STEP-BY-STEP-GUIDE
UNIQUE DEMONSTRATION GUIDE
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this demonstration guide is to help hearing healthcare professionals successfully demonstrate the UNIQUE hearing aid to their customers. This demonstration guide could be incorporated as part of the dialogue with the hearing aid users when discussing treatment recommendations. Hearing aid users who visit a hearing care professional may be new users, potential users or veteran users looking for a new solution. But while they may have different reasons for their visit, they all have one need in common: they are looking for something to help them overcome their communication difficulties. It is recommended that you have a discussion with the hearing aid user to find out what specific challenges they have, and how this makes them feel. This will establish a good dialogue with the hearing aid user and set the scene for counselling, managing expectations, and the demonstration.
SETUP Preparing for the demonstration The following items are recommended for the demo: • A pair of UNIQUE FUSION 440 hearing aids • COMPASS GPS 2.0 • An EasyWear kit NOTE: If you intend to demonstrate specific UNIQUE 440 features, the following items are recommended: • A sound system, or good quality speakers, connected to a computer, to demonstrate Sound Class Detection • A small fan or propeller, to simulate wind noise and demonstrate the Wind Noise Attenuation system • Something that can produce a soft unmodulated noise, like a computer fan or a refrigerator, to demonstrate Soft Level Noise Reduction
Preparing the hearing aid user When the hearing aid user arrives for the demo, they should be informed that a hearing aid demonstration will be performed, to give them a “real life” example of
what the hearing aid sounds like. To prepare the hearing aid user, fit the hearing aid as normal, and perform the Sensogram and feedback test. If the hearing aid user is inexperienced: • Save the settings and disconnect from COMPASS GPS 2.0 • Explain that you will first of all do a basic hearing aid demonstration showing the difference in hearing various sounds, first without hearing aids, then with hearing aids. If the hearing aid user is an experienced hearing aid user: • They may not need to be convinced that the hearing aid provides benefit – but they may need to be convinced of why, for example, they should upgrade their hearing aids • If this is the case, you can skip directly to the Demonstrating advanced hearing aid features section.
Example script: “At our last appointment, we talked about your communication difficulties and we wrote down together the four most troublesome situations that you experience with your hearing loss. Today, as a first step, I will perform a hearing aid demonstration with you, so that you can hear for yourself exactly how the hearing aid sounds, and how it can help you to hear better. But first, before we start the demonstration, I need to set up the hearing aid and make sure it is programmed specifically for your hearing loss. ”
Using the SoundPlayer The SoundPlayer in COMPASS GPS 2.0 can also be used to demonstrate unaided vs aided. Ensure that good quality speakers are connected to the computer if using the SoundPlayer. (Figure 1)
BASIC DEMONSTRATION The key to a good demonstration is to allow the hearing aid user to see, or more specifically hear, how the hearing aids help. A good way to demonstrate this is by showing the main benefit of a hearing aid: improved audibility. This can easily be done by demonstrating to the hearing aid user the difference between unaided and aided. For this demonstration, simply use UNIQUE’s universal program. Several easy scenarios are proposed below.
Demonstration of unaided vs aided Using speech or soft sounds There are many ways to demonstrate aided benefit with soft speech or soft sounds: • Playing soft sounds or soft speech, either live or recorded, unaided vs aided • Using word lists, unaided vs aided • Using high frequency word lists, unaided vs aided • Walking around the room and asking questions • Repeating words while background noise is playing, undaided vs aided Involving the client’s partner or family members during the demonstration helps the hearing aid user see that they can hear just as well with properly fitted hearing aids as their (presumably normal-hearing) family member.
Figure 1
DEMONSTRATING ADVANCED HEARING AID FEATURES With some users, demonstrating advanced features may be useful. Examples of users who may benefit from advanced features demonstrations: • Potential users who are very interested in technology
• Experienced users who have specific difficulties (difficulties hearing in wind, easily bothered by soft noises) • Users who are upgrading their current hearing aid and would like to hear if there is a difference compared to their old aids This guide provides instructions on how to demo the following features: • Sound Class Detection • Wind Noise Attenuation • Soft Level Noise Reduction Preparing the hearing aid user for the demonstration: • The hearing aid user should be near the speakers or sound system • Reconnect the hearing aids to COMPASS GPS 2.0 and place them on the hearing aid user’s ears • Explain to the hearing aid user that you will be demonstrating various hearing aid features
Sound Class Detection demonstration Before starting the sound class detection demonstration, ensure that the external speakers are connected and that the level of the sound coming out of the speaker is at least 60 dB SPL. If the sounds are softer than 60 dB SPL, the hearing aid will simply stay in the “Quiet” sound class. Before performing the demonstra-
Figure 2
tion for the hearing aid user, we recommend that you experiment with different sound and noise types, so that you are familiar with the sounds and how they are classified. When the hearing aids are connected to COMPASS, sound class detection can be demonstrated using the “Demo View”. Example script: “Now I am going to demonstrate some of the smart features of this hearing aid. The first thing I would like to show you is how the hearing aid can detect different types of sounds, depending on what kind of environment you are in. It can even detect whether or not there is speech in the environment. For this demonstration, the hearing aids will be connected to the programming software, so that you can see, in real time, when the hearing aid adapts according to what type of sound is in the environment.” Setting up the hearing aid: 1. Ensure the Universal program is selected and go to Fine TuningTuningSound Class Setting (Figure 2)
2. Click on the Views drop-down menu (Figure 3)
5. The hearing aid will analyze the sounds detected and the illustrations/text will change accordingly, in real time. (Figure 6)
Figure 3
3. Select Demo view (Figure 4)
Hearing aids in detection mode
Environment classified as Quiet without Speech
Figure 4
4. The SoundPlayer may be used to play sound files to demonstrate the sound classification of UNIQUE. (Figure 5)
Figure 5
Recommended sound files for the Sound Class Detection Demo: • Restaurant • Bus ride • Jazz
Figure 6
NOTE: The environment needs to be stable for at least 10 seconds, sometimes longer, before the sound class changes. When speech is present and detected by the hearing aid, it will react quickly, to ensure speech is prioritized. It may only take 5 seconds to switch from a non-speech class to a sound class with speech. On the other hand, the hearing aid will be a lot slower at switching from a speech class to a non-speech