Home Safety Tips For People With Hearing Loss

Did you know that one in every five Americans has hearing loss? That’s a lot of people! If you are one of those people, it’s essential to take steps to keep yourself safe at home. Here are some home safety tips specifically for people with hearing loss.

Keep Your Hearing Aids and Other Assistive Devices in Good Working Order

This may seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure your hearing aids are always functioning correctly. If you do not hear well, you may not be able to hear things like smoke alarms or doorbells. Keep extra batteries on hand, so you’re never without a working hearing aid.

If you don’t have hearing aids, there are still ways to stay safe at home. Here are some tips:

• Install visual smoke alarms throughout your home. These alarms will flash a light when they go off, letting you know there is fire even if you can’t hear the alarm itself.

• Keep a vibrating phone or pager near your bed so you can be alerted in case of an emergency.

• Make sure your home is well-lit, both inside and out. Good lighting will help you see potential hazards before they become a problem.
• Consider installing a home security system with visual or vibrating alerts. This way, you’ll know if someone breaks into your home even if you can’t hear the alarm.

Be Aware of Potential Hazards in Your Home

Take a few minutes to walk through your home and look for potential hazards. Things like loose rug runners, electrical cords and stairs can be dangerous if you’re not careful. Please make sure all areas of your home are well-lit so you can see potential hazards before they become a problem.

Hearing loss can make it challenging to stay safe at home, but with a little bit of planning, you can make your home a safe place for you and your family. By following these tips, you can rest assured knowing that you’ve done everything you can to keep yourself safe.

Get Your Hearing Tested

If you think you might have hearing loss, make an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist to get your hearing checked. A hearing test can help determine if you have hearing loss and what type of hearing loss you have.

Different types of hearing tests can be performed depending on your age and the severity of your hearing loss. If you have mild hearing loss, you may only need to have a screening test, a simple test that can be done in a health practitioner’s office. If you have a more severe hearing loss, you may need to have a diagnostic test, which is a more comprehensive test usually done by a hearing instrument specialist.

Use Hearing Protection

If you are exposed to loud noise on a regular basis, it is important to use hearing protection to prevent further damage to your hearing. Many types of hearing protection are available, including earplugs and earmuffs.

If you are not sure which type of hearing protection is right for you, make an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist to find out. They will be able to recommend the best type of hearing protection for your needs based on the severity of your hearing loss and the type of activities you do that expose you to loud noise.

Different Styles of Hearing Aids

Many different types and styles of hearing aids are available on the market today. The type of hearing aid you choose should be based on your lifestyle, hearing loss and budget.

Some of the different styles of hearing aids include:

• Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids: These hearing aids are more significant than other types of hearing aids and fit behind your ear.
• In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids: These hearing aids are smaller than BTE hearing aids and fit inside your outer ear bowl.
• Canal hearing aids: These hearing aids are custom-made to fit snugly in your ear canal.

Suppose you have a more severe case of hearing loss. In that case, you may need to use a hearing aid that has a more vital amplification level or that is equipped with unique features such as directional microphones or wireless connectivity. Your hearing instrument specialist will be able to recommend the best type of hearing aid for your needs based on the severity of your hearing loss and your lifestyle.

There are many things that you can do to protect your hearing and prevent hearing loss. Make an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist to get your hearing checked. Choose the right type of hearing aid for your needs.

If you need any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us at Sound Choice Hearing and call us today at (505) 565-7960.