What you don't know about hearing aids | Juliëtte Sterkens | TEDxOshkosh
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- Опубліковано 24 вер 2024
- For most people it's not a matter of if, but when, they will lose some sense of hearing. Still, we don't give hearing loss or hearing aids much thought until it happens to us--or someone we know.
Only then do we learn that hearing aids are incapable of restoring hearing to normal, especially in acoustically challenging situations. The good news is that modern technology continues to bring us new, sometimes hidden, and often unknown features that can help those with hearing loss overcome more of their hearing challenges.
Juliëtte Sterkens, AuD, is an audiologist with forty years of experience in hearing rehabilitation turned consumer advocate with the Hearing Loss Association of America. She has published numerous articles and lectured internationally to consumers, audiologists, hearing instrument specialists, and venue operators. Topics include living well with hearing loss, hearing accessibility, and hearing loops. Her work has led to hundreds of hearing loop installations in Wisconsin. She has received numerous awards for her efforts, including the American Academy of Audiology Presidential Award. She serves on the board of HEAR in the Fox Cities, a non-profit that helps pay for hearing aids for children in North-East Wisconsin.
She enjoys gardening, traveling worldwide to observe solar eclipses with her husband, and visiting her family and son in the Netherlands and daughter in Australia. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
I’ve tried hearing aids. They have increased my ability to understand what people are saying but made me realize that I am not that interested in what they are saying after all. 😂
LOL!!!
Right? Hahahaha
Thank you for your humor! lol, I agree with you on that note!
Smart but true too!
🤣
Notice how clearly
she enunciates her words with the crisp high frequency consonants? Much of the time that's all we hearing-impaired people need more than VOLUME. And facing us when talking is another big plus.
Yes, but I now know it’s not me, the tv, actors ect mumble, I got hearing aids and they mumble. Thought it was my hearing, now I know it’s people. It’s better.
That may be because English isn’t her first language. It sounds like a Dutch or Flemish accent to my ears.
yes when i tell people please speak clearly they just speak louder. which doesnt help
@@GerryBraunYes Gerry, she is Dutch.
Seems to have a touch of a lisp
I thought there weren't any birds around like it was when I was younger. Well about 5 years ago I got my hearing aids. The birds are back. Amazing!
me too! I always thought the woods were quiet until I wore my hearing aids there
Me, three!
the traffic noise is back too!
Me too!👍🏻
Me too, and I was 30 years old when I got my first hearing aid.
Another trick for people giving speeches or teachers who give a lecture and then have questions from audience. When the speaker with microphone repeats the audience members/students question before going on to answer it. Great benefit to people in audience with hearing loss.
Even for those of us without hearing loss!
Had a foreign speaking professor that said things twice in different ways. It’s a normal teaching method but it also helped understand him.
This is true even when the audience questioner is ahead (closer to the stage) of the bulk of the audience. It also driver me crazy when the question presented turns into a four minute thesis, rather than a simple question.
Great tip!!
This is a practice my children learned by giving [their dreaded & bemoaned] "demonstration speeches" required by dint of their participation in the 4-H program (a State program supported by county extension services, but originally begun, I believe in the 1940s? by federal initiative). All that to say, because they did this as a child, they were able to speak at ease with adults and in competition situations, for example, job interviews.
I had an aunt with severe hearing loss in New York City. She used to only go to a few plays, concerts because she would have to sit in the first row of the theater to hear anything. Back in late 1970s, a number of theaters installed the infrared system. I took my Aunt to a play and we sat in the last balcony (only price I could afford). It made me cry to see her face absolutely radiate with delight as she could hear every single word spoken on stage. It was awesome.
Thank you and bless you!
well done and wow it's raining in my eyes
Awe, so sweet!
Infrared?
Wow that's that touch me..ps on Emotional level 😢😊 because l 'understand.
I have worn hearing aids for 20 years now and not once has anyone explained this to me. Thank you Juliette. Your description of hearing loss and hearing aid function is spot on. I am posting this on my FB page and encouraging all my friends to watch it.
Ditto
I've worn hearing aids for 15 years. No one ever told me about hearing loops and telecoms. Thanks
The most annoying thing by people who KNOW I have difficulty hearing (family, work colleagues), is that they will turn away or look down etc, then talk (or mumble), and expect that I can hear that. I have always used some lip reading to supplement my lack of hearing (issues since childhood), so I need people to face me and speak clearly. They get annoyed when they have to repeat themselves, so I tell them "stop talking to the floor" or "stop mumbling". Frankly, it is on them to do better, I cannot change my end of the deal.
Audiologist here (ret): I suggest you consider saying to your family & colleagues: "I can hear you when I can see you/your face. And if you help me out with doing that, you'll save yourself all the repeats!!" That gives a Win-Win. For family, especially the children and loved Ones, "I want to hear everything you want to tell me because I love you and to know you is to love you."
When they turn away or look at the floor or walk away or mumble, they are behaving naturally for them. Asking them to change their natural behaviors is a Big Ask; acknowledging that to them will go a long way to improved relations re: communication because they will see that you are caring for them as you are asking them to have a care for you.
I totally agree, they should do better! I can hear very well but I often watch the lips to understand better because a lort of people don't articulate properly, they don't make any effort to be understood. It's like a handwritten message that we can't read, I often tell them : "you write a message that will be read, make sure it is easy to read". Even movie actors sometimes don't make the effort to speak clearly and I have to put the subtitles to make sure I understand
I am on the autistic spectrum and for me, speaking does not flow easily, it requires a lot of concentration and my voice is naturally soft. My husband, who has moderate hearing loss now at age 70, has had a hard time understanding that I cannot reliably make up for his deficit. I have tried for years to be aware of and change how I communicate to him what he needs, to be the one in our relationship to help him. He has finally accepted that he will need to take active responsibility for his hearing problem. He is getting aids soon. I’m hopeful this will help us both because I am exhausted by his expecting me (and others) to bear the burden of communication.
Thank you so much for increasing our awareness of modern hearing technology as well as reminders that a significant part of our population suffer and will suffer from hearing loss in their lifetimes.
