Many people are nervous about going to the hospital, whether they’re a kid with a broken arm or an adult with a standard medical procedure. Extended stays can amplify those feelings, especially for the more than 10% of people in the U.S. with hearing loss.
If you’re going to Piedmont Macon or Emory Hospital, hearing aids are one effective tool that can add some reassurance to your hospital experience.
The Benefits of Hearing Aids
Your hearing aids collect speech sounds, amplify them and send them directly to your ears. The improved comprehension these technologically advanced devices offer is crucial during a hospital stay. Whether you’re talking with the front desk representatives or chatting with the nurse checking your vitals, your devices are there to help you communicate as well as possible during your stay.
Caring for Your Devices
When you’re at home, you have a system in place to care for your devices: cleaning them at specific times, storing their accessories in designated places and designating a charging or storage spot. When you’re at the hospital, that whole finely tuned system goes out of whack—but that doesn’t mean device care has to fall by the wayside.
Take the following steps to care for your devices during your stay:
- Pack your supplies. Any accessories you use at home to keep your hearing aids in tip-top shape should go with you to the hospital. These could include chargers, extra batteries, cleaning kits, extra earmolds and tubing, an electronics case or a loss-prevention lanyard or clips.
- Designate a storage space. It’s easy to lose track of things when our routines change. Keep track of all your hearing aid supplies by storing them in the same place every day and night. If you need to remove your devices during the day, put them in their cases in the same place you put them at night.
- Don’t neglect cleanings. Clean hearing aids deliver the best sound quality. Try to find time each day to clean your devices, even if you’re just wiping them down with a cloth.
By wearing your hearing aids consistently and caring for them effectively, you can enjoy the amplified sound they offer throughout your stay, however long it is. For more information about caring for your devices, contact The ENT Center of Central Georgia today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
