be able to use them for quite awhile. In behind the ear models, however, the molds (the part that fits right into your ear), have to be replaced every six months to a year. You’ll know when it’s time because they’ll be loose and you’ll hear feedback whistling when you chew, turn your head, open your mouth or generally move around. When they’re new, they fit like a glove and you shouldn’t get feedback.

The features on hearing aids differ according to your needs. One feature that provides an amazing amount of flexibility is the telecoil or "T" switch. If you have telecoil, you can use your hearing aids with compatible telephones. The telecoil setting works with the phone to bring the sound directly into your hearing aid. It can also work with other devices such as infrared systems.

Depending on the hearing aids you use, the batteries can last up to two weeks. Keep your batteries in their packet until you need them. Don’t carry them loose and don’t dispose of them casually. They can be harmful to a child or pet who might swallow them.

Don’t expect hearing aids to perform miracles. They won’t give you back normal hearing and they can’t clarify speech. They do make things louder and can bring some sounds back into your range. Digital hearing aids can filter out some background noise, which helps you distinguish speech better, but sound through hearing aids is still different than sound through a healthy ear.

Have a look at what’s out there and know what you’re getting.

Closed Captions

Closed captions can help you enjoy television again and now it’s expanding to movies in the theaters. Most television shows, videos and DVDs are captioned. Look for CC or the little ear symbol on the box. If it’s not there, the video is most likely not captioned.

Closed captions are lines of typed text that appear on your screen as things are being said. They’re not always perfect, but you usually get the bulk of the dialogue. Most of the time they also let you know who is speaking. Occasionally they change a sentence or two to speed it up, but the gist is there. Notice the caption in the picture.

When they are trying to caption something live, there are going to be more mistakes. Movies and shows that are taped earlier and captioned afterwards are the most accurate. Even with mistakes, it’s better than not having them at all. And it does provide some amusement at times.

Televisions 13-inches or larger, produced after 1993 have closed caption decoders built in. Separate decoders are available for televisions made before then.

There are now some movie theaters with "rear window captioning." Captions are displayed at the rear of the theatre. A portable, transparent acrylic panel is placed in the seat’s cup holder. That picks up the reflection of the captions from anywhere in the theatre. It’s adjustable and it doesn’t interfere with the images on the screen. There is no charge for the panels which you get from Guest Services but you do have to leave your drivers license or a credit card for security. You get it back as soon as you return the panel.

Rear window captioning is FANTASTIC! I hadn’t been to a movie in years because it was too frustrating. My hearing loss is too severe for the theater FM systems to help me but the rear window captioning allowed me to enjoy the entire movie. Just don’t look at your popcorn too often!

For information and a list of theaters that provide it, please visit http://ncam.wgbh.org/mopix/nowshowing.html

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