When I was a self-centered teenager in the early 1980s, my dad started losing his hearing on his driver’s side. I eventually demanded he get a hearing aid. He bought a ‘top-of-the-line’ one, and it was outrageously expensive. Over time, he started pulling it out of his ear mid-conversations. Realizing our dialoging went downhill whenever he did, I finally got angry and asked him why he kept doing that. With tears in his eyes, he put the aid up to my ear, and said, “because this is what I hear.” In amongst broken strings of words were ear-splitting shocks of feedback. Never before had I loved my father so much as that moment.
What a brilliant talk. As a 73 yr old with bad hearing especially in one ear and with an inner ear problem which gives me Vertigo,
I can go along with everything you say. There are also a lot of people who think it's quite funny that you can't hear them properly.
Even when I'm driving, my wife won't speak at me, she talks to
the windscreen. I get fed up asking her to repeat herslf, so I just
say nothing.
It can make you feel very lonely when at a dinner or function, everyone is chatting and laughing and you can't understand what anyone is saying. I used to go to talks at the British Museum, they had a hearing loop and it was just like wearing headphones. absolutely marvellous. I can't watch a film unless it has subtitles, or I play it close to me on my laptop.
I've noticed I go sit alone awhile eating and everyone else sitting around the table.. While I'm eating on a tv tray waiting tv that I can't hear either.. I completely understand what your going through...
It feels like the last disability people feel comfortable laughing at 😢
You've got my empathy @tectorama! I've stopped asking my husband to repeat himself, because his insults have left me bewildered, hurt, and defiant!
@@victoriawest9177I know how it is 😢
I know exactly how you feel 😪
Too many people who need hearing aids are either oblivious or actually afraid of the available technology that could make their lives so much better! My wife is 50 and needs them, but has not been willing to take the steps to get them. I have mentioned the benefits of Bluetooth connectivity and she shrugs it off. I just wish health insurance providers were required to cover them. Several thousand dollars is a lot for a single purchase for most people.
Yes, and one pair will not last a lifetime! I am on my third pair in 15 years, the last pair being highly developed for my specific needs.
THAT is the main reason most seniors are reluctant to get hearing aids. I count myself among them.
In a few states, including Washington State, there are some requirements for some insurers to pay for hearing aids. Also, many Medicare Advantage plans include some coverage. But absolutely---we need more requirements.
@@DulciladyHearing aids are now covered by Medicare.
Consider purchasing your hearing aids at Costco. Your membership cost will be recovered many times over by the savings.
I was there in person. It truly was a brilliant talk. The audience was so engaged. Thank you for sharing on this important topic.
Isn’t she an awesome speaker? I’m deaf. Late deafened so I don’t use sign language very much. My cochlear implants changed my world Can’t hear a thing without them, but with my cochlear implants and direct streaming to my smart phone, I heard every word. I didn’t even have to turn on the captions.
The worst problem I have is restaurants. Most restaurants have absolutely terrible acoustics. Highly reflective surfaces bounce the background sound around negating the restaurant setting on my hearing aids which is supposed to turn off the rear facing microphones so the front facing ones can focus on the conversation at the table. Sadly, this problem could be greatly reduced by restaurants simply having more absorptive surfaces to reduce the background sound. I'm sure people with normal hearing would benefit as they wouldn't have to shout at one another to be heard over the din.
YES! This modern trend of making restaurants as loud as possible is so annoying! Even when out with a group who all hear fine we have to shout just to have a conversation. It's exhausting. There are places we just don't go with our dads because they both have hearing aids.
I often choose a restaurant based on noise level instead of the the food.
Restaurants prize turnover, not sit-and-talk customers. I wouldn't be surprised to find that the terrible acoustics are on purpose.
Most restaurants are terrible for more reasons than acoustics. Sadly the quality of the food, and environment doesn't increase with the price of the menu. This is why I'd rather eat a pb&j at home rather than put up with any and all restaurants.
@@pjhorton1985some definitely are. Starbucks are definitely designed to minimize lingering.
As a hearing aid user with moderately severe hearing loss appreciate thia Ted talk and how well she explained our stuggles. Im definetly one that struggle with understanding conversations and im hypersensitive to everyday sounds that most people with nornal hearing can easily tune. so as much as I enjoy being social and being in public venues. I can only handle that enviorment for a short period of time and will need some alone time and quiet calm time to recover,. thank you for this talk. I wish more people including audilogists had this type of understanding
A life changer for me was to purchase the ampli called Pocketalker from Williamson. Great for conversation in resto or dining table. Better than my HA. At Walmart and Amazon and direct purchase to the company. About 150$. Amazon has more than 1,000 good reviews. Good luck
Goosd to know I'll have to look into one of those @@JP-tq7ni
You are NOT Alone my Friend !
People without hearing loss just don't understand why loud noise bothers me if I can't understand their speech.
Sounds like recruitment as healthy cells take more load to compensate for injured and dying ones. Hearing loss is a vicious cycle and will continue to be until we figure out how to restore our hearing nerves the way some fish and birds can do.
What a magnificent presentation. It is my sister who just paid $6,000 for hearing aids. It looks like there are things to know to make the use of them worthwhile.
Thank you for this very fine explanation of hearing loss and how hearing aids do not and cannot solve our hearing problems. I will send this talk to friends and family who just do not understand what a hearing impaired individual goes through. So many people say just go get the hearing aids adjusted. That is not a fix or a cure all. I always feel that I am in the wrong when I do not understand words and conversations. I could go on and on, but she has said it all and I am happy that someone out there understands what I am talking about.
I do understand. One ear is almost completely deaf and the other is pretty bad. I have two hearing aids and they are different years. One of the greatest difficulties I have is that I can hear what’s happening clear across the classroom than I can hear the student speaking to me just a foot or two away. It’s very frustrating.
See@@robinschwartz6977
Me - “What?”
GF - “You can hear what I say. You just don’t listen to me.”
LOL Yup. 😊
We installed a loop in our church a few years ago. It stopped working about 6 months after installation. It turns out that our av guy had turned its volume down by accident. It was easy to bring the volume up again. The trick is that our operator needed training on how to maintain it. Great technology.
