Gardner Audiology offers our patients alternatives to hearing aids. These assistive listening devices are more helpful than hearing aids in some situations such as TV listening and telephone conversation.
Modern hearing aids are manufactured with a telecoil that can wirelessly receive a phone conversation but, it can be awkward to activate and many telephones, especially wireless phones, are not compatible with telecoils. Florida resident have access to better alternatives such as free amplified phones and captioning services through state funded programs. Gardner Audiology will help you acquire one of these free devices.
What about television listening? Gardner Audiology research has shown that frustration with TV listening is one of the first symptoms of hearing loss for over 50% of our patients.
An assistive device may sound better than a hearing aid when listening to television. These devices employ a wireless transmitter that is connected to the TV and the listener has a personal receiving device that will clarify the dialog from movies and TV broadcasts. New hearing aid technology from manufacturers such as Starkey and Resound can also receive the sound from a wireless television transmitter. If your only complaint is TV listening then these wireless devices are a much better alternative than hearing aids. However, if you turn the volume of the TV too loud for others or dialog is unclear then you most likely have a hearing loss that could benefit from hearing aids.
Gardner Audiology can demonstrate these devices at our offices In Crystal River, Inverness, Zephyrhills, and St. Petersburg, Florida.