Creating a Smart Home
If you or someone close to you has hearing loss, there are many tools and gadgets available that can make life easier. This may include personal amplifiers for television, visual alerts for doorbells and telephones or even devices that make speech clearer.
Depending on your needs and budgets there are a many devices available to help you build a connected home. Many of these devices work with current technology that you may already own such as televisions, doorbells, smartphones etc.
Alerts and safety
The ability to stay safe and aware of your surroundings is one of the most important considerations for most people with hearing loss as well as those who are close to them. There is many pieces of technology that can help you achieve this, including:
- Visual and vibrating alert smoke alarms
- Visual and vibrating alert baby monitors
- Visual and vibrating alert doorbells
- Visual and vibrating alert telephone ringers
There are many places online where you can find information about alert and safety equipment in the home. Some good starting points are Australian Hearing, Independent Living Centres and The Deaf Society.
Entertainment
One of the first signs of hearing loss is often you or someone close to you listening to the TV or radio at a volume that is uncomfortably loud for other people.
Thankfully, there are many devices and solutions available to help you enjoy all the entertainment and music you love in the home. Many of these devices can connect to compatible hearing aids or other devices in the home. Products include:
- Wired and wireless headphones that can connect to your TV and other devices to listen at the level that suits you.
- Bluetooth and FM loops that connect directly from your devices (e.g. TV, radio, tablet etc.) to your compatible hearing aid.
- Personal amplification devices.