“Simply being considerate.” I learned that decades ago when I attended a party at Gallaudet College. While talking to a handful of students, I turned my head away as I continued to talk. Two of them scolded me, asking that I face them when I spoke, as they were reading my lips. Turning my head effectively cut off what I was communicating to them. A rude move indeed.
You probably saw a pretty girl walk by.
@@MarkSmith-js2pu LOL! One of the scolders was a pretty girl. Which added to my embarrassment.
@@jaymacpherson8167 sometimes you can’t win!😀
The best thing to help a person who doesn't hear well is, call their name first. Get their attention, then speak to him/her...
Yes I have to remind my mom of that all the time
Is it too much to ask? It is so frustrating that people don't call your name first. Also, please face me and don't start walking away in the middle of a conversation when I am doing something (say, cooking supper) and can't follow.
@@eepsers1 Audiologist here (ret). Yes, it IS a BIg Ask. Someone you have lived w/ for many years or been around you for many years has been able to communicate w/ you and everyone easily and naturally a lot of that time. Some of that "naturally" is 'walking away, turning away, dropping their voice, not moving away from the teevee, etc.' So asking someone to behave differently now, aka UNnaturally is indeed, a Big Ask.
If these people care about you and interact frequently with you, then it's practice, practice, practice. Coming up with gentle or funny reminders will help them remember and change their behaviors re: communicating w/ you, even if it's half the time. Importantly, your letting them know you (i) acknowledge it isn't easy to change behaviors and (ii) by doing so at least some of the time, they'll cut out having to repeat so often! (a true bonus!) will go a long way for Caring on both sides -- and that usually gets good results, eh?
@@jkn3712 Thanks for the reminder to be patient and be nice, no matter the frustration. Well said.
I have met Juliette. For those of us with hearing loss, she is changing our world. Even if you don’t have hearing loss today - you may in the future - or someone you love might have it. If there is a meeting place that you would want your hearing loss friends or family, or strangers to hear in - your church, local theatres, museums and you don’t see the blue sign with the ear and the letter T (as shown in this video) - speak to your clergyman, the theatre manager, etc and ask them to have the loop system installed. You can even have it installed in your grandma’s living room to enable her to hear the tv or her music more clearly. It’s surprisingly less expensive than you would imagine.
Let’s Loop America!
My frustration with hearing aids is that hearing aids are about hearing voice but as an acoustic musician, they have a long way to go.
Yes! Me too
I play trumpet and started wearing a hearing aid 2 years ago. It changes the way my horn sounds to me. So I'm not sure what I actually sound like (to others)l. It is very disconcerting.
Completely agree. There seems to be an issue with processing time via the aids and your actual hearing which still perceives the sound, albeit with some loss, which creates a slight tremolo effect so that you no longer hear a continuous tone of, eg, a guitar string and its overtones. This gives a tinnyish sound which does a disservice to the instrument. Funnily enough, it makes a harpsichord sound great to me, but as a guitar player and singer, I tend to turn down my hearing aids a tad so as to allow a bit more of the real sound into my brain. Maybe one day.............
Many hearing issue are the result of listening to music too loud in their youth. It is not surprising that hearing aids cannot magically fix it.
I've found that I have to turn mine one notch above off when I sing. I use digital hearing aids
Thank you, Dr. Sterkens!! Your clarity on this subject is so helpful for ALL of us - with and without hearing loss. :)
You can see her experience in the way she enunciates the words clearly.
Remember - I grew up in a household where our father could not hear a smoke alarm...my sisters all speak/enunciate the same precise way. LOL
Also, English is not her first language so she probably learned to enunciate while learning it.
I went for help with tinnitus and learned I had hearing loss. I got hearing aids and realized I had been living in a quiet cozy world. Those hearing aids brought back many noises I didn’t even realize I couldn’t hear anymore-rustling paper for example. I don’t like how music sounds with my hearing aids. I miss enjoying music on the car radio-it’s awful. Sometimes I turn the hearing aid volume down when there’s too much noise surrounding me. Wonderful talk! I will see about a telecoil when I upgrade.
My mom believes she’s got tinnitus as well. The ringing in her ears has bothered her for years yet she’s hesitant about getting hearing aids due to cost.
Any recommendations??
Some hearing aids have adjustable treble and bass and that helps. And when listening to Spotify on bluetooth it helps a lot.
Check out Costco hearing aids. As good as those 6 times the cost.
That’s much like my experience, except I’ve known that I’ve been hearing impaired most of my life.
I HATED hearing aids, and paid thousands for them.
I went for relief from (internal) noise and was sold these demonic little things that add intolerable noise everywhere. And did not improve my tinnitus.
A simile Google ear pod blue toothed to a white noise app does better for me.
I will never set foot in an audiologists’ office again.
Why are you keeping yours and wearing them if you don’t like them?
@@TwylaG-Artistry She may or may not already know these: Stop caffeine, citrus and alcohol. Salt. Sugar & Aspartame. Carbohydrates. High blood pressure. Acetaminophen (Ibuprophen & similar). Advocate for Medicare to include hearing health.
She was controlling her tears when she talked about Russ. What passion!❤
I have slight hearing loss. I'm using Apple AirPods Pro 2 bluetooth headphones that have the ability to do a custom audiogram, like you get with hearing aids from your doctor. You select Custom Audio Setup and they run tests and create the audiogram. They create a graph of your hearing, and boost the frequencies that you have trouble hearing. And they have excellent microphones that are directional as well and can filter out background noise. They're also noise-canceling so you can hear music, audiobooks, podcasts etc. without turning up the volume. You squeeze on one of the stems to switch between noice canceling and transparency mode (to hear outside sounds). I don't know how they compare to hearing aids, but they're working for me, at least for now.
Good to know! I was just diagnosed with mild unilateral hearing loss (wouldn’t have known except I had tinnitus) and I’m wondering if I need a hearing aid
Thanks for this.
Only problem is those pods are bad for your brain too much EMF. I would look for something else
@@iloveseaglass Proof? Please supply a link to the related research papers.
@@KevinMaxwell-o3t Its common sense just like cell phones.. But the proof is out there
I live in an apartment complex for older adults.
