Thanks to I-Phone Headphones, There May Be Less Stigma Associated With Hearing Aids

Have you noticed that more people are wearing wireless electronic devices in, or on, their ears? We can thank Apple for designing its latest iPhones without headphone jacks. This significant development may have a significant effect on lessening the stigma behind wearing hearing aids.  Let’s hope that the stigma of wearing hearing aids lessen or eventually go away. We may see a world in which wearing hearing aids will be as common as wearing eyeglasses. 

Improvements in Hearing Aid Design

Even if the abundant use of earphones does not reduce the stigma behind hearing aids, the newer models will undoubtedly be more attractive. Most of the hearing aid industry’s design work continues to be on making the devices smaller and more invisible. People who want profound invisibility might choose something like the Starkey Invisible IIC or Phonak Lyric. These are tiny and fit in the ear canal deep enough so that no one can see them. Another option is the newer behind-the-ear hearing aids, which have a thin wire snaking into the ear and discreet. Most of the newer hearing aids these days use this design.

 

A Study on The Hearing Aid Stigma

The stigma behind wearing hearing aids is not an easy problem to solve, according to Professor Margaret Wallhagen, a leading researcher on stigma and hearing aids with the University of California-San Francisco. She believes ear devices that serve multiple functions could help advance the societal acceptance of wearing hearing devices. She suggests that the younger generation, since they are already using technical and sophisticated hearing devices, may be the ones who eventually turn the tide on reducing the hearing aid stigma.

Dr. Joe Griffith, AuD, CCC-A, is a certified audiologist who makes “house calls”. Call him at

(504) 738-4557 or visit www.accessiblehearingaids.com to schedule your hearing test today. You are just a phone call away from the hearing help you need and deserve.

Facebooklinkedinrssyoutube
Facebookmail