Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

As a professional musician, I have been involved in many a discussion with friends and colleagues about the issue of noise induced hearing loss. 

For one, people simply don’t consider that it could happen to them. Another reason is the belief that earplugs distort sound, giving musicians a rather unpleasant experience.

But the big problem is that when noise-induced hearing loss occurs, it is often too late, irreversible and, if a significant loss, can be life-altering.

I believe this lack of education to be the biggest contributing factor in musicians’ seeming apathy towards their hearing health.

Read more: Rock Singer’s Hearing Loss is an Important Moment for Change

Another reason is the belief that earplugs distort sound, giving musicians a rather unpleasant experience. While such distortion occurs from standard foam or wax earplugs, a range of specialist attenuated musicians’ earplugs are available for a cheap price (sometimes as little as £10) online and in high street music shops. Of course, bespoke products can also be purchased from independent providers as well as places such as Specsavers. However, Help Musicians UK is currently offering the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme to encourage professionals in the occupation to take better care of their hearing. The scheme costs just £40 (or £30 for MU members), and comes with over £200 worth of benefits, including a specialist hearing assessment and, crucially, custom-made hearing protection. This is an excellent scheme and one which I encourage all UK-based professional musicians to join.

Disappointingly, during my three years at university, only one session was dedicated to this important topic, and I know that other universities and conservatoires aren’t much better despite many students being exposed to dangerously high noise levels – sometimes in excess of 100dB – for several hours a day.

Education is the most powerful tool, which is why I will continue to strive to improve awareness about sound levels and hearing protection in the profession.

Read more: 10 Tips to Protect Your Hearing

Will you join me?

Hearing aids aren’t something to hide. With the sleek designs and fun colors of today’s hearing aids, users are able to show off their personality through their hearing aids.

Decorated hearing aids and accessories are all the rage, but the hottest new trend: custom hearing aid ear molds. 

Mike Sonnenberg, a 27-year-old hearing care professional in Germany, is a master at making custom ear molds, which he shows off on his Instagram account.

He says his goal is to make ear molds as beautiful and fashionable as possible so people are proud to show them off – whether they have hearing loss or not.

“It will be great once this negative perception regarding hearing aids no longer exists.”

“A super-designed hearing aid simply needs a super-designed ear mold that fits,” says Sonnenberg. “Eyeglasses are available in all possible colors and shapes, so why not the ear pieces? It will be great once this negative perception regarding hearing aids no longer exists. People can even wear these ear molds as jewelry, even if they do not need hearing aids.”

Sonnenberg says he creates the ear molds by sculpting them based on a person’s individual ear, personality and needs.

“I tend to deviate from the standard,” he says. “Traditional earmolds that are still manufactured how they were 50 years ago just don’t fit with the sleek designs of today’s hearing technology.”

Read more: Why I decorate my hearing aids

Glitter ear molds and ones swirled with multiple colors have also been popular recently, among adults and children.

If you’d like a custom ear mold for your hearing aids, Sonnenberg suggests talking to your audiologist or hearing care professional. Even if they can’t provide something similar to his unique designs, they should be able to provide color or glitter options.

“If you need hearing aids, why not use it as an opportunity to show off your individuality and pride,” he says. “Besides, not everyone can pull off such a great look.”

A new study on the epidemiology of firearm and other noise exposures in the United States shows lawnmowers and guns are putting Americans at an increased risk for hearing loss.

Firearms and lawnmowers, specifically, produce deafening levels of noise, and very few users are wearing hearing protection while using these items.

“When exposed to recreational “loud/very loud” noise, only 11.4 percent always used hearing protection, whereas 62.3 percent, or 6.3 million people never used any protection,” according to the study, which was published in “The Laryngoscope,” a medical journal in the field of otolaryngology.

Lawnmowers produce a sound level of around 90dBA, but are often used over a longer period of time. A shotgun can measure in at over 160 dBA in a quick burst of deafening sound.

Any sound above 85dB can cause hearing loss after approximately eight hours of continuous exposure. However, if the noise level is 100dB, one’s hearing could be damaged in as little as 15 minutes, according to the Hear the World Foundation.

Hearing Loss and Gun Use

In January, the Hearing Protection Act, was introduced on Capitol Hill to make purchasing a suppressor – a device attached to the barrel of a firearm that reduces the noise generated by firing  – as easy as buying a rifle.

