Earphones as Hearing Aids for Regular Use

TheRealCher on 19/03/2023 - 12:41

My mum is going through various phases. (Long story) she's not hearing her alarms and phone ringing, and has difficulty hearing specific things (like conversations) when in noisy public places.
What's that? Yes, she does need hearing aids. Has them. Has difficulties with them, dislikes size, complains that the batteries are never working etc. And the cost.

Rather than engage in a battle about the condition and care of aids (don't go there Cartman) I'd like to treat the symptoms. She currently has an android phone which needs replacing. So switching to a cheap iPhone and using iPods is an option.

Do you know of any buds/wireless earphones that work well for fairly constant use on picking up preferred ambient sound rather than amplifying everything? Current understanding is airpods pro seem to do this well.

Tldr: got buds for mum?

Electrical & Electronics Earphones

Comments

  • Some Human on 19/03/2023 - 13:35
    +1

    I have what I can only describe as blurry hearing. I lost my high range hearing some time ago. I've found the aids don't do much in the way of making the sound clearer, they just amplify the annoying sounds like children screaming in a shopping centre.
    What I do is cup my ears when people talk to me and their voice becomes much clearer.

    In regards to the earphones, have you tried messing around with the sound settings of the phone?

  • TheRealCher on 19/03/2023 - 14:23

    I havent got mum the earphones yet. Ive got multiple pairs at home and thought i might give her some just to get used to the feel.

    Mum (and dad) have said the same about the aids' amplification, and because i have high sensitivity (possibly spectrum) issues, i sympathise with that high pitch feeling…it's like a shooting physical pain. I do the ear cupping thing a lot and im wondering if the ambient noise features of the earphones might replicate that for mum.

    As for the sound settings, volume is up as high as it can go and i'm trying to get her into the habit of charging every night so the alarm goes off near her bed instead of somewhere random. Mum's also got a clock with an alarm but the alarm turns off after 5 minutes 🤣

  • TheRealCher on 19/03/2023 - 14:39

    And there's this but it seems like the buds are avting as an amplifier…which might work. https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-to/turn-your-google-pixe…

  • freefall101 on 19/03/2023 - 15:07
    +1

    Has difficulties with them, dislikes size, complains that the batteries are never working etc. And the cost.

    I'm looking at getting a set of airpods as "spare" hearing aids, but I would have thought the battery issue and size would be far worse with them. Hearing aids I just pop the batteries once a week or so (I do wish they gave far more of a heads up before going flat, mine gives me beeping noises about 5 minutes before it's going to die), airpods aren't going to last a day without needing to go back in the charger (and the charging case needs to be kept charged). And most of the time people don't really notice I have them in.

    Even expensive hearing aids can't figure out what your "preferred" sound is though. I was out for dinner last night and the loud people at the table next to us were the louder, clearer voices so my hearing aids were amplifying them. Fortunately I can just turn mine off, my deafness is single sided, one ear works fine.

  • CrispyChrispy on 19/03/2023 - 15:19
    +1

    Do you know of any buds/wireless earphones that work well for fairly constant use on picking up preferred ambient sound rather than amplifying everything? Current understanding is airpods pro seem to do this well.

    As @freefall101 pointed out, battery life with any TWS buds are going to be an issue. Having transparency mode on all the time is going to be a solid battery drainer, and AirPods take an hour or so to recharge fully in the case. Battery life will only be 4 - maybe 5hrs or so, possibly shorter, have to keep that in mind.

  • sane on 19/03/2023 - 15:24
    +1

    Worth checking what form of hearing loss is involved. If its to do with the outer or middle ear then it might be worth trying out bone conduction headphones, which go directly to the cochlea with nothing in your ear. Then it's just a matter of feeding the audio signal in, from whatever source.

