Cordless phone for someone hard of hearing?

Hear-Hear

Hi Savvy_sue

If it's an analogue aid or an older digital, then yes, the user needs to be shown exactly how to hold the telephone near the join between the coupler/ear-hook and the aid itself. The audiologist would also review this (amongst other progress issues) at the first review, usually 2 to 4 weeks after fitting. Further instruction and guidance will be provided as necessary.

If the aid is a more recent digital, whether BTE or ITE, it will most likely have an automatic telephone function. Then it doesn't matter exactly where the phone is held, as long as it is fairly close to the aid. Essentially, the coils in the telephone receiver generate a mild electro-magnetic field. This field *pushes* a switch-reed inside the aid to change it automatically from the normal listening programme to a dedicated telephone programme. The sound signal is really good - pretty similar to the level of clarity one gets when using the telecoil function in church.

So, Both you and Francesanne's Mother need to ask your audiologist (assuming the aids are digital) whether they have an automatic telephone function. If no, why not ??

If yes, has the automatic telephone programme been set up correctly ? If he/she says it has, then ask him/her to show you how it works by using a simple magnet...

Hope this helps you both.

Savvy_Sue

Hearing aid sorted itself out again, so it'll be a while before I get back to audiology, but will bear your tips in mind!