Transcript
The Hearing Now Podcast
Episode 7: Hearing Aids, Face Masks, & COVID-19
Transcript
Note: The Hearing Now Podcast is produced for your listening pleasure. However, transcripts are generated for the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing as well. Errors may occur in the transcription process so we recommend listening along with the corresponding audio if possible.
[THEME MUSIC]
Thanks for tuning-in to The Hearing Now Podcast, where we take an in-depth look at sound, our ears, and your overall hearing health. Welcome to the show!
Hello and welcome back to The Hearing Now Podcast. I am your host Dr. Steven Taddei. This episode, we are going to be talking about two topics that are really problematic right now. Firstly, people losing their hearing aid because they are wearing face masks and secondly, communication breakdowns due to wearing face masks.
So let's start with the topic of people misplacing their hearing aids. This is most common with those wearing behind the ear, or receiver in the ear, style devices as these sit tucked back behind the ear. The problem lies when you put on your hearing aids and these face masks, the straps go right behind your ears next to where your hearing aids sit. Therefore, when you take them on or off there's an increased chance of the hearing aid being popped out of your ear. Making the situation even worse, many people don't notice that their hearing aid has fallen off until much later. Fortunately, there are some really easy solutions to help with this problem. I definitely recommend that you try a face mask that ties behind your head as opposed to one that hooks over your ears. This will reduce the chances of the face mask brushing against your hearing aid or getting caught back behind it. You can also use a face mask that doesn't have an elastic band on it. They tend to exacerbate the issues as the strap will have more of a tendency to hook behind your ear. There are also some safety devices for your hearing aids which are similar to string holders for your glasses.Now these might be called ear suspenders, hearing aid clips, otoclips, or hearing aid security clips. You can find all sorts of these online with a really quick search. Many Audiology facilities will also have some in office.
I also recommend you take a look at your hearing aids and see if there's a phone app that comes with them. Many of these apps will have a lost hearing aid feature where they'll provide a map of the hearing aids’ location and, even if the hearing aid has died, it will show the last location that it was on. It's also great advice to make a conscious effort to pay attention to your hearing aids every time you're taking your mask on or off. You can also inform any family or friends that might be with you to keep an eye open for your hearing aids. If they don't see them in your ears, they can ask you about them.
All right so let's change gears a little bit and talk about our second topic which is how face masks cause communication breakdowns. There are a couple different reasons for this. The face masks cover our lips and our facial expressions. They inherently muffle the speech as they are a barrier covering our mouths. It's kind of like putting your hand in front of your mouth and trying to talk. Furthermore, we all know a large portion of communication is visual. This is especially true for those who already cannot hear well.
So let's talk about some things we can do to improve communication. You do really need to fight the urge to take off your mask as this compromises both of your safety. It’s great advice for all of us though to just speak slower and clearer. It can be really helpful to grab a sheet of paper and actually write down what you are trying to say. Taking it a step further you can also use real-time transcript tools, or talk to text apps, on your phone. Some examples of those are Google assist, there is Live Transcript for Android, and Dragon Anywhere on iPhone. There really are plenty of options so please do some research and see which one will work best for you in the situations where you're struggling.
There are also transparent face masks and many of these are designed specifically for those who are Hard of Hearing and they have a clear region allowing some visibility of the lips. Some of these companies do have FDA approval, some of them are fog resistant, there are also plenty of DIY instructions online for converting your normal face mask into one that has a clear window around your mouth. The benefits of these are somewhat limited as they're still covering up your face and the sound being projected from your mouth. However, a clear face mask can still help a lot. Another option would be to use a full face shield and there are plenty of those options online.
One specific company that is making face masks for the Hard of Hearing community is the DHH Mask Project and they are providing reusable clear face masks at no charge. So if you are a member of the d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing community and you would like one of these masks, you can reach out to them at dhhmaskproject@gmail.com. I will include that email in the bio for this episode and you can also visit them on their GoFundMe page if you would like to donate and support the cause.
So to wrap things up, face masks can cause retention issues with hearing aids. Some quick easy tips would be to use a mask that ties behind your head as opposed to one that goes back behind your ears. You can also use hearing aid security clips that will connect to your hearing aids, your shirt, and stop them from falling too far if you lose your hearing aids. Many companies offer loss and damage for their devices and those companies are also being very gracious and understanding in these times. Don't forget to check if you have an app associated with your hearing aids that will allow you to track their location.
Regarding communication breakdown with masks, it is not recommended that you take your mask off. Try something like a text to speech app or transcript app, use pencil and paper if needed, and see if you can get a clear face mask or face shield. If there are any other tools or techniques you know of, please send me a message or email me at thehearingnowpodcast@gmail.com. That way I can share it with everyone else. Thank you so much for listening, hope you learned something, and take care. Stay safe!
[THEME MUSIC]
Thank you for listening to The Hearing Now Podcast and stay tuned for our next episode. Have questions or ideas for new content? Drop us a line at thehearingnowpodcast@gmail.com.
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