Take the "Try" Out of Your Hearing Aid Trial Period

Hearing aid trial periods are sometimes mis-used. People can intiate a trial period without making a full commitment to themselves to make it work.

Denise Linn wrote, "In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker hesitantly says he will 'try' to complete a task. Yoda, the warrior mystic, replies: 'No! Not try. Do, or not do.' 

Anytime you say that you will 'try' something, your words imply a lack of commitment. They suggest that you feel that you won't be able to keep your commitment. Do it or don't do it, but don't just try."

If Yoda decided to get hearing aids, he'd give it his best shot.

Here is what Yoda would do:

Find the right hearing healthcare professional. Ask your friends, co-workers, and acquaintances about their hearing healthcare professionals. Favourable word of mouth referrals are golden, and the professionals who work for them deserve your business.

Ask the right questions. See my blog on questions to ask and things to consider when shopping for a hearing healthcare professional and hearing aids.

Bring your significant other to your appointments. You'll need support. It's also important for your significant other to have realistic expectations about your new hearing aids.

Get two hearing aids. If two hearing aids are recommended, follow that recommendation.

Wear your hearing aids consistently. Wear your hearing aids full-time during your trial period (and beyond).

Make and keep follow-up appointments. Adjusting to hearing aids is a process, and your follow up appointments are a crucial part of the process.

Start an auditory training program. There are some key changes in our brain as we get older that affect our ability to hear in challenging listening environments—even for people with normal hearing. Even older adults with normal hearing have difficulty in challenging listening environments, so hearing aids are not the whole solution. Auditory training helps to reverse these brain changes and make it easier to communicate. For more information, see auditory training.

Chances are, the reason you wanted hearing aids in the first place is because you're having difficulty communicating. Getting new hearing aids is a big step. Are you ready to give it your best efforts?

photo credit:  © Andrew Bassett