Customizing Hearing Aid Programming

Introduction

• Cliff Olson, Doctor of Audiology and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions, Phoenix, Arizona.
• Topic: Customizing hearing aid programming using a smartphone or tablet.

Importance of Personalization

• Hearing aids have extensive features and customizations.
• Perception varies between individuals; settings may need personal adjustments.
• Human perception differences may lead to wanting different settings than those provided by professionals.

MyPhonak App Overview

• Sponsored by Phonak.
• Features: Advanced adjustments beyond volume and program changes.
• Allows users to make customizations and save them for later use.

Key Customization Options

• Accessed in the Advanced Feature section of the MyPhonak app:
  • Clarity Quick Key: Enhances understanding; sharpens sound.
  • Comfort Quick Key: Softer and more pleasing sound.
  • Three-Band Frequency Equalizer: Adjusts bass, mids, and treble tones.
  • Overall Volume: Controls loudness levels.
  • Noise Reduction: Reduces amplification of steady-state noises without affecting speech.
  • Speech Focus: Directs pickup toward desired sound sources.
  • Dynamic Compression: Adjusts amplification for louder or softer sounds.

Recommendations for Soft Talkers

1. Use Clarity Quick Key: Adjusts multiple parameters automatically.
2. Adjust Three-Band Equalizer:
   • Increase bass to max for soft speech if needed.
3. Overall Volume: Raise if necessary, and return if it doesn’t help.
4. Dynamic Compression:
   • Increase amplification for soft speech while keeping loud sounds steady.
5. Save Settings: Ensure settings are saved as a custom program.

Recommendations for Noisy Environments (e.g., Restaurants)

1. Three-Band Equalizer: Increase high frequency treble tones to separate speech from noise.
2. Noise Reduction: Reduce amplification for background noise.
3. Speech Focus: Narrow sound pickup direction to focus on the person in front of you.
4. Dynamic Compression: Decrease amplification for loud sounds (restaurant noise).
5. Save Custom Program: Essential to save the settings for future use.

Additional Suggestions

• If settings don’t work well, consider assistive listening devices like Phonak Roger On or Roger On-i-n microphones for improved hearing in challenging situations.
• Importance of having hearing aids that allow personal modifications is emphasized for optimized performance.

Conclusion

• Personal adjustments can yield additional benefits from hearing aids.
• Questions and further inquiries are encouraged in the comment section.
• Call to action: Like, share, and subscribe for more content; visit the website for more information.