Hearing Aids: Changing Disposable Batteries

Batteries are the life force behind hearing aids, and they aren’t usually discussed in depth. For any hearing aid user, batteries can hinder the use of their devices due to the cost of replacing them.

You can decide to replenish your batteries on a schedule or pick up a pack whenever you need them. Your hearing aids should alert you with a series of beeps, or a message sent through your phone when your battery starts running low.   

Research conducted by the Aural Rehabilitation Lab at the University of Connecticut teamed up with the battery industry to find out what hearing aid users do when their batteries are depleted. A qualitative study was used to learn straight from the hearing aid users. One-on-one interviews allowed researchers to refer to hearing aid users as the experts on this topic. 

Common trends based on responses from people with hearing loss were reviewed and established. Fourteen adult hearing aid users were interviewed about their experiences with hearing aid batteries and how they deal with switching out their batteries. 

Two trends that were revealed included problems that arose when changing batteries and techniques used to change batteries. Based on what participants said, each topic was examined deeper. 

The Problem with Battery Changes

The participants in this study discussed their concerns about where it was appropriate to change their batteries, the sensory challenges that they faced, and the urgency for more information when it comes to batteries. Here’s a list of some of these challenges:

• Changing their batteries in the presence of other people. Some people felt concerned about other people seeing their hearing aids as they removed them from their ears. In other cases, they had to let people know that they were unable to hear them as they switched out their batteries.
• It can be challenging to handle a tiny battery. Some would frequently drop the battery due to its size, others would struggle to find it when it fell.

Waiting for the battery to completely deplete itself allowed participants to get the longest life possible out of them. An extensive life was crucial to participants because they deemed them more cost-effective. 
  
Strategies to Keep Hearing Aids Functioning with Batteries

Here’s a list of strategies for keeping hearing aids functioning:

• Carry extra batteries.
• Keep handy tools like a magnifying glass to help you change batteries, or even a magnet to help you pick up your batteries if they fall to the ground.
• Create a schedule for when you need to change your battery
• Replace batteries at the last moment possible to get the most use out of them.
• Be aware of battery costs when purchasing.
• Purchase batteries in bulk.
• Storing hearing aids in backpacks, purses, automobiles, and pouches. Being able to access batteries anywhere and at any time was important because users wanted to wait for the batteries to die out prior to replacing them.
• Advocate for yourself. Let others know what your needs are. It’ll take practice, but it can make things so much easier by simply communicating your needs.
• Ask your hearing instrument specialists for advice. This is what they are here for. 

At Pure Sound, we offer not only discount batteries, but also discount hearing aids. If you are interested in a free hearing test and a free hearing aid trial, please contact us to schedule an appointment.

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