Devices that go beyond hearing aids can provide the help we hard of hearing folks need to remain in the hearing mainstream; especially socially and in work situations. They do this by bringing the sound we want to hear directly to our hearing aids, thus bypassing the background noise that interferes with our ability to understand speech. Phonak, like other hearing aid brands can connect with these accessories via BlueTooth and/or by Telecoil induction technology.

BT and T-Coil are different technologies. It pays to have both of the in your hearing instruments because they connect in different ways. BT, which adds considerable cost to a hearing instrument will connect you wirelessly to your cell phone and TV. T-Coil which costs about $15 to include in a hearing aid can also connect you wirelessly to your personal devices, but can also connect you to a sound system in a venue that has a hearing loop installation, FM or Infrared (IR) capability. While the loop is simply a matter of turning on the T-coil i the hearing aid, to connect via FM or IR will require a neckoop that plugs into the FM or IR receiver provided by the venue.

You should insist on both technologies if you want to hear well in venues such as worship centers, performing arts centers, meeting rooms, etc. A looped room can accommodate as many users who can sit in the looped area. BT requires a paired microphone from each user. If there were 20 BT users at a meeting, the presenter would need to wear 20 paired 'mikes'. Either technology would bring sound directly to your hearing aids with no background noise.

It pays to learn what is available and what it takes to connect to it. Good, also to know, that public venues are expected to provide 'communication access' via the American's with Disabilities Act. However, they get by without providing it because we who need it don't ask for it. We must self advocate. If they don't know what we are talking about, we must educate. First we have to learn ourselves.

How many hard of hearing folks out there are willing to learn, educate and advocate?