The bill would amend the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers.

According to  the study, 7.4 million people say they never used hearing protection when using firearms.

“Lifetime exposure to firearm noise was reported by 36.6 percent of adults, 11.5 percent of whom had used firearms in the prior 12 months.  Of those, only 58.5 percent always used hearing protection, whereas 21.4 percent never used hearing protection.”

Noise related hearing loss for military personnel is also an issue, as more than 1.9 million American veterans a service-related hearing disability, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Read more: An Invisible Injury: Hearing Loss among US Veterans

Protecting your hearing

To protect your hearing while mowing the lawn, or at the gun range, it’s a good idea to get some form of ear protection such as ear defenders or ear plugs. Additionally, it is recommended to take acoustic breaks and switch off all sources of noise after being in loud environments or using loud machinery.

“It is not only our hearing that suffers from noise,” according to Hear the World.  “Even low noise levels can trigger the release of stress hormones, leading to increased blood pressure. This in turn can lead to aggressive behavior and tensions in interactions with other people, as well as an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and tinnitus. Unwanted sources of noise also prevent relaxation, recovery and sleep and impair concentration and performance, particularly in children.”

If we want to enjoy the sounds of life it’s time we be more active to protect our ears. Make these 10 Small Changes  to Save Your Hearing.

Are you hearing? If yes, have you ever imagined what it’s like to have a hearing loss?

As you may know, I’ve been learning British Sign Language  and during one session, the teacher and I wanted to raise some deaf awareness, by showing the hearing people in our group an insight into what it’s like to have a hearing loss.

The challenge

At the start of the session, the tutor told the group that all hearing people will have to wear headphones for the whole two hours. They had to wear not only one set of inner earplugs, but big, sound cancelling headphones on top of them too!

There were mixed feelings and reactions from the group. Some were petrified, others were intrigued and up for the challenge. Of course, us deafies in the group were ecstatic! We were interested in seeing how they would cope if they had a hearing loss.

Learning in silence

While we were learning sign language, it was surprisingly quiet throughout the whole session, which made us realise they probably talk a lot during the sessions when they’re not supposed to! Everyone had such concentrated faces and eyes like owls! It was also motivating to see them focusing on their sign language more so they could understand and communicate with each other. It really brought to light how much we have to concentrate every day, 24/7!

The break

Usually in the break, everyone takes the opportunity to chat about their lives and work, but when they realised they had to keep their headphones on, it felt like an awkward atmosphere! Try attempting to sign whilst holding a cup of tea and a biscuit! When I meet my deaf friends for drinks, we always end up holding each other’s drinks whilst the other signs!

The verdict

At the end of the two hour session, they were allowed to remove their headphones. The amount of sighs of relief that I could hear was astonishing! They seemed to find it very difficult to cope with. Here is what some of them thought:

• “It was very isolating even though we were in the same room”
• “There was no background noise which we are so used to hearing, it made me realise how alone I felt”
• “At the break there was no chatter or laughing, as usual you are alone with your own thoughts taking over”
• “It made me feel paranoid and self-conscious, almost like the first session when we didn’t know each other”
• “It made it easier to focus and concentrate on the session”
• “I felt a bit panicky and kept looking round at everyone else, who all seemed to be coping very well”
• “It took a lot more concentration to keep up with the conversations in the room!”
• “Using the headphones and ‘hearing’ from a deaf persons perspective gives a whole new insight”

These are some of the sounds they said they would miss if they lost their hearing:

• Music
• Birds singing
• People laughing
• Radio
• Voices
• The ocean
• Phone calls
• Cats purring

Interesting! It’s so important to raise awareness about deafness, as it’s an invisible disability. People don’t often think about the emotional and psychological impact that hearing loss can have on individuals.

To experience more about what it’s like to have hearing loss, listen  to the Hearing Loss Simulator. 

Or try one of these Deaf & Hard of Hearing Challenges for people without hearing loss, by Phonak hEARo Jessica Flores

No matter how great hearing aids are, they can’t help anyone when gathering dust in a drawer not being used. Here’s a look at three situations where people have tried – but given up on – their hearing aids, and how those frustrations could have been avoided.

