In this episode, audiologist Doug Leonard from Audiological Services of Iowa discusses the common misconceptions surrounding hearing aids. Doug emphasizes the importance of focusing on overall hearing care rather than just jumping straight to hearing aids as a solution. He explains why undergoing a thorough hearing evaluation can uncover various underlying issues that might not necessitate a hearing aid at all.
SPEAKER 01 :
Let's get some sound advice with audiologist Doug Leonard from ASI, Audiological Services of Iowa. Doug, you've got an interesting podcast out right now that I believe you probably posted to your Facebook page. Yes, we did. And it's all about breaking the stereotype of hearing aids and maybe the bad rap that they get every once in a while because you've heard it before. Dad's having a problem hearing. Dad needs hearing aids. So you think hearing aids is the be-all, end-all cure.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right. And, you know, it might be for dad. You know, I haven't seen dad yet, so I don't know what his hearing is like.
SPEAKER 01 :
We're using dad as a generic patient.
SPEAKER 02 :
Generic dad, right. It's just the idea that, you know, we don't really sell, we do sell hearing aids, but I wish people would think about it as what we really sell is hearing care. You know, if you approach it that way, both from my standpoint, my perspective, and from the public. I think everybody's in a better spot. If dad's struggling with his communication, number one, dad needs to get a hearing evaluation. That hearing evaluation is going to tell us a lot. Does dad really have a hearing loss or not? Is it a medical hearing loss where maybe he's got to plug a wax in his ear, he's got ear infection, or there's a surgical involvement that could happen to make him hear better? Or does dad maybe need hearing aids? Let's start with the hearing evaluation first when people are struggling and steer away from the hearing aids. That might be the ultimate outcome, but I wish people would think about it differently.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, there are many options once you figure out what the problem is, options on how to treat that problem. There's no one-size-fits-all.
SPEAKER 02 :
There isn't, and especially if it is, if they need amplification, that's the solution to try to improve their communication ability. There are many, many choices, and not everybody needs the same thing. There are different price points of hearing aids, and some people need more basic hearing aids, and some people would do better with more advanced hearing aids. There are patients that need help with listening to television, so they might need an accessory that streams the sound from the TV to their hearing aids. They may need help on the phone. I just, I visited with a patient earlier this morning about a caption telephone. She was really struggling and she has a landline still. And I recommended that she consider getting a caption phone, which is awesome because you can get those free of charge now. So, you know, there's a lot of options unless you work with a hearing care provider, a good qualified hearing care provider, you don't really know what's available.
SPEAKER 01 :
And a hearing aid, honestly, with all the bells and whistles, with someone who's not going to use all the bells and whistles, aren't necessary.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah. I mean, you want to get the right technology for the patient. I don't want to underfit people. You know, everybody wants something cheap. I understand that. But we don't want to overfit people either. Money doesn't grow on trees. Inflation and all the other things that's going on these days. So we want to tailor that recommendation to what's appropriate for their lifestyle and their budget.
SPEAKER 01 :
It's an investment, and you want to get the most out of your investment. And the way to do that is by talking to an audiologist and getting that hearing screening. And again, screenings do not always equate hearing aids.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right. I wish the general public would get that out of their mind. Come in, find out what your options are, and then just give us a call in Carroll, John, at 792-5933.
SPEAKER 01 :
Give them a call. Yeah, exactly. It's Audiological Services of Iowa, and they will help you work on your problem, not just there to sell you hearing aids. It's the work to make sure that you have a better quality of life.
