The value of telecoils in hearing aids

Oddly, many hearing aid manufacturers don’t seem to want to install telecoil. Evidently it is a nuisance factor for them or it requires expenditure of a dollar or two. I am an old duffer in a nursing home who is living ina hard of hearing world. Believe me, just about everybody here is a deafie, and we don’t hold a candle to forthcoming generations, so I’ve been told. One ear has a cochlear implant and the other wears a hearing aid. Incidentally, the cochlear implant is equipped with telecoil, as are all cochlear implants. So much for outdated, unnecessary material business. I carry a small fm arrangement with a neck loop. If I place the f m transmitter near a speaker and utilize the telecoils in my aid and implant,I can hear very well up to a hundred feet away regardless of background noise or any hearing situation. I certainly would not want to be without. At church I plug in my neck loop, turn on the telecoils, and I can hear very well anywhere in the chapel and even in the parking lot outside the building. Hear the speaker, that is. Frankly, I don’t know what I’d do without the telecoils.

I’m late deafened, but I have discovered what I consider an important fact. Ninety percent of the hard of hearing business is marketing. The profit margin looms large, larger, and largest. If a later development can supplant an older technology that actually works just as well, watch out. The newer technology wins out and the older practice becomes “outdated.” Of course, the newer technology costs additional hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars. This, I fear, is why some marketers consider telecoil to be “out of style.” Ah, well. The old motto from Roman times still prevails, carpe diem—buyer beware.

Thank you for sharing with us. You hit the nail right on the head for the most part. Yes, cochlear implant processors all have telecoils now. They have not always had them though. People who were pioneers in CI technology had to lobby the industry to let them know that t-coil connectivity was wanted and needed. It didn't take long before they became standard. And, most hearing aids that are manufactured now have telecoils in them, but it takes activation by the fitter to make them work. And, sometimes the buyer has to choose between volumne control and telecoil, which doesn't make sense when you need both. It remains a mystery as to why those who fit and sell hearing aids don't tell their customers about options that work...or take time to teach them how they work.

There has been a lot of emphasis with providers and manufacturers on BlueTooth (BT) technology to use in some of the ways telecoils are used. You are correct, the dollar difference is huge.While a simple telecoil in a hearing aid or CI processor costs no more than $25, the BT add on devices and capability are likely to add $1000 or more to the price of the hearing aid! It's newer technology so the sales pitch favors it. Still, one can have both BT and telecoil in a hearing instrument. You don't have to choose one over the other. People do not realize that while BT is wonderful, sophisticated, relatively new tech, it cannot do everything that telecoils and loops do. Why? Because each personal device that has BT capability is set to be used with a single add on BT device; a remote microphone in particular. Yes, you can give your BT mike to a speaker and hear clear as a bell from afar, BUT no one else can. If there were 25 people in a room with BT technology, the speaker would have to use 25 BT microphones. Not exactly practical.

With a loop system that works with every telecoil equipped device within a workable radius, it takes only one microphone that is connected to the public address system the general audience in the room is using to connect. No hassle. No add on receivers. Nothing to do but flip a switch on your personal device when you want to hear what's being said. FM receivers and infrared receivers also work well, and anyone can use them even if they don't use hearing aids, but they have to plug something into them to allow them to pick up the main signal. For those w/o telecoils that means headphones. You've chosen to add a hearing loop to the FM transmitter via a neckloop attached to an FM receiver. You are using 2 different technologies. It would require a headset or ear buds of some kind for others to use the system with the receiver and no personal hearing devices. It works. But it's so much easier to just have a hearing loop installed in the room for everyone to use. And yes, those w/o hearing aids can use a loop with headphnes and a receiver. We used FM with neckloops in our community almost exclusively for years. We found that people did not want to use headsets that other people may have used. We encouraged them to buy their own. At some point it was difficult to purchase monaural headphones, so they'd plug in stereo headphones and get no signal. Big turn off. Many of the receivers sat in boxes unused. We also had to encourage each venue to add the cost of personal neckloops to the FM receivers. We now have over 800 hearing loops installed in Wisconsin, thanks to education and advocacy done by people who want to hear. It sounds like what you are doing is working for you. Again, thank you for sharing. Keep on educating those folks in your community.

To whom it may concern.
Years ago I took my mother to a theater that had the system installed since she had the telecoil in her 2 new behind the ear hearing aids. She has since passed and I really hadn't thought about it again until now. I have 2 in the canal hearing aids and the warranty is due up on them next month. I'm not sure if the telecoil is available in the type I have but I will definitely ask about it. I would be interested to know where and if the system is being used. Although I plan on staying with the type I have I would really enjoy experiencing what my mother must have been able to enjoy.
Sincerely,
Gerald Hefferon (Jerry)

Hi Jerry. Where do you live? There's a list of hearing loop installations at http://www.hearingloop.org However, I don't think it's as up to date as it should be. I'm from Wisconsin. We have been doing a lot of advocacy and education here, and there are over 700 loop installations in WI. The installations tend to be clustered in areas where HLAA has active chapters. Communication access is included in the Disabilities Act, but it's not a given. People who need it, have to let the places that should have it know they want it. It begins with education. If you live in one of those cluster areas I may be able to point you to someone who has updated information.