Wary At Work

George is in his late 50s and has finally purchased a pair of hearing aids, something his wife has been trying to get him to do for almost three years. His first week at work wearing his aids ends with George completely frustrated — and his hearing aids in the drawer! When George’s wife asks what happened, he gets defensive and describes his experience. Sounds were too loud; the hearing aids were uncomfortable to wear; they didn’t help him hear in meetings; and he’s sure that people were staring and talking about him behind his back. Worst of all, he’s afraid he’ll be seen as “over the hill,” and never receive another raise.

Avoiding “Awkward”

Cassie is a typical teenager. She spends her days (and nights) with her cell phone wedged in her hand, texting about everything from boys to bands. Texting is her preferred method of communication, since most of the time at school her friends are all talking so fast (and at the same time) that she misses what people are saying. She’s so afraid of being “different” that she finds herself staying out of crowds and hectic social situations to avoid “awkward.”

Even though Cassie has moderate-to-severe hearing loss in one ear, and a hearing aid to compensate, the teen won’t be caught dead wearing it – despite the hair-thin tube that is almost invisible. She’s sure everyone will notice, resulting in the “end of her social life.”

Too Much Fuss

For Rick, the issue with his hearing aids isn’t cosmetic; it’s technical. He spends time fidgeting and fussing with them, and notices almost no difference in his hearing. “It’s just more trouble than it’s worth,” he explains, “Besides I get along fine without them.”

Being a no-nonsense guy, Rick went to the first fitter that he found. He didn’t ask about the fitter’s experience, provide detailed information about his own specific hearing challenges, or research the different brands and features available on the market. Basically, he didn’t fully participate in the fitting process, which can lead to an unhappy ending.

References

1, 2 – Hearing Well in a Noisy World. ConsumerReports.org. July 2009.

3 – Listening Up in a Down Economy: Better Hearing Institute Launches Public Service Campaign for Better Hearing and Speech Month. Better Hearing Institute. 2005.

4, 5, 6 – Hearing Aids Improve Quality of Life, Empower People with Hearing Loss to Stay Socially Active. Better Hearing Institute. 2011.

Ask Anna is a weekly advice column for the hearing loss community. Her column is found at Hearing Like Me   

Dear Anna,

My Grandfather is in his 80’s and has severe, age-related hearing loss in both ears. My aunt got him a hearing aid but it wasn’t the expensive one the Audiologist recommended (still pretty expensive, though) and frankly the results have been disappointing. There seems to be too much interference and he’s been unwilling to use them.

I’ve been quite upset too because it was done against my advice – the next most expensive one was actually on offer and not that much more expensive, and we may have just bought a white elephant. But on the other hand I also don’t know for sure that he would have done any better – hearing aids work well for those with moderate hearing loss, but as far as I can tell once it reaches severe they can’t help all that much either.

I’m at a loss. These days I can’t hold anything but the simplest of conversations as each sentence has to be repeated about 3-4 times even with my mouth in his ear. It’s a real pity because otherwise for his age he is very well and almost completely cognitively intact. He is completely independent functioning. But with this hearing loss getting worse he can’t talk to anyone and I feel like his cognitive functioning might go down with it. I also think that it would make him prone to depression.

I just want to know, is there anything solid I can do to make significant improvements to cope with his hearing loss? Aside from putting down another five to ten grand to try a better hearing aid which we might not be able to afford now.  Thank you – Worried Grandchild

Dear Worried GrandChild,

I am so sorry to read this letter. It appears that even with the best intentions of all involved the end solution is not satisfactory. Without knowing the type of hearing aid and the exact level of your grandfathers hearing loss it is very difficult to know if the hearing aid that has been purchased is suitable for him. On a positive note however, if he has digital power hearing aids, even if not the most expensive, they should provide benefit to him.

I would first suggest that you and someone else close to your grandfather sits down and talks with him to find out why he isn’t wearing the hearing aids.

I would also try to find out what his expectations of the hearings aids, are and what goals he would like to achieve.

Take it in small steps

Depending on how long your grandfather had a hearing loss before he tried hearing aids amplification can be pretty overwhelming, as he will be hearing things he hasn’t heard for a long time and he might not like the sound initially. Over time, usually over the period of a few months, he will adapt to amplified sound. So, reassure him that if he tries to wear them again things will get easier.

