Assistive listening devices
Book an AppointmentWhen considering devices to help with hearing, often people think immediately of hearing aids. There are many device options available that could be right solutions for your individual needs. This may include an Assistive Listening Device in place of a hearing aid, or in addition to a hearing aid for more targeted hearing improvements.
What is an ALD?
Assistive Listening Device (ALD) is a device that can assist hearing but is not a hearing aid. It may be used in addition to, or in place of a hearing aid to support hearing and listening in specific situations.
How ALDs can help
ALD’s can help with many listening situations, for example if you feel you only need to hear specific things and are not ready for hearing aids; if you cannot successfully manage hearing aids and need an alternative, or if you currently have hearing aids but would like additional benefit in more challenging situations such as background noise or hearing over distance.
ALD’s that may be used in place of a hearing aid include television devices, amplified telephones, vibrating alarms, flashing alarms or alerts for the home, or personal amplification devices.
ALD’s that work in conjunction with hearing aids include Bluetooth devices, television devices, and remote microphones such as the sophisticated Roger wireless microphone system.
ALDs for streaming tv
Many relationships reach a point where one partner prefers the TV at a different volume to the other. Whilst we would always recommend a hearing check in this case, this is also where an ALD can help. Working on its own via headphones, or coupled to hearing aids, a TV streaming device can provide direct sound from the TV into a person’s ears, without the family battles.
ALDs for home safety
High pitched smoke alarms can be tricky to detect but are critical to be heard when they activate. For those with hearing loss, an alternative like a flashing light could be a real-life saver.
Waking daily to an alarm can be tricky with hearing loss, so an alternative can be a vibrating alarm that nestles under the pillow and gently alert you to the days beginning, without requiring excessive volume to disturb others in the household.
ALDs for listening over noise
In meetings or over distance
The biggest reported challenge by anyone with hearing loss is hearing over background noise.
Even with the best hearing aids, background noise will take over once you are further than about 1metre from the speaker you are listening too. In fact, 31% of hearing aid wearers report they still have challenges hearing in noisy situations.
The ability to separate out the desired speakers voice over and above noise, or even from a distance, can be best achieved with an ALD including a remote microphone placed close to the source.
These ALD’s can be referred to as FM systems or wireless systems, and use a microphone placed on or near the person of interest, to pick up their voice, then send it via a wireless signal to a receiver worn by the hearing-impaired person.
What is Roger?
Roger is an ALD system that features discreet wireless microphones, used by the person speaking, and tiny Roger receivers that attach onto existing hearing aids, cochlear implants or a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA), or may be integrated inside the hearing aid.
They enable the speaker’s words to be heard directly in your ears, without any distracting background noise, boosting hearing performance in challenging listening situations such as restaurants, meetings, and educational activities.
Roger microphones are also discreet in design via a convenient Roger Pen. Great for meetings, social situations, and one to one conversations.
ALDs for telephone
Hearing the telephone ring or hearing the speaker on the other end easily can be a challenge with hearing loss. A landline telephone with a volume control for the ring and the speaker can help and be used with or without hearing aids.
Mobile phone technology can be directly paired wirelessly with most hearing aids these days, like using a pair of wireless ear buds with the phone.
Funding for ALDs
Provision of ALD’s is supported by some of the government funding schemes such as the Hearing Services Program for pensioners, DVA, NDIS and Workcover.
Hear Check’s qualified audiological team are experts in the many technology options that can best support your hearing needs. Talk to us today about the right ALD for you and to see if you are eligible for funding for an ALD.
Call us today to book a comprehensive hearing assessment with one of our Audiologists on 07 5493 9001 or click here to complete our online form.