So many residents fight moving to hearing aid use.
Our Executive Director gets complaint after complant ....
"My neighbors TV is way too loud!"
"My neighbor talks too loud!"
"My neighbor plays music too loud!"
"My neighbor slams doors and cupboards and stomps loudly!"
With 110 residents...hearing loss in others can be quite an annoyance.
How hard it must be for someone striving to hear to encounter people who choose not to listen.
Whaddya say?
@@2cartalkers Sorry, that sentence wasn't at all clear. I submit this as a better way of saying it:
For someone striving to hear, it must be hard to encounter people who choose not to listen.
Apologies. If only we were at our best every time.
I was feeling a bit low and I am now smiling listening to the efforts of this kind woman.
I've relied upon hearing aids for 5 years, and I have never heard of the tele coil. Hearing loss dramatically impacts my every day life, and I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Thanks and Blessings Julliette Sterkens.
I’ve lived with severe hearing loss most of my life.
I tried bilateral hearing aids and felt as if I was being violently assaulted by horrible sound so loud that I’d have done anything to make it stop.
Of course, I took them out and will be returning them asap for much-of my money refunded.
I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
@@JaimeMesChiens it is a terrible ordeal to go through.
When I was in grade school, mid 1960's, there was a copper foil tape around the classroom and was hooked to a Wollensack tape player/recorder. Students were given a translucent plastic box with an earpiece. Inside was a Telecoil and amplifier powered from a 9volt battery.
If you have multiple selectable programs on your HA, have your audiologist set one of them to receive the T-coil signals. In certain indoor, public venues (auditoriums, places of worship, etc.) it can come in handy. It puts the same signal being picked up by house microphones and going out over the sound system directly in your ear!
Costco has treated me the best! I’ve been wearing hearing aids for over 20 years. I’ve been charged exorbitant prices for them, until Costco. They Only asked 20% of what I was used to paying. And they treated me much better. There’s no commission involved. I was actually told by a previous audiologist that because I didn’t get the “top of the line” (most costly) then I wouldn’t be “priority” when I called for appointments and it would be hard to get in to HER, because there is not as much commission with the ones I chose. 😮🥺 I went home and cried.
Ditto
I"m glad that your Costco has worked will for you. Unfortunately, when I explain that my hearing aids are not helpful, the technicians at my Costco in Newport News only tell me, "Wear them all the time and you will get used to them.' They never explained the differences between the different brands, they just said I needed Phillips hearing aids. Those make things louder but distorted. What brand did Costco sell you? The Newport News Costco does not have an audiologist on staff, so I'm not sure that the technicians are all that well informed.
Amen for helping people who are hard of hearing to have some empathy & be helpful rather than degrading.
I know. What’s the degrading thing? why degrade someone with a bonafide disability????
It’s so impossible for someone who can hear to understand what a person with a hearing aid *cannot* hear.😢 Thank you for sharing the audio which allowed me to comprehend the difference 🙏🏻
It can be demonstrated with the right example, like her example about the coil. The echo in that sample really drove a point.
You are correct and i would add that it's impossible for me (bilateral cochlear implant user) to understand what someone else with hearing loss "hears." Everyone is unique and so is their hearing loss. That's why having an Audiologist like Juliette is so important to a successful experience with hearing aids.
Thank you for your presentation. Your demonstration of the sound one receives with hearing aids in a large room or auditorium is spot on and I plan to share this with some family and friends. Thank you also for confirming what I've said multiple times, even to my audiologist, regarding the significant disparity between how well glasses correct vision vs how well hearing aids correct hearing loss. I plan on looking into telecoil, but I think I was told that for the hearing aids my Medicare covers that it's accessible if you own an Apple but not an Android phone.
This described my life until I turned 38 and was diagnosed with a hearing impairment. Hearing aids totally changed my life.
As an audiologist this is a great TedX talk. I’m thankful to live in a community where “the loop” is available. I made sure my patients had a tcoil in their amplification if it was an available option in their aid.
Thank you for taking good care of your patients.
Out of 4 audiologists not one has ever told me. amazing.
I have industrial deafness and got my first set of hearing aids 15 years ago. The difference was amazing. I can now understand friends who speak with strong accents and i don't have to engage in a shouting match with my partner. hearing loops are great. My first experience in a country which has them on public transport was great. No more announcements where the speaker sounds like they are talking with a mouth full of marbles.
Dear Ms Sterkens, please, please come over to Europe and educate us here. It brought tears to my eyes to hear/see you give this speech. I have sent a copy of the link to my wife who still insists on speaking to me from another room in a normal tone and volume and cannot understand why I can't hear her clearly. A million thanks !
This is one of the best presentation on hearing loss and hearing aids. Thank you so much for sharing this.
BRAVO! No one better than you to explain this challenge and why it is critical to resolve.
What I find annoying is that on occasion no matter if a person repeats themselves, one word will not be clear. I’ve asked people to repeat the word - out comes the WHOLE sentence. Remember, hearing aids may distort certain sounds more than others. We may not need the whole sentence, just the word. I’ve asked people to spell the word. You would think I’d asked for the moon. Please, if someone requests a word be repeated or spelled out (you could also rephrase your sentence) do so. Think of it this way: your audience values what you’re saying
By doing this, you are showing your grace, respect and understanding of the difficulties your conversation partner may be experiencing.
that's exactly right. Understanding one word can make all the difference. With your comment "hearing aids may distort certain sounds more than others" I wonder if you had REM (real ear measurement). The manufacturers computer fitting is just "first fit." The second step is verification - helps to decrease distortion and further refines adjustments you may need. Only 30% of audiologists use REM.
And often, with partial hearing loss, saying the same words LOUDER does not help at all.
I’m not sure what you’re referring to. I have an over the ear hearing aid and the mold for the earpiece was don with a green putty like substance that hardens after a while. This is sent to the lab for molding the actual earpiece.
YES!!