Read more: When the Hearing Aids is in the Drawer

If the hearing aids don’t seem to be doing what they should it could be that they need to be fine-tuned or adjusted. If you decide to go back to the Audiologist make sure that you or another family member attends the appointment with him. We promote this family centered care because evidence shows that a person will be much more successful with their hearing aids with engaging support.

Prior to the appointment let the receptionist know you would like to be present to support your grandfather.

If he is adamant that he does not want to wear the hearing aids then it may not be wise to spend more money on different hearing aids. I fear that these may end up not being worn as well. There are communication techniques that can help but the person with the hearing loss and the significant other need to be willing to work on these together.

I hope that your grandfather is on the road to a more positive experience with his hearing aids! With your support he can’t go wrong.

– Anna

Do you have a question for Anna? Email: feedback@hearinglikeme.com or in the comments below. 

***The information provided through this website should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Hearing Like Me website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency medical services immediately.

Most hearing professionals agree it’s a good idea to take your hearing aid out at night.

This is for many reasons – it could come out while you are sleeping and get lost in the sheets, or fall on the floor where you could step on it in the middle of the night. However, the primary reason is to allow your ear to breathe and your hearing aid to dry from moisture and bacteria. Nighttime is a good time to allow this to happen.

But there are safety risks when removing your hearing aids at night.

If you can’t hear the doorbell ring, a fire alarm or your child calling out for help in the middle of the night, you may feel helpless.

However, there are tools available to help those of us with hearing loss to sleep safer and more soundly.

7 Night-Time Necessities for the Hard-of-Hearing

Smoke Alarms

It is estimated that half of all fatal fires start at night when people are asleep.

Most smoke alarms produce a loud warning sound between the frequencies of 3,000 to 4,000 Hertz – the very frequencies that are among those most affected by age-related hearing loss and other auditory impairments. Other smoke alarms emit a low-frequency (520 Hz) square wave tone, which most hearing-impaired people can hear.

For people who are completely deaf, or who are unable to hear whatsoever when they take out their hearing aids or turn off their cochlear implants at night, there are alarm systems that combine extremely loud alarms, blinking lights, and vibrators that shake your mattress.

Several of these methods can be designed to be incorporated into more complete home security systems. Smoke larms are either hard-wired requiring an electrician to install it, or ready to be plugged in. A single transmitter can be connected to multiple receivers to provide alerting throughout a home or building.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Similar to smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors operate by producing a loud, audible sound or by flashing colored lights – or both. Strobe lights and wireless receivers are also available. The detectors are either stand-alone detectors or used in conjunction with existing alarm systems. Both hardwired and plug-in detectors are available.

Wake-Up Alarms

Wake-up alarms either vibrate or flash a light and can attach to an existing clock or be part of a clock.

They can go under a pillow or mattress, or be set up near the bed. There are also clocks with braille features that can be used by deafblind people.

Door Lights

Door signalers let you know when someone is at the door, usually by flashing a light. Some hang on the back of a door and sense vibrations, others connect to regular lamps. Others work by remote signaling, picking up a signal from a push-button on the door. There are also wireless pagers that can pick up transmissions from pressed door transmitters.

Phone Signalers

The phone is your essential go-to item during an emergency. Various models are HA and CI compatible while other phone models integrate speakerphone systems with very high volumes that can be easily used and often voice-activated. They allow you to voice-dial for assistance in an emergency. There are additional accessories for mobile phones, such as vibrating wristbands that will inform you of an incoming call even if you’re sleeping.

Read more: How deaf people can benefit from wearables

Phone signalers work by flashing a light or making a very loud sound. They can be plugged directly into the telephone line or connecting a lamp to the signaler. They can be put on a table or desktop next to a telephone or mounted on a wall. Remote receivers can transmit a phone signal to other rooms, and there are also standalone models. For those who have video phones, video phone signalers are also available.

The Induction Loop

Many more hearing-impaired individuals have installed loops in their homes to improve the performance of their hearing aids or cochlear implants. The systems are basically long strands of wire positioned in a loop around your living room, kitchen, or bedrooms. These serve to activate the telecoils inside your hearing aid that raise the volume of sound and can be very helpful in emergency situations.

It’s also always a good idea to have the telephone numbers of fire departments, ambulance providers, doctors, and emergency services handy.

