What Can Assistive Listening Devices Do for You?
One of my patients recently attended a regular meeting in which hearing impaired people got together and talked about their frustrations with hearing loss. It’s a place that affirms they are not alone in their challenges.
She became intrigued when hearing about the many different types of assistive listening devices or (ALDs) used by the people there. She asked me details and was amazed to learn about the variety in the market place.
Common types of Assistive Listening Devices include:
- The Clear Sounds Neck Loop. This allows the wearer to plug into a telephone or FM receiver.
- Captioned telephones that display words on a screen. This allows the listener to see what’s being said.
- Portable loop systems such as MY-T Listening System. These allow the user to plug into a television anywhere they go.
- Another common portable loop system uses a pad and cable. The wearer plugs the cable into a television set and sits on the pad to hear the sound. This takes the term “Sit on It” to a whole new level.
How ALDs Work
ALDs are another tool people with hearing loss can put into their toolkit to help them in their daily lives. These devices employ T-Coils that are commonly installed in hearing aids depending on size and design. A t-coil allows the wearer to communicate one the telephone or on an ALD loop system that’s installed in a room or building.
Assistive Listening devices are more important to individuals who have a more severe to profound hearing loss than those with a milder loss. However, I would state that ALDs are important to all of us who wear a hearing aid.
Assistive Listening devices allow the hearing aid wearer to tailor the one that works best for them in their daily routine. I go nowhere without my Phonak ComPilot that allows me to take phone calls hands-free when I’m driving. I would be glad to show you how this device works for me as well as other options.
Arizona Technology Access Program
A program in Arizona called Arizona Technology Access program lets you check out ALDs and find out if it’s right for you–like checking out a book from the library. It only costs you time; the program is free of charge.
ALDs will help you “Enjoy the Sounds of Life!”
If you’d like to see what an Assistive Listening device looks like or sounds like, or if you have questions about the Access program, call Lifestyle Hearing Solutions at 520-323-0099.