In honor of Better Speech and Hearing Month, we sat down with one of the Hearing Center’s newest hearing aid recipients, our very own Dr. Green! We discussed his first signs / symptoms of hearing loss, his motivation to get hearing aids, and his overall impressions. Keep reading below to learn more about Dr. Green’s experience navigating the world with his Phonak Audeo I90-R Sphere hearing aids and Roger FM system.
How and when did you first notice that you might have a hearing loss?
- “I first noticed problems with my son’s fiancé. I then noticed problems at times with my wife’s voice, especially in noise. I would completely miss what she would say. When we would go out to dinner with friends, and there would be 4 or 6 of us, it would be difficult in noisy restaurants to hear around the table.”
What made you want to try hearing aids?
- “It was really two-fold. First, it was my difficulty hearing in noise. Second was cognitive concerns. My father did have some cognitive issues towards the end of his life, and I wanted to do everything I could to make sure that that didn’t happen to me.”
What factors were important for you to consider when deciding on what hearing aid to order?
- “I wanted the best technology available. I knew that the higher technology would help me hear in the difficult listening situations that we were talking about. Newer technology really highlights those situations.”
What were your initial reactions after you were first fit with the devices?
- “You don’t realize what you’re missing! You don’t realize the sound of walking, turning on the sink, and just everyday sounds. So many little things that you don’t realize are gone with a slow decline in hearing.”
Are there particular situations or particular environments where you notice the most difference? How has the Roger system enhanced your listening experience?
- “The biggest is in noisy situations. I’ve noticed a big improvement with just the devices themselves, but the Roger device really helps even more. I have the Roger device in my pocket everywhere I go. It’s like a third part to the hearing aids because you never know when you’re going to be in a challenging situation. It’s a little device but it really helps a lot. I even hook it up to the TV and listen to it without disturbing my wife.”
Was there anything about the process or your overall experience that was particularly surprising?
- “Technology has improved so much. Our iPhones now do things that we never thought they could do. That same growth is happening in the hearing aid world too, and this type of technological advancement is going to continue to improve future devices too.”
Thank you, Dr. Green, for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us about your hearing aid experience! Give us a call today at 904-399-0350 to see how big of a difference hearing aids can make in your life!