Hearing aid selection & fitting
Hearing aids must be suited to the individual. There are hundreds of combinations of styles, features and component variations to cater for each individual's unique hearing profile, physiology, budget and lifestyle.
Our Audiologists are highly trained and experienced in taking you through your options to ensure the best possible outcome.
On this page
- Selecting the right hearing aid
- Fitting appointment #1: first fit & programming
- Fitting appointments #2 & #3: feedback, fine-tuning & acceptance
- Fitting appointment #4: final review
- Fitting appointment #5: group session
Selecting the right hearing aid
There is no one-size-fits-all in hearing aids, at least not if you want the best outcome. Brindabella Hearing & Speech Centre has developed a painless process to guide your decisions.
Assessment
The results of your hearing assessment will produce a profile that your Audiologist will explain to you. It is the logical starting point as it reflects the impact of your hearing loss and the characteristics required to overcome it. Some styles and models, for example, may not be suitable for those needing more powerful amplification.
One ear or two?
If you have a hearing loss in both ears it is generally recommended that you are fitted with two hearing aids. This has the following benefits:
- Improves sound localisation.
- Improves hearing in background noise.
- Allows you to hear in stereo and provides you with a better overall "sound picture".
- Reduces the risk of auditory deprivation.
Your Audiologist will talk you through this decision.
Lifestyle & budget
Your lifestyle and budget requirements come next. This is where you will make a fundamental trade-off decision between what you want and need, and the cost. We have developed simple guide posts and qualitative questions to assist you through this decision. Your Audiologist, having listened and having had experience with many others in your situation, will make a recommendation; in the end, however, the choice must be yours.
Manufacturer, model, features
Once you've chosen an appropriate lifestyle band, it is time to consider the make, model and style of the aid. We always offer at least 3 choices from 3 different world-leading manufacturers at exactly the same price point: this frees your mind to consider the brand, style & feature aspects that most appeal to you. We provide comparison charts for the most important features, and your Audiologist will offer advice and show you samples. Many clients make a decision immediately, while others will take information away from one or more lifestyle bands before arriving at a decision.
Fitting appointment #1: first fit & programming
- This appointment typically occurs two weeks after making your selection.
- At this appointment the hearing aids will be fitted and adjusted based on your hearing profile & communication needs.
- It is recommended a family member or friend attend this appointment with you so they can provide support & understanding over the coming weeks.
- Your Audiologist will teach you how to use & insert the aids & most importantly how to adjust to your new hearing in the first few weeks.
- Comprehensive written information will be provided to help you & your family achieve maximum benefit from the aids.
- Once you are happy with the aids in the clinic we send you off to try them out in your world.
Fitting appointments #2 & #3: feedback, fine-tuning and acceptance
- These appointments typically occurs two & five weeks after the fitting appointment.
- At these appointments your Audiologist will discuss the first few weeks of listening with you and determine if any adjustments need to be made to the hearing aids.
- In most instances some fine tuning will be required as your auditory system adjusts to all the new sounds.
- Any adjustments are made through the computer programming interface and any key concerns or issues you may have are addressed.
- It is useful to write down any concerns or questions you may have and bring them to these appointments.
- Again it is beneficial to bring a family member or friend to these appointments.
- At the 3rd appointment (5-week follow-up) you will be asked to make a final commitment to the hearing aid, moving you past the guarantee period.
- Should you be in any way dissatisfied with your first choice, we can try another manufacturer or move into another lifestyle band. It is part of our commitment to your success that there are no additional fitting fees for trying a second choice, although third and subsequent trials will incur additional fitting fees.
Fitting appointment #4: final review
- A final review and adjustment session. By this time you will have largely adapted to the hearing aids and minor tweaking may be required to optimise performance and comfort.
Fitting appointment #5: group session
- Groups of 6-12 new hearing aid users come together to swap experiences, facilitated by one of our Audiologists.
- This provides an opportunity to get some insight into how others have used their hearing aids; the conversation in some group dynamics can be robust.
- It's also a great opportunity to provide feedback to us, on the products and services that we offer. We're always hungry for feedback to improve our offerings.
