Getting Used to Hearing Aids

People learn at different rates. Some people need a day or two to learn about and adjust to their hearing aids, most need a few weeks and some may need a few months. There is no perfect way to learn about hearing aids. I usually recommend you wear the hearing aids for a few hours the first day, and add about an hour a day for each day that follows. Do not try to set an endurance record. Over a period of time you will lengthen the amount of time that you wear the aid. Eventually you will wear the hearing aids most of your waking hours. It is recommended that you interact with those people you are most familiar with during your first few days. Start off listening with your hearing aids in a favorable listening environment and work towards more difficult listening situations. Let your friends and family know that you are using your new hearing aids.
Helpful Steps to Learning to Use a Hearing Aid:

Use the aid at first in your own home environment.

Wear the aid only as long as you are comfortable with it.

Accustom yourself to the use of the aid by listening to just one other person – husband or wife, neighbor or friend.

Do not strain to catch every word.

Do not be discouraged by the interference of background noises.

Practice locating the source of the sound by listening only.

Increase your tolerance for loud sounds.

Practice learning to discriminate different speech sounds.

Listen to something read aloud.

Gradually extend the number of persons with whom you talk, still within your own home environment.

Gradually increase the number of situations in which you use your hearing aid.

Take part in an organized course of aural rehabilitation, see your audiologist to learn about these courses.