    Also, I doubt it will be very long before someone applies the same AI processing that NVidia and others use to block out ambient sounds to hearing aids

  • dtc on 19/03/2023 - 16:10
    +1

    There is a company called Nuheara that might be worth looking at (IQ Buds)

    They were a terrible investment (now sold my shares so no self interest here) but seem to make what you are after. However they are specialist devices and not cheap ($500 ish) but might be claimable on health insurance if you have the right cover

  • seemos on 19/03/2023 - 16:15
    +1

    Could a smart watch be of use? The vibrate feature on the watches for alarms, notifications and calls could help

  • AustriaBargain on 19/03/2023 - 16:34
    +1

    There is transparency mode on AirPod Pros, but there's an extra setting you need to change to actually boost the volume of outside sound. If you buy from Apple you can return them for refund within two weeks, even though it's gross.

    • freefall101 on 19/03/2023 - 19:55
      +1

      https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT210643 - just to link to the extra setting

      Airpods also support Live Listen, where you stick your phone closer to the source of the audio. One thing I'm looking forward to trying so I can just throw my phone on the table when with friends and hopefully it picks them up.

  • Oldbugga on 19/03/2023 - 19:28
    +3

    Have been using hearing aids for past 25 years as a result of a work injury. It requires patience and a good audiometrist to make sure the correct assessment and recommendation is provided. My current set is by far the best of eight sets I have had, and price does not guarantee success. My 8 sets have ranged in price $12800 set which were useless, down to $5200. The best is the current one provided by Govt to me as a pensioner. They provide me with free hearing aids/batteries of good quality every 5 years.Being severely deaf is an awful affliction.

    • freefall101 on 19/03/2023 - 19:58
      +1

      I'm really excited about some bigger companies getting into the game. It's been dominated by a small number of players who make utterly ridiculous margins and lock the software away for a long time. Sony, Bose, even Walmart has their own range (and they're getting a lot cheaper).

    • TheRealCher on 19/03/2023 - 23:23

      Were your current hearing aids recommended by the audiometrist and then you applied through the government?
      I don't know a lot about hearing aids and mum's description made her experience sound like a bad Specsavers visit with everything in the one plave, upselling, and then constant hassles.
      And sympathies to you - if thats the right expression. I find great joy through music , great pain through sensory overload, and i can only imagine the difficulties with hearing loss and moving through the world.

      • wildbill on 20/03/2023 - 08:56

        Dr's referral to Audiologist (not specsavers) and being pensioner they are free.
        I paid extra to have the bluetooth model and they are great for phone calls and music.
        I also pay about $45 per year - this covers all repairs and batteries anything like blocked filters (ear wax) and any thing else I have managed to do, like including them in my mornings efforts (if you get my drift).
        Also mine have the full personalized ear mold or a can have a much lighter plug/fitting which goes into ear and much more comfortable.
        Can control volume with the app - useful when there are screaming kids round
        I am happy/look forward to wearing them each day.

  • TheRealCher on 19/03/2023 - 23:18

    Thanks everyone. It could be that two things are required - the smart watch with the physical alarm, and then something to help the hearing. Mum's suspicious of the hearing aid route because of her previous experiences…. but she'll wear those of my (now dead) dad, no problems.
    Agree with the battery issues so that's going to limit any alarm.
    I looked at Nuheara and they are involved in the govt health scheme for pensioners, though the website didn't go into depth.

  • Oldbugga on 20/03/2023 - 10:41
    +1

    Thank you but no sympathy required.
    Have had a good life and reached State Operations Manager of 800 staff so it has not held me back.
    My audiometrist (Audika) has looked after me for last 15 years and has after my first application for Govt approval has done everything since when new ones are due. My Health Cover allowed me to upgrade to blue tooth etc so I always get the best. Moulded ear fittings are essential to get clearest sound. I pay nothing for batteries (last a week using 18 hrs per day), maintenance or filters as the audiometrist claims those as part of his costs allowed. Only issue I have is theatre, cinemas or large groups as that is a struggle for clarity. I listen to music extensively without issue and use captions on TV even though I can have BT connections and mobile phone is fine. In retirement I set up facilities for older people in their homes who are deaf, so that they can enjoy TV music etc as I understand the various difficulties they go through. Most of my friends experience deafness but then we are all nearing eighty. Hope you get satisfaction for your mother, they older they get the more isolation happens through deafness.

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