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Bluetooth hearing aid benefits
By Shantelle Shakes, coordinator, Hearing Directory, and Tonyshia Janssen, H.I.S Last updated on: November 13th, 2024 Bluetooth hearing aids help you stay connected to the world around you when using your cell phone, television, tablet and other favourite audio devices. Key points:
Hearing aid users already have devices in their ears, so wearing separate earbuds is impractical. Enter Bluetooth® hearing aids. They let you stream audio via your hearing aids so you can listen to a song and answer a phone call. Most manufacturers now sell hearing aids with Bluetooth technology. This lets you pair your hearing aids with your smartphone, tablet, television, even your doorbell. For more on hearing aid brands that offer this feature, visit a hearing clinic near you. What can Bluetooth hearing aids do?
stream music and other audio from your cell phone, tablet or computer. Photo courtesy: Oticon With Bluetooth, you can take phone calls using your hearing aids as earpieces.This includes video calls like Skype and FaceTime. You can also listen to movies and music through your Bluetooth hearing aids. You can even connect your hearing aids to your doorbell so you never miss a visit. Remote control of your hearing aidsMost Bluetooth hearing aids come with apps you can use to control your hearing aids. Apps like Oticon RemoteCare or myPhonak help you perform essential tasks. You can adjust the volume on your hearing aids and change the pre-set programs without needing to touch your hearing aids. They can also help your hearing professional access and program your hearing aids remotely. Speak to your audiologist or hearing specialist for more on these apps and features. Location servicesBoth iOs and Android support apps to help you locate your hearing aids if you lose them. The app uses the established Bluetooth connection to locate your hearing aids nearby. Other ways you can use BluetoothMany manufacturers offer separate streamers that can connect to your Bluetooth hearing aids. With a small box connected to your television, you can stream audio from your TV to your hearing aids. This is a great solution for those who have difficulty hearing the TV, even with hearing aids. It also helps family members bothered by the high volume of the TV. With Bluetooth technology, you can also use a streamer or phone as a microphone. When the person wears it, the microphone will amplify his or her voice over other sounds around you. Will it drain my battery?The added ability of Bluetooth hearing aids can put a strain on the hearing aid battery. Hearing aids with low-energy (LE) Bluetooth technology solve much of this. They produce higher quality sound with less energy. However, if you plan to use Bluetooth a lot, talk to your hearing care provider about how to avoid battery drain. How does Bluetooth work?
wirelessly connect to your smart devices. Photo courtesy: Oticon Bluetooth is a communication technology that provides a variety of wireless solutions. You can listen to audio wirelessly, get your hearing aids programmed remotely, and find your hearing aids if you lose them. Made for iPhone™ hearing aids can directly connect to iOS (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc.) If your Android device is 10.0 or higher, certain hearing aids can connect to it. Earlier versions of Android may need a separate streamer to use Bluetooth. Can I use Bluetooth hearing aids on a plane?Generally, as long as your device is on airplane mode, you can use your Bluetooth hearing aids on a plane. Still, these rules can vary depending on the airline. Here are the rules for Bluetooth use on some popular Canadian airlines:
Please check with your airline to confirm their rules and regulations. New Bluetooth technology: Auracast™This year, Bluetooth introduced a feature called Auracast. It allows more than one device to connect to a single audio broadcast. Before this, Bluetooth was a one-to-one connection. Once Auracast is widely available, you will be able to:
You can join an audio broadcast through a simple Wi-Fi-similar search on your phone. You can also access Auracast by scanning a QR code or tapping as you would to pay with a card. Note: though many of the top brands offer Auracast-compatible hearing aids, Auracast isn't widely available yet. You will need to wait a bit longer to experience the full capabilities of this budding technology. Hearing aid wearers benefit in many ways from Bluetooth technology. Ask your hearing professional about Bluetooth hearing aids and how they can help you. Sources: Bluetooth - The best Bluetooth experience at CES 2024 Bluetooth - Introducing Auracast: a Bluetooth technology Shantelle Shakes, coordinator, Hearing Directory
Tonyshia Janssen, H.I.S
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Shantelle Shakes is the coordinator for Hearing Directory. She has over seven years of experience in the health industry, with six of those years in hearing healthcare. After graduating from York University with an honours BA in Professional Writing, Minor in Creative Writing, Shantelle began her marketing career with a major hearing healthcare provider. Through a variety of roles within that company, Shantelle gained a thorough understanding of hearing health and the client experience. She aims to use her knowledge of the industry as well as her communications background to help others understand their hearing and connect with the hearing care they need.
Contributing author Tonyshia Janssen is a Hearing Instrument Specialist practicing at a hearing clinic for a major hearing aid provider. She earned her Hearing Instrument Specialist diploma from Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario. Tonyshia strives to help those with hearing loss by educating them with accurate and comprehensive information while also providing them with the necessary services for those who wear hearing aids. Tonyshia enjoys serving clients in her hometown community.