Many seniors need or should
be wearing hearing aids but refuse to do so because of cosmetic reasons or find
that they are just too much of a hassle.
The batteries are always dead, they are too small to manipulate with
clumsy fingers and poor eyesight, they are too expensive, or they are easy to
lose. I’ve often wondered why the people
that can give you a pacemaker can’t come up with a permanent ear implant.
Well good news. The technique isn’t perfect but Laura Johannes
writing for The Wall Street Journal (Tuesday, July 7, 2009) tells about a new
extended wear hearing aid. This model
can be worn for up to four months and is replaced only when the battery
dies. The aid is placed deep in the ear
canal and is invisible. The Lyric, by
Insound Medical Inc. is the size of two pencil-top erasers side by side. It is worn all of the time, even when
showering, sleeping or active in sports.
At this point only about 50%
of hearing users can wear them. Some
people have ear canals that are too small or are not straight enough for them
to fit inside, or they have medical limitations. It is powerful enough for only those with
mild to moderate hearing loss.
It isn’t perfect but users love
them because of the natural sound quality.
It is possible to use a cell phone or even plug iPod ear buds into the
ears. A small key-chain magnet device is
used to turn it on and off and to adjust the volume. It can be left on all of the time, unless you
want to zone out for some reason.
Tests and trials are still
being done, but isn’t it encouraging knowing that the hearings impaired haven’t
been forgotten?
Comments