Question
How can I help my patients reach their goals for a healthier lifestyle in 2023?
Answer
As we turn the calendar page to a new year, many individuals set resolutions to make a positive change in their lifestyle. For some, this revolves around healthier habits such as sleep, eating, exercising, and mental health. For others, it may mean setting a social goal to join a club, meet new friends, or finally go on that family vacation. As a hearing care provider, you are well-versed in asking what your patients’ hearing goals are and helping them achieve those goals. This skill means that you are well-poised to ask your patients what their goals for 2023 are, asking them how they plan to achieve it, and linking these goals to hearing solutions that may already have or new solutions they are pursuing.
Goals to Improve Physical Health
If goals are focused on a healthier lifestyle in terms of physical activity, hearing solutions that are durable, have features designed to use on-the-go, have health tracking abilities, and provide excellent streaming quality should be considered.
Phonak Audéo Life™ Lumity, the second generation of the world’s first rechargeable waterproof hearing aid, is an ideal solution for these patients who want a robust hearing aid they can wear in or around water, while exercising, or in humid environments. Not only has it been tested to withstand fresh water, but it was also tested in salt water, pool water, humid environments, and with sweat. Audéo Life Lumity has Motion Sensor Hearing, a feature created to hear well while on the move. Motion Sensor Hearing is automatically enabled when the user is walking (or running) to provide better speech understanding and environmental awareness.
In conjunction with the myPhonak app, Audéo Life Lumity can track health data such as steps, activity levels, distance walked or ran, and has the ability to set step goals to help them track their progress. We know music, podcasts, and audiobooks are popular motivators during physical exercise. Audéo Life Lumity provides classified streamed signals, meaning that the hearing aids know whether there is music or speech being streamed and will apply a different gain model accordingly. In a recent study of Audéo Life, one participant commented that streaming was consistent, even when the user was sweaty or wet. This was unlike their earbuds which would sound crackly when used while exercising. Many other participants noted how much they appreciated being confident and being able to hear while in or around the pool, whether it was for enjoyment, exercise, or physical therapy. Another key finding was that users didn’t have to think about their hearing aids while doing daily activities.
Setting Social Goals
If your patients’ goals are related to their social well-being, using hearing instruments and accessories designed to assist in even the most challenging situations must be considered. Phonak Lumity devices feature SmartSpeech Technology: a collection of features proven to improve speech intelligibility and/or reduce listening effort.
New features, including StereoZoom 2.0, allow patients to improve speech intelligibility in background noise by an additional 2.5 dB SNR over Paradise StereoZoom. The use of StereoZoom has shown to not only understand better in background noise, but also be shown to increase participation in group settings and decrease listening effort.
When background noise becomes too loud or when distance between the speaker and the listener increases, Roger™ technology should be considered to keep people engaged and connected. Roger technology adaptively bridges the communication gap to provide a positive signal-to-noise ratio. And, Roger users are very happy! In fact, 90% of current Roger users would recommend Roger to their friends and family. The Phonak Roger On™ microphone is easy to use, automatic to support multiple use cases, and can stream from TV and computers. Phonak Lumity and Roger On are a winning combination to ensure your patients can stay connected on walking tours, at weddings and family gatherings, in lectures, car rides, and so many more situations.
Goal setting is a skill HCPs have been using for decades in order to help individuals with hearing loss live without limitations. Using this same method for new year’s resolutions can help strengthen your relationships with your patients, understand their needs beyond the audiogram, and give you the ability to meet multiple needs with one device.
If your resolutions include learning more about what Phonak has to offer you and your patients, please click here. To read the Field Study News on Audéo Life Lumity, please click here.
