What you don't know about hearing aids | Juliëtte Sterkens | TEDxOshkosh

For most people it's not a matter of if, but when, they will lose some sense of hearing. Still, we don't give hearing loss or hearing aids much thought until it happens to us--or someone we know.

Only then do we learn that hearing aids are incapable of restoring hearing to normal, especially in acoustically challenging situations. The good news is that modern technology continues to bring us new, sometimes hidden, and often unknown features that can help those with hearing loss overcome more of their hearing challenges.

Juliëtte Sterkens, AuD, is an audiologist with forty years of experience in hearing rehabilitation turned consumer advocate with the Hearing Loss Association of America. She has published numerous articles and lectured internationally to consumers, audiologists, hearing instrument specialists, and venue operators. Topics include living well with hearing loss, hearing accessibility, and hearing loops. Her work has led to hundreds of hearing loop installations in Wisconsin. She has received numerous awards for her efforts, including the American Academy of Audiology Presidential Award. She serves on the board of HEAR in the Fox Cities, a non-profit that helps pay for hearing aids for children in North-East Wisconsin.

[davidwalker]

I thought there weren't any birds around like it was when I was younger. Well about 5 years ago I got my hearing aids. The birds are back. Amazing!

[Lbfent]

Notice how clearly
she enunciates her words with the crisp high frequency consonants? Much of the time that's all we hearing-impaired people need more than VOLUME. And facing us when talking is another big plus.

[carolfisch]

Another trick for people giving speeches or teachers who give a lecture and then have questions from audience. When the speaker with microphone repeats the audience members/students question before going on to answer it. Great benefit to people in audience with hearing loss.

[carolfisch]

I had an aunt with severe hearing loss in New York City. She used to only go to a few plays, concerts because she would have to sit in the first row of the theater to hear anything. Back in late 1970s, a number of theaters installed the infrared system. I took my Aunt to a play and we sat in the last balcony (only price I could afford). It made me cry to see her face absolutely radiate with delight as she could hear every single word spoken on stage. It was awesome.

[KaryOberbrunner]

I was there in person. It truly was a brilliant talk. The audience was so engaged. Thank you for sharing on this important topic.

[tectorama]

What a brilliant talk. As a 73 yr old with bad hearing especially in one ear and with an inner ear problem which gives me Vertigo,
I can go along with everything you say. There are also a lot of people who think it's quite funny that you can't hear them properly.
Even when I'm driving, my wife won't speak at me, she talks to
the windscreen. I get fed up asking her to repeat herslf, so I just
say nothing.

It can make you feel very lonely when at a dinner or function, everyone is chatting and laughing and you can't understand what anyone is saying. I used to go to talks at the British Museum, they had a hearing loop and it was just like wearing headphones. absolutely marvellous. I can't watch a film unless it has subtitles, or I play it close to me on my laptop.

[vxinos]

As a hearing aid user with moderately severe hearing loss appreciate thia Ted talk and how well she explained our stuggles. Im definetly one that struggle with understanding conversations and im hypersensitive to everyday sounds that most people with nornal hearing can easily tune. so as much as I enjoy being social and being in public venues. I can only handle that enviorment for a short period of time and will need some alone time and quiet calm time to recover, . thank you for this talk. I wish more people including audilogists had this type of understanding

[matthewgruba]

This described my life until I turned 38 and was diagnosed with a hearing impairment. Hearing aids totally changed my life.

[tmaddrummer]

I've relied upon hearing aids for 5 years, and I have never heard of the tele coil. Hearing loss dramatically impacts my every day life, and I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Thanks and Blessings Julliette Sterkens.

[kayalcorn]

Amen for helping people who are hard of hearing to have some empathy & be helpful rather than degrading.

[barnabycatt-marrison]

I have worn hearing aids for 20 years now and not once has anyone explained this to me. Thank you Juliette. Your description of hearing loss and hearing aid function is spot on. I am posting this on my FB page and encouraging all my friends to watch it.

[tracyvirta]

As an audiologist this is a great TedX talk. I’m thankful to live in a community where “the loop” is available. I made sure my patients had a tcoil in their amplification if it was an available option in their aid.

[audiodirectionshearing]

BRAVO! No one better than you to explain this challenge and why it is critical to resolve.

[RobertCLudwig]

The worst problem I have is restaurants. Most restaurants have absolutely terrible acoustics. Highly reflective surfaces bounce the background sound around negating the restaurant setting on my hearing aids which is supposed to turn off the rear facing microphones so the front facing ones can focus on the conversation at the table. Sadly, this problem could be greatly reduced by restaurants simply having more absorptive surfaces to reduce the background sound. I'm sure people with normal hearing would benefit as they wouldn't have to shout at one another to be heard over the din.

[patriciazander]

I was feeling a bit low and I am now smiling listening to the efforts of this kind woman.

[FR-tbxh]

Thank you so much for increasing our awareness of modern hearing technology as well as reminders that a significant part of our population suffer and will suffer from hearing loss in their lifetimes.

When I was a self-centered teenager in the early 1980s, my dad started losing his hearing on his driver’s side. I eventually demanded he get a hearing aid. He bought a ‘top-of-the-line’ one, and it was outrageously expensive. Over time, he started pulling it out of his ear mid-conversations. Realizing our dialoging went downhill whenever he did, I finally got angry and asked him why he kept doing that. With tears in his eyes, he put the aid up to my ear, and said, “because this is what I hear.” In amongst broken strings of words were ear-splitting shocks of feedback. Never before had I loved my father so much as that moment.

[lancelotkamaka]

This is one of the best presentation on hearing loss and hearing aids. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[Shameema-odux]

Thank you for sharing such an enlightening talk! It's true that most of us don't realize the impact of hearing loss until we experience it ourselves or see someone close to us struggling. Juliëtte Sterkens' expertise sheds light on the limitations of hearing aids and the importance of understanding the available technology. Her dedication to improving accessibility for those with hearing loss is truly commendable. Looking forward to exploring more about hearing loops and other advancements in this field!

[tanyahouston]

I went for help with tinnitus and learned I had hearing loss. I got hearing aids and realized I had been living in a quiet cozy world. Those hearing aids brought back many noises I didn’t even realize I couldn’t hear anymore—rustling paper for example. I don’t like how music sounds with my hearing aids. I miss enjoying music on the car radio—it’s awful. Sometimes I turn the hearing aid volume down when there’s too much noise surrounding me. Wonderful talk! I will see about a telecoil when I upgrade.

[SusanFrederick-iu]

Thank you for this very fine explanation of hearing loss and how hearing aids do not and cannot solve our hearing problems. I will send this talk to friends and family who just do not understand what a hearing impaired individual goes through. So many people say just go get the hearing aids adjusted. That is not a fix or a cure all. I always feel that I am in the wrong when I do not understand words and conversations. I could go on and on, but she has said it all and I am happy that someone out there understands what I am talking about.