Sleeping away from home alone

Sleeping away from home poses it’s own challenges. You can handle that by carrying along some of your home alert and alarm devices. Tell your host or hotel manager that you have a hearing challenge, and ask them to alert you about emergencies.

These methods work, but still my preferred method to safe sleeping is a more personal approach to safety. Having a roommate with good hearing, a hearing dog, or falling asleep each night and waking up each morning with someone you love, is a great alternative.

Online video streaming services have become widely popular lately, especially in the video game community. Many gamers tune into streams on sites like Twitch to watch competitive gaming in real time.

Unlike other videos published and captioned before hand, streams usually don’t have a live captioning tool, alienating deaf and hard of hearing gamers.

I enjoy Twitch and watching others play games, but I often feel left out, as the commentator and the game itself are sometimes difficult to hear.

A league of Deaf gamers

Competitive gamer Chris Robinson is fighting this issue by starting his own Twitch channel Deaf Gamers TV, according to Kotaku.com. He hopes to build a group of deaf gamers and offer accessible tutorials for those wanting to try competing.

Robinson mentioned the lack of deaf friendly communities and options in the competitive community. The lack of subtitles both in game and in tutorial videos on Youtube is unfortunate, but improvements are being made, he says.

While the majority of gaming competitions do not have live captioning of the hosts’ commentary, some tournaments do feature subtitles. The commentary is often vital to the competition, and without it there’s no way of knowing what is going on.

Not to mention, Youtube’s auto-captioning service is getting slightly better. It has a long way to go, sure, but I’ve noticed an improvement in accuracy.

Read more: Deaf YouTuber begings campaign for better captions #NoMoreCraptions

The future of streaming

Robinson’s work is definitely a step in the right direction. I think there’s a great need for more deaf friendly groups in gaming- it’s always nice to have some solidarity.

Streaming services are likely going to become more and more popular as the technology gets better. Although captioning and accessibility seem to be lagging behind, I hope we as deaf gamers can continue to advocate and inspire change.

Check out Robinson’s Twitch channel if you’re interested in competitive games!

My Dog ate my hearing aids.

Commonly it’s an excuse used by school-aged kids who forgot to do their homework, but for me, was a nightmare that I actually did not think existed or would happen.

When something happens to our hearing technology, not only do we have to consider the cost of the hearing aids but we also worry about how we will do without hearing until we can get new ones.

When my dog ate my hearing aids, my initial thoughts were; what will I do? I don’t have thousands of dollars to buy new hearing aids! I cried out all the things running through my head. I texted my parents and told them what happened, and thankfully, I found a program that provided funding for new ones.

My dog ate my hearing aids

When my dog ate my hearing aids I was living in an apartment in Colorado with my then-boyfriend and 1 year old puppy, Arya.  I had just gotten home after finishing work, and wanted to get cleaned up. I took my hearing aids off and set them on the dresser in our bedroom, then hopped in the shower.

Twenty minutes later, I got out of the shower and opened the door to head to my room to change.  I looked down the hallway and saw Arya chewing on something…

At her puppy stage, she wouldn’t chew on a lot of human stuff but once in awhile she would find something interesting and go to town. I walked towards her and asked “Arya, what do you have?” As I got closer, I couldn’t see what she was eating exactly, but it looked like small plastic pieces. When I approached her, I finally realized what she had in those sweet little puppy paws: my hearing aids!

“…I finally realized what she had in those sweet little puppy paws: my hearing aids!”

My heart stopped, I froze with disbelief and fear.

I reached down, pushed Arya away and picked up the little pieces that once allowed me to hear.  The hearing aids where still somewhat intact but dented, broken and had little pieces broken off from Arya’s strong teeth. I turned them over in my hands thinking this could not actually be happening. The wave of emotions hit me, and I went into panic mode.

Read more: Don’t Eat my Hearing Aid!

Sobbing uncontrollably, my boyfriend had approached me and seen what had happened.  I was blubbering out “I don’t know what I’m going to do.  I can’t work without these.  What will I do? I don’t have thousands of dollars to buy new hearing aids!”

She looks innocent now…

I cried out all the things running through my head. I texted my parents and told them what happened.

My parents and boyfriend tried to comfort me and find options to hear again.

