Hearing aids are fitted to people who posses an aidable hearing loss. An aidable hearing loss is a hearing loss that can be overcome when the sufferer is using a properly fitted hearing aid, enabling him or her to hear at a level that was much better than before.
What are the parameters of a successful hearing aid fit and how can that be best achieved? In summary, the best way to achieve a successful hearing aid fitting for the user is Choice, Expertise, Patience and Validation.
Choice: A successful hearing aid fitting depends on having access to a wide range of brands and models. This allows the hearing professional to choose the most suitable device based on the individual's specific hearing needs and lifestyle. The Listening Lab carries devices from Signia, Widex and Resound.
Expertise: To provide the best hearing aid experience, a hearing professional must have strong audiological knowledge, practical fitting skills, and genuine empathy for others.
At The Listening Lab, our hearing professionals are highly qualified and experienced in the hearing industry, and they stay up to date with the latest advancements in hearing aid technology through ongoing training.
Patience: Even the most skilled hearing professional cannot achieve a good hearing aid outcome without patience. Similarly, users need time to adjust to the clearer, louder, and more vibrant sounds a properly fitted hearing aid provides. When the brain has been deprived of normal sound levels for an extended period, it takes time to adapt to the amplified sounds and voices delivered by the device.
Verification: Many hearing aid users measure their satisfaction based on how well they can follow conversations. While improved communication is the ultimate goal, it is not always the most accurate way to assess how well the hearing aid is performing.
Each person's hearing is unique, and the same hearing aid settings may affect individuals differently - what works well for one may not work the same for another.
The Listening Lab employes Real Ear Measurement (REM) for verification, a procedure by which the hearing aid’s performance is measured inside the ear of the user, to determine if the sounds the user is receiving from the hearing aid is what was set by the hearing professional. This procedure involves specialised equipment and expertise which the Listening Lab is in possession of.