She’s absolutely phenomenal on this topic. I’m beyond impressed. She gets it! As a 68 year old woman with a hearing loss, I feel there’s hope after listening to Juliette. I encourage others to watch …
Well done 👍
I am going to schedule an appointment for new hearing aids next week. I am so grateful to have heard this lecture now so that I will be more informed and will ask about telecoils. Thank you, Dr. Sterkens, from the bottom of my heart. I used to have an opera subscription and went monthly. Now, I don't even listen to recordings or attend any kind of music performances because of the terrible distortion. Thank you.
Soon I will be making an appointment for my first pair. I’m glad to have gotten this information.
As a native New Yawker, I've found that all I need is for everyone to speak to me in proper British English.
Their enunciation is perfect!
Thank you so much, Juliet. You’ve certainly raised awareness. I’m 61 years old and have moderate hearing loss. Because I do not have insurance, except state Medicaid, hearing aids are not available to me. I was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. This disease affects bone collagen, resulting in numerous fractures. But, can also effect hearing. Unfortunately, I’ve been affected by both. I have noticed, especially in the last year, a change in my anxiety level. I believe this is a result of continually having to ask people to repeat themselves. Also, always concerned that I may have my television on too loudly and things like this. Adding to the depth of the situation is the disability of my son. He does not speak well, at all and speaks with bullet rapidity. I can tell that it’s very frustrating for him to converse with me, due to my continuing to ask him to repeat himself. He is cognitively impaired, quite severely, so this hurts me for him.
I hope that states , some day soon, will be required to provide hearing aids for the uninsured.
Medicaid now covers hearing aids comoletelly
Thank you for this, I'm in London UK and have severe hearing loss bilaterally due to Meinieres disease which started six years ago.
My career was spent in music and audio production, so am well aware of the physical faults and limitations of hearing aids. Whilst it's great to have the accesories and Telecoils I believe we could get more from aids themselves with microphone repositioning and also increased studies into in-ear microphones which use the whole ear to gather sound, allowing more spaciality.
I became instantly aware of the technical limitations of aids as soon as I was given my first pair and now I want to use my audio experience to improve hearing for aid users.
Aids do benefit people with hearing loss, but we can and will do better. :)
Thank you for sharing such an enlightening talk! It's true that most of us don't realize the impact of hearing loss until we experience it ourselves or see someone close to us struggling. Juliëtte Sterkens' expertise sheds light on the limitations of hearing aids and the importance of understanding the available technology. Her dedication to improving accessibility for those with hearing loss is truly commendable. Looking forward to exploring more about hearing loops and other advancements in this field!
With just moderate hearing loss, I often sat in lonely silence. Some of my relatives swore by Beltone, so I set up an appointment. The Audiologist is a wizard in the office nearest to me. Kind, calm, very competent. Yes, their aids are expensive, but I’m grateful that at 71 and mostly retired, I was able to get fitted with the Achieve aids, and my quality of life has improved in measurable ways. This was a fantastic speech. She’s very eloquent and knowledgeable.
I installed just such a loop in the famous church St. Martin In The Fields on London's Trafalgar Square in the late 1980s while installing a new multi-speaker PA system. It was far from modern technology, even back then. It is disturbing in the extreme that here we are now, over 35 years later, still trying to wake people up to their benefits. Great talk to watch!
At 62, I have a bad NIHL (noise induced hearing loss), loud noise in work environments, aggravated by ototoxic chemicals that can accelerate hearing loss by 10x more than noise alone.
Wearing hearing aids of various strengths for some 25 + years, I stopped using them about mid 2010's when they no longer helped.
After 5 years or so, I got into a cochlear programme and had the implant and processor done about 2 years ago.
It's changed my life so much for the better.
AND, there is so much more going on with research . . . MIT has been running a research programme for a few years now where they inject stem cells into a cochlear, and can grow the damaged hairs back, so more natural hearing is restored.
This is more for damaged cochlear hairs, NIHL for example, but it could apply to other medical losses too.
Thank you for sharing this very important information. The world needs more advocates like you. 🙂
Thank goodness for subtitles, and close captioning
Indeed. I watched a video when I was researching why my hearing aids would not charge (yes, I contacted my audiologist directly after that and got a new charger). That particular video did not have captioning available. How ironic, and rude.
How can they do it in cinemas?
@@rogerphelps9939 Most movie houses will loan you a closed captioning device on request.
Thank you! I never knew about hearing loops or that assistive technology was required by the ADA. As a 50-year hearing aid wearer, I've boiled things down to a simple explanation when people ask why my hearing aid doesn't give me perfect hearing: Glasses are CORRECTIVE lenses; hearing devices are AIDS: they help, but they don't correct.
Turned 61 today. I've been losing my hearing, or as I've said for the last few years , I just can't hear over the ringing in my ears. But as she said about her father I can hear about anything but speech. So my journey begins on finding the right hearing ad.. Thanks for all the Great information....❤
I have hearing problems, but most of it is because people mumble. She’s a lovely speaker. So articulate.
Get tested by an experienced audiologist to get a very precise baseline and INSIST that a Quick-SIN (speech-in-noise) test be performed. Repeat the test every couple of years. Most people do not mumble. Something is changing in your ears - and it should be documented.
@@juliettesterkens721 thank you for these good tips. My family does mumble. It’s interesting that you say this I don’t have this issue at work but I have it at home. Also I have accents to contend with. But I do believe I have a hearing problem too.
It’s very prevalent to in our culture to talk fast and mumble. After telling someone once or twice I just tune out or walk away.
@@juliettesterkens721 My partner talks fast and doesn't enunciate well. She has false teeth and most s's come out as 'sh', which makes it very difficult to understand. I will have her listen to your talk, which is much more informative than my audiologist had with us. I'm glad I stumbled on this video. Thank you!
I agree sadly, even my daughter gets angry for having to repeat when she mumbles from another room!😢
Another reason to face a person when talking to them is they can start lip reading. While I have no training in it, I can still use it in noisy situations to augment what I am hearing. The trick is to imagine what sound you would be making if you had your lips the way the speaker has them. It's like you're trying to follow them, but without moving your lips.