I found my old hearing aids, which were now old and lacked the new technology that my Phonak Naída  hearing aids had, but they worked.

Then, we called my audiologist to make an appointment to see my audiologist the next day.

*Phonak always recommends you keep hearing aids away from pets. Hearing aids that are still switched on and lying around emit high pitched sounds that can irritate dogs. This has resulted in some aids getting eaten.

How I found funding for new hearing aids

I frantically told my audiologist Zach what had happened.  I told him I didn’t have money to buy new hearing aids, but he kept a calm attitude and explained there might be a way to get new hearing aids without paying for them.

He explained that since I worked full time, I was part of the workforce and I could apply to have them grant me new hearing aids so I could continue working for the state.  He referred me to the Colorado Workforce, a program with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment,  and told me to set up an appointment with them.

“He explained that since I worked full time, I was part of the workforce and I could apply to have them grant me new hearing aids so I could continue working for the state.”

I met with a counselor at the Workforce and explained my situation.  She handed me an application, which I filled out promptly.

The application included questions about my background, what I was doing for work, what goals I had for work, my bank account information and what my financial situation was like.  A couple weeks later, they told me I had been accepted but would be put on a waiting list as the next recipient.  The workforce informed me it could be a month or maybe a year.

Time went by and about five months later, they contacted me and told me I was off the waiting list and due for my hearing aids!

I met with Zach and we figured out what hearing aids I would receive, which was the new version of the pair that Arya ate, the Phonak Naída V hearing aids. A week later, I got fitted with the new hearing aids.

I continued to keep in touch with the Workforce in the following three months to keep them up to date with what I was doing and where I was working.  After that, they told me good luck and that I was no longer to be ‘monitored’.

What a situation and a process!  It was an awful situation that ended up working out in the best way possible.  I could not fathom coming up with the money for new hearing aids, and I am so grateful for Zach’s knowledge of this program. I’m also very thankful for the experience with the Workforce and their willingness, determination to help me get the technology I needed to continue working and living my life to my fullest potential. If I hadn’t found out about this, there’s a good chance I would still be wearing outdated hearing aids that lessen my hearing experience.

“I’m also very thankful for the experience with the Workforce and their willingness, determination to help me get the technology I needed to continue working and living my life to my fullest potential.”

It was a process that required interviews, meetings and contracts.  It was a long wait and I didn’t know what would actually happen.  In the end, I got a fresh pair of ears and a major lesson: Now, I don’t leave my hearing aids ANYWHERE within proximity where Arya can find them. When I go to sleep, they go into a hard case. If I’m in the shower, they are far from where Arya can find them.  Never underestimate the power of puppies!

If you’re ever in a situation like this, do your research, talk to your audiologist, there will be a way!

contributor Jamie Del Pizzo to Hearing Like Me

Jamie is a 25-year-old who loves to travel and do extreme sports, such as surfing and snowboarding. She has bi-lateral, severe-to-profound hearing loss, and wears the Phonak Naida hearing aids. She’s currently traveling the world and documenting her travels through her photography on Instagram @jaybirdphoto

Decorating hearing aids is a great way to show off individual style and increase confidence. Phonak hEARo Jessica Flores walks us through one way to decorate hearing aids.

“It’s totally up to you if you want to decorate them,” she says. “If you don’t want to decorate them, that’s fine. But while we have them, we might as well make them something that we enjoy wearing!”

Nail stickers, sticky paper and washi tape are some popular methods to decorate hearing aids. There are also pre-cut options that make decorating hearing aids super simple, such as Skinit designs for Phonak hearing aids and accessories.

Those who do decorate their hearing aids say they feel more confident.

“When I wore beige hearing aids, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by them; they felt like large, ugly bananas behind my ears, and I was compelled to constantly hide them,” says Phonak hEARo Eloise Garland. “Nobody knew that I was deaf, and anyone who caught a glimpse of my hearing aids wouldn’t ask me about them out of fear of upsetting or embarrassing me.

“In contrast, when I began to decorate them, my confidence gradually increased as I felt a sense of ownership and pride over my hearing aids. My bright hearing aids also directly challenge society’s perceptions. They are pink and often covered with brightly colored stickers and patterns and have pink, lilac, and white swirled ear molds and colored tubes attached to them.”

Read more: Why I Decorate My Hearing Aids