How Often Do People Replace Their Hearing Aids?

When you are fitted with your first hearing aids, you should know that they will probably not be your last. There are a wide variety of different reasons why you may want or need to replace your hearing aids over time, but no matter what the reason might be, it’s important to understand when the time is right to make those all-important changes. If you wear hearing aids that are no longer doing their job, for example, your hearing loss might even become worse – at the very least, the hearing aid won’t be helping you. 

In general terms, hearing aids usually need to be changed every three to five years. However, exactly when the time is right for you will depend on the factors that we’ll outline below. Regular hearing checks with your hearing instrument specialist will, of course, help you get a better gauge on how things are going with your hearing loss, but you will also need to consider other factors. 

Your hearing or health has changed 

Being aware of your overall health has several advantages, not least the fact that you seek medical advice when you know you need it. This is why it’s important to try to be as aware as possible of your general health and the health of your senses, including your hearing. 

A change in your general health can change your hearing loss too, or, even if your hearing remains the same, it can mean you still need a different kind of hearing aid. Dementia might call for a hearing aid that’s easier to control, and arthritis could require a hearing aid that is larger and therefore easier to handle, for example. 

You have grown older 

The older we get, the more hearing loss we tend to experience. This is one of the biggest reasons for needing new hearing aids; you have just grown older and your hearing loss level has changed along with your age. This is perfectly natural, and your hearing instrument specialist will be able to determine what the changes are and which new hearing aid will suit you best. 

Your hearing aids are over five years old 

Modern hearing aids are much more robust than those of just a decade or so ago. However, that doesn’t mean they will last forever, and it doesn’t mean that, when something goes wrong, an expert can definitely fix them. Once things start to go wrong with them and they don’t work in the way they should, if they are older than five years, your hearing instrument specialist will likely recommend replacing your devices rather than repairing them. 

You might not realize it, but hearing aids get a lot of use (on average, between 12 and 16 hours a day, every day), and eventually, they will start to fail. The good news is that if you replace your hearing aids every five years or so, you’ll always have the most up-to-date models with the best technology included in them. 

You’ve made lifestyle changes 

Of course, it doesn’t have to be a health matter or even the age of the hearing aid that means it is time for it to be replaced. It might be that you have made a lifestyle change that demands it. 

When you speak to a hearing instrument specialist, they will recommend a hearing aid or selection of hearing aids suitable for your particular set of circumstances. If you have changed those circumstances, your hearing aids may need to be updated to accommodate them. 

When we talk about lifestyle changes, one example is retirement. When you first started wearing hearing aids, perhaps you worked in a noisy and busy environment. Now that you’ve required and things are much quieter, a different hearing aid might work better for you. 

Your financial situation is better 

Hearing aids will all have a cost attached to them, and, as with anything, some are going to be more expensive than others. This makes sense; some hearing aids contain much more technology or are made of higher quality materials, for example. These will cost more than standard ones. 

If your financial situation has improved and you want to replace your standard hearing aids with something more expensive and of better quality, it’s wise to do so. Always spend as much as you comfortably can on your hearing aids; after all, they are an essential part of your life. 

Contact us today for more information 

Do you know it’s time to replace your hearing aids? If so, speak to Hearing Well Matters. We can help you choose new devices that are perfect for your life and your hearing loss. If you’re not sure whether your hearing aids are working as they should, we can help with that too – we’re the experts. Contact us at (647) 247-2704 to learn more.