I have hearing loss but what made me finally get hearing aids was my tinnitus worsening. Low and midtones were okay without hearing aids, it was the higher frequences that I had some issues but I was fine with everyday living. While getting hearing aids have helped (Stakey Genesis AI 24) and I am glad I have them, the tinnitus has and continues to be a far bigger issue than the hearing loss. Of course, hearing loss is the most common root cause to tinnitus and is actually easier to treat than the tinnitus itself. Many people have tinnitus with little or no hearing loss as well.
I had debilitating tinnitus for over 20 years and some days could not function at all because of it. I tried hearing aids as a last resort and they work miracles for me. I still hear the constant ringing but the sound has been reduced by about 40% and I am able to go for many hours able to ''forget'' about the ringing. I have been using hearing aids for 2 years now and my quality of life has greatly improved. The audiologist said that about 20% of people with tinnitus are helped by hearing aids. I am in the lucky 20%.
I have had hearing loss for many years and use headphones for many activities. I developed tinnitus about the same time that I started using in the ear headphones ,cause and effect or coincidence?? don't know, but I am not willing to risk the tinnitus getting worse..if it did, well, I wouldn't be able to take it!!! What I wouldn't give just to be able to have blessed silence....
@@nancysexton545 I wish you the best! The over the ear hearing aids make me almost forget the tinnitus even though it's there 24/7. If I go 2 days without them, the misery returns. I wear them 12 hours a day. Cost me $4500 a few years ago but that amount of relief was well worth the price. They gave me a 6 week free trial ad by week 3, I knew they would change my life.
My brother in law became deaf in one ear recently. I will definitely recommend a hearing loop to him. Thanks for the video!
Those devices are a real gift, I can tell you as a 30 year old, that needs *one*.
A car broke my skull last year. Now I can hear about 60% on my left ear and it's been quite cutting. many words do sound so similar. And if my wife is standing to my left, without this device its just hard to communicate.
After around 4 months I finally got my first trial hearing aid and I almost cried. It was so beautiful.
I started with severe hearing loss in my early 40s. Back then, hearing aides were not covered by insurance... which was a crime. Even now the copayment is still thousands. I have been VERY isolated socially and can't even interact in a food drive through. With two aides NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I ASK SOMEONE TO SPEAK UP... THEY DON'T. IWAS EVEN THROWN OUT OF A LOCAL STORE BECAUSE I ASKED THE CLERK 3 TIMES TO PLEASE SPEAK UP. I simply gave up and just stay alone. Your work is so incredibly important. LD
No one, no one ever speaks more loudly or more slowly when asked. Then, there are the aholes who mouth the words without sound when you say you cannot hear them well. Hearing loss opens you up to so much abuse! I sometimes ask the person not helping by speaking louder after having been asked numerous times....would you help me if I was blind?
THANK YOU! Your compassionate illustrations of hearing loss explain this experience so well, and your telecoil information is a game changer. Thank you for this message of hope and encouragement!!
Thank you, Juliëtte! I've worn hearing aids for 30+ years now.
Great illustrative comparison! Glasses are CORRECTIVE devices. Hearing aids are ASSISTIVE devices.
Thank you Juliette. I’ve been wearing them for 3 years. You answered questions I’ve had about my hearing aids. I will listen to this great presentation again!!🌻🌻
I care , I've always cared , but listening to Juliette as a person who has excellent hearing I've realised how selfish I've been and not caring enough to actually do anything about it, love to all ❤
Thank you SO much for this. My wife wears 2 aids, newer ones, and she still misses many things I say. I'm realizing this is happens in the situations you described.
8:17. she's talking about a closed loop system that's aimed at a specific area, (magnetically) and i love this woman's reason and passion, she's wonderful
I also liked the TEDx Talk "Sound and the Consequence of Silence" - very interesting information about dementia & hearing loss.
I saw that one too.. very interesting talk
The talk was given by Kenzie Reichert
Why does Medicare not cover hearing devices when other devices are covered?
I was attending a play in an auditorium that provided hearing assistance devices. My wife, who has good hearing was asking ME what an actor had just said.
I have heard similar stories about the Performing Arts Center in Des Moines, IA. During the show run, Hamilton - word got out among non-hearing aid users that the assistive listening devices would let you understand the fast dialogue much better. This meant that the facility often ran out of listeners. How cool is that?
@@juliettesterkens721 What a great story!
Thank you, Juliette, for your passionate dedication to providing vital information to consumers that helps improve their lives through easier and better hearing! True dedication and true passion!
Thank you.
It's hard to believe that hearing aids are not generally covered by Medicare. Also, the radio shows such as NPR continue to interview guests who call in on cell phones. As anyone with hearing loss knows, cell phone conversations can be very difficult to hear properly.
Yes, it's unbelievable hearing aids and hearing exams are NOT covered under Medicare. For several years, there have been several bipartisan bills for changes to Medicare introduced, but have never passed. "Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act of 2023" "Audiology Patient Choice Act of 2018" To your second point, anytime a news organization interviews people on their cell phone, on Zoom with poor room acoustics, and in places with lots of background noise, it is very DIFFICULT to understand for people with hearing loss-so much work, so much frustration, and less understanding.
Back in 1965 when Medicare was written and being discussed re: coverages/benefits, the adults of the day did not consider and advocate for hearing aid coverage, thus it was not included in that insurance policy. At the time, hearing aids were not championed as they are today -- there were fewer people and the average oldie but goodie lived fewer years than is true in later decades and certainly today.
Any insurance cannot cover everything; by virtue of the entitiy, it is there "just in case" and so that an injury/disease does not wipe you out financially. Same is true for other insurances -- homeowners, auto, flood, etc. Sickness insurance (it's only now getting to be more about health!) is the same -- so you don't have tremendous out-of-pocket expenses.
@@jkn3712 they used to assume aids did not help SNHL, which is not true at all!
Captioning is a lifesaver.
But being obese CAN be covered as a disability with Medicaid.
Juliëtte, Thank you for such an enlightening talk. I have suffered with progressive hearing loss since my 20s. Now in my advanced 60s, your suggestions are even more important! I've shared your talk with friends and family. Bless you!