Ii would add that you are correct, some hearing aids do not have the size capacity for telecoils to be included. Most in the ear models can accommodate them. The tiniest hearing aids, the in the canal type, may be too small. If you still have your mother's hearing aids, you might consider having them adjusted for you to use when you are in a looped venue. Or, you can request a receiver and headphones to use there.

HLAA only has four chapters in Oregon, all of them at least two hours away. We live on the coast, where I've not found one single meeting room with an induction loop. Shoot, many of us have zero cell reception (not much reason to have a smartphone); in fact, our town's city hall has no cell phone reception without a password to their WiFi! Neither, for that matter, does Walgreen's drug store, which is only a quarter-mile or so from THE cell tower in town. Our entire community of several hundred homes has zero cell reception, other than a few houses where they can sometimes get reception in one particular location out on their decks above the ocean. Because our town of 8,000 relies 100% on tourism, the majority of people are either unemployed or retired, and the town is losing close to a million bucks every month that nightly rentals are shut down. Ordinarily, we'd have more than 40,000 visitors in town most weekends, most of them paying nightly tax. So, I don't see much hope for any changes here any time soon. We're all scrambling just to try to keep everyone fed.

You are blessed to live in a beautiful area of the country. I live in tourist country too. We know that urban areas are likely to have more actively involved advocacy/education groups than we have, but we can also do some educating where we live if we know what to tell people. It's a choice and a reality. If you have telecoil equipped hearing aids, I strongly suggest that you purchase a Williams Sound neckloop to use with your computer and other personal audio devices. It will work well with a good old Walkman portable radio, and also with newer devices like tablets, iPods, etc. A neckloop will give you a taste of what an installed loop can do in a large venue. I discovered the value of this technology in 1984, and have used it and loved it since then. I also use BlueTooth when it's effective, but that basic induction loop, worn around my neck has everything I need when I'm at home. Your hearing aid fitter can order a neckloop for you. I think they are also available on Amazon and sometimes even on eBay. Be sure to buy new, not used. Cost will range between $35 - $60, with the higher cost being from you hearing aid provider. Nothing ever changes without personal action. And yes, we are all scrambling right now. Tough times all around the country. We are all in this together and it will get better in time.

Jerry, I see that Julie already mentioned hearingloop.org. Another resource to help find looped (and other type Hearing Assistive Technology), is https://aldlocator.com/#/home
You mention that you have canal hearing aids. Chances are, they will not have a telecoil. There is not enough room to fit a coil. You can still experience the induction loop, but you would need a loop receiver and use headphones to pick up the signal from the loop.
Tony in Michigan

The VA does not pass these out to us. Probably too much money but they would be nice to connect to my TV or Cell Phone.

If you're a veteran, consider participating in the national virtual veterans HLAA Chapter. If you're concerned about the cost of neckloops and even room loops that can be installed in your home, the cost is not prohibitive. Neckloops are usually under $50. A room loop might cost around $250. A sacrifice for some, but well worth saving for. NOTE: You could ask a lot of questions of that virtual veterans chapter. They meet regularly on ZOOM. Very easy to do. Information at: http://www.hearingloss.org The past president of the national HLAA organization is a retired U.S. Marine.

Hi, Thanks for hosting this chat! I have been on the lookout to see where telecoils are useful in Canada and the US. I am a long term hearing aid wearer and strongly believe all hearing aids should have telecoils. I was shocked to realize that in Canada most manufacturers do not install this. I believe it's the same in the US as the manufacturers are the same. Widex supplies EU markets, and perhaps it is a requirement, but all their aids have t-coils.

I travel a lot. In the UK taxi drivers have telecoils! it's fantastic to hear the driver easily. I was visiting London, UK and heard a case in the new Supreme Court building. Knowing that they are advanced over there (re understanding hearing disability) , I turned on my telecoil switch and was delighted to hear the proceedings! It was amazing, I was probably one of the few who actually heard as it was really difficult to hear normally. My family members who were there (and have normal hearing) could not hear the proceedings.

The Mirvish theatres in Toronto also have telecoils - installed a new system they asked me to try and it was great. I actually heard "War Horse" live. I got a loop at the theatre that worked with my Widex.

Just saw the "Get in the Loop" program! Awesome.

Big thing would be if places like yours could advocate and help convince the large manufacturers to automatically include t-coils in hearing aids. They used to be included automatically as those would link to landlines. Cheers!