I never watch TV without subtitles. I tell off my parents where they speak to me from another room. My son mumbles a lot and I can't hear anyone with their face turned away. Its very frustrating. Equally I really hate loud noises and I'm hypersensitive to chaotic environments. I love concerts but hate nightclubs as i can't hear anyone talking at all. When i take out my hearing aids the relief is so nice, its like taking off tight shoes, blissful. The world goes quiet for a while until i adjust. Loss of clarity is a big problem as much as loss of volume and hearing aids can't always improve the clarity enough. I am grateful for my hearing aids and have no problem wearing them but they can't function as perfectly as the human ear. I have no directional hearing even with them so I have to be extra careful crossing roads because i can't tell where a car may be by the sound of the engine. I can't hear running water and have left taps running by accident. It's very shocking when you get hearing aids and you realise all the sounds everywhere that you've missed. I kept looking behind me at first thinking i was being followed when my bag would rustle against my clothes. I have to take them out if im concentrating on something difficult at work as hearing snatches of conversation tugs on my brain and I can't focus. Its truly amazing how the human ear is so perfectly designed and adapts for our environment automatically. I do have T loop but haven't used it very much maybe will give it a try a bit more now. Great talk
Bravo Juliette! I had SSCD Surgery that left me with a constant shhhh and hearing loss. My audiologist gave me a hearing aid to try for a month. It's a love-hate relationship. I see her next week and taking notes from this presentation, and suggest she listen to this video. Thank you!
This is a brilliant talk from Juliette. My experience is through my daughter who was born with complex hearing loss and wanted to wear a hearing aid since she was about 5 years old. It has been an education to learn about their limitations, as Juliette explained, hearing is so complex and hearing aids cannot compare to what we hear when unaided. As a result I have such huge respect for deaf people who develop an ability to lipread as a matter of course and can scaffold their listening with sign language and have a beautiful culture of sign language. Ultimately it is a very individual experience and deaf people need to have all the choices available to support them, many thanks
An outstanding presentation! You are a credit to our profession.
Costco has hearing aids for 1/2 what the audiologists office charges. They do the best hearing tests and you can go anytime to have them checked, cleaned and have your hearing tested.
Understand that they are "locked" . Only Costco can service them.
Thanks for telling us this.
@@2anonymous So?
@@RapKrider In my case, I live 80 miles from a Costco. Hearing aids need servicing at some point, it would be foolish for me to buy a product that I couldn't have serviced without a major inconvenience.
@@2anonymous Indeed, it wouldn't make sense for YOU to buy Costco hearing aids. But for many people watching this who do have a Costco close by it makes sense. The locked hearing aid thing is common in the industry; Beltone, Miracle Ear, NuEar, etc. all lock their hearing aids and a patient will have to find an audiologist who is contracted with those companies to have their hearing aids serviced. It sucks, but that's the way it is.
I got hearing aids a few months ago. I wasn't fully hearing my grandchildrens' higher pitched voices. I had been using CC for a couple years, without realizing why. I can now hear notes in music I had not heard in some time. I have modern aids that have more features than she listed. They are Bluetooth capable, but I seldom use them that way.
As a person coming to grips with my own hearing loss, Juliette is a great adovocate - I enjoyed listening to her ideas and advice. I've made notes - I have to face the fact, that I need hearing aids to continue enjoying my life.
Hello from France,
I'm deaf in one ear (childhood illness) and the other is starting to deteriorate (presbycusis).
My audioprosthesist has fitted me with a Cross system that uses WIFI to send sound from one side to the other (Bernafon CROS miniRITE T R).
I enjoyed your talk (you're obviously used to talking to people with hearing difficulties!).
I also use my iPhone and a transmitter for my TV.
But I didn't know about the "telecoil" system for public places.
I'll look into it.
Thanks a lot!
Beautiful spoken English. She commands attention!
It isn't her first language, that's why she speaks it so clearly.
Thank you for this wonderful presentation. I really admire your passion and true empathy that is so obvious. All your patients are very very lucky to have someone so professional and caring like yourself. Your presentation was delivered so clearly and with some great humor to. Thank you again.
My biggest problem is all the ads and outlets that promise the world.
Get tested and we'll solve your problems…ya..no.
It's everywhere. I fought hard for sound panels in our shared clubhouse.
When we got them mounted, there was a marked reduction in volume by about 10 db.
Reverberation reduced by 1/2 seconds. I got a lot compliments afterwards.
Great talk!
I wish more places had acoustic panels/tiles. Bravo for your advocacy!
I got my hearing aids only a couple years ago at age 72 and I'm very sorry I waited so long because I've had some hearing loss from infancy and it has only gotten worse as I aged. Restored hearing is life changing or at least quality of life changing. I spend a lot of time outdoors and hearing song birds again was a real treat. The bluetooth feature for phone use was also very helpful.
Wonderful lecture! I’ve had a hearing aid going on25 years and for the first 5 years I always dealt with an audiologist but it became too expensive. I have resorted to buying an aid that’s produced for hunters, made by a company called Walker’s Game Ear. Quite honestly, I can hear better with this “sporting goods model” than I could with a few of the mega dollar hearing aids. How sad is that! I know of several people that simply cannot afford hearing aids.
I have stopped wearing hearing aids. I found they didn’t improve hearing clarity, they just increased the volume which wasn’t an issue.
Please don’t give up! Adjusting hearing aids requires at least five initial visits to get things tuned in, plus periodic visits. As someone with a mobility issue that has required numerous adjustments through the years, I get frustrated with those who get new hearing aids and give up thinking it’s a “one and done” adjustment. I know it’s frustrating.
Thank You +++ I've learned much of this the hard way, while suffering with so so (not cheap) hearing aids over the last 5 years. Your confirmation of my suspicions & much additional knowledge will be of great help to me in the future !!
Bless You 🙏
I've found that using earbuds to connect to my TV is even better than using a TV connection accessory as provided by hearing aid manufacturers. Their loudspeakers are much richer than the small loudspeakers in hearing aids. I've tried several buds and the best I've found are Sennheiser Momentum TW 3. They connect directly to my nVidia Shield Pro TV streaming box, but also connect via Bluetooth to the TV if necessary. I have severe loss in one ear, but the buds can almost compensate.
At 71 I believe I am wading into the hearing loss pool. I figured it was inevitable after a couple of decades as a helicopter pilot and a child of the 50s who became an avid listener of rock music (not heavy metal, but nothing against heavy metal). My smart phone often warns me that I am listening to my podcast at too high a volume. If there isn't too much wind, I can turn my volume down a bit. But my wife has to turn the TV up so that I can hear the program above the sound of the whole house a/c or heater blower. Like Ms. Sterkens says, I would like to hear better without turning the a/c off - lol.
In other words this Tedx talk and Ms. Juliëtte Sterkens excellent talk is very timely for me. Thanks to both.
My good friend of many years got progressively more deaf and it greatly affected her lifestyle and even our friendship. My habit of mumbling really drove her crazy!
Putting space between the words helps so much! Gives the hearing-impaired person time to process the sounds.
I have used hearing aides for many years. I am an amateur musician and had to get help from manufacturer to filter out my euphonium playing. My horn on certain notes would reset. Things are better but far from grate. When I play with band I typically turn down or off. The remote microphone option did not work for me. They were very pricey for what they could do for me. I gave up on remote mics.
My family understands that they have to speak a bit slower and as distinctly as possible. I do use the Bluetooth link on my cell phone and depending on the situation I use it about half the time. Mostly I listen as closely as possible and often times I can hear but not understand the words. I just smile and nod not having a clue as to what was being said. It is a bit isolating but such is life .
Oh please don't smile and nod; just say you didn't understand what they said..but I hate it when I miss the jokes punch line!
Thank you for stressing the importance of telecoil, I always have trouble hearing in theatre and cinema because my hearing aid do have that feature. My next hearing aid will definitely have that feature.
I find cinemas impossibly loud, but the actors speech is still indistinct. I hope using a hearing loop will help without pain from the sound effects and music.
Since the hubby got his hearing aids a few months ago, he doesn't hear as well as he used to. It's crazy. I have to repeat things even MORE now. And half the time he doesn't even hear me when I'm talking in a normal voice. Then, when I raise my voice so he CAN hear, he yells his answer at me. Totally crazy. And he has one of the 'best' brands around.
The husband is hiding his fears of asking for help or is having challenges dealing with change. Hearing aids work well when they are adjusted repeatedly because the ear and the brain need to learn how to work together harmoniously. Years ago, I was so embarrassed about needing adjustments because I assumed the hearing aids always worked the same. That was a poor assumption on my part that was not comfortably dealt with by the seller. The feeling of 'hurry up and get out of my office so I can help somebody else' was very unsettling for me. After I got over my reaction, I was relieved to understand I misread what happened to me. Repeated office visits are the norm. So keep asking questions and learning more as you go happily hearing more every day.
Bless you for this information. I have worn hearing aids for 40+ years and everything you say is so true. People don't know that they need to do these things that you mention, often because they 'forget' you are hearing impaired. Unlike a broken leg or arm, hearing loss isn't as visible to others. No more movies for theater for me. I also have people in my life who refuse to try any of the things you mentioned, so I have given up trying to hear them. There is also the frustration of the impaired and those having to repeat themselves. I have been told what a good listener I am and that is because I have do. I must listen to the context of the sentence because it could be onion or bunion that isn't clear. Are they talking about feet or food?
thank you so much! keep educating people! The worst for me is people who do not enunciate and grew up in America but have strong accents. When I ask ppl to enunciate or slow down, they just get louder! ugh
This is an excellent talk from someone who really knows her subject. It makes sense that she focused on the technology that is currently available and underutilized. It's worth noting, that even more sophisticated Bluetooth tech is coming for hearing aids, i.e., Auracast. It will take some time before it becomes widely available, but it should take things to the next level beyond T-coil technology.
I have been wearing or supposed to be wearing hearing aids for 7 years and I had no idea about the Telecoil. I haven't been wearing them since the lockdowns because one was set up for the wrong ear and makes me dizzy and fall over...this talk, Thankyou Juliette tells me I need to get them sorted out.
Thankyou so much for sharing
Reading body language and facial expression is one of the first things you instinctivly self teach . And yes I did pick up on Juliuette `s professional passion in her work .Many audiologists do the same things mentioned not to do .I`ve had some typing on a keyboard while giving instructions on how to use hearing aids . I have a profound loss .
My primary care physician is the absolute worst at this. It’s the only problem we’ve had in 25 years, but it’s huge. I want him to watch this UA-cam.
As you said, the UK has similar laws about providing hearing loops in public buildings. One of the main problems, though, has been getting hearing aid users to make use of the technology. We have put up signs all round the venue, with little or no effect. I will add a link to this video to the Hall's website, as well as some QR codes around the Hall!
I’m deaf and thought hearing loops were only for the profoundly deaf.
Also Bluetooth hearing aids are unaffordable for ordinary people in the UK.
Hi, I know from talking to several people with hearing aids, that they didn't know if their devices had a T setting, or how to use it. It does seem that audiologists really should discuss these things with customers. I am about to go for my first hearing test, so I may soon find out about the costs involved, and how much information is forthcoming! Incidentally, the system that we had installed in our village hall allows people without hearing aids to get the benefits by using a set of standard headphones.@@AntheadeMaurice
@@AntheadeMaurice anyone can use a hearing loop- no one asks if you are 'deaf enough.' Also people with typical hearing use hearing loops: it helps them to focus. Give it a try with a hearing loop receiver and headphones-borrowed from the venue/institution
Check out your local HLA groups. Its national. I wear aid and its not perfect but glad i can hear some. CC and subtitles are life savers. Loops only work if you have T coil, way worth having. I wish i had more friends.
Thank you for the very informative talk. I have been putting off getting hearing aids so far. But I will now be more aware when the time comes to get them.
I just listened to this short (< 20 minutes) video and learned a lot. Apx 10 minute point she talks about public accommodations for the hard of hearing, which I found actually exciting!
This is fantastic information that will impact the quality of life of my now 11 year old son who has hearing loss! I'm sure his hearing aids have a telecoil, but we have never utilized them in this way! Thankfully, we are also in Wisconsin, and will be on the lookout for places where this technology is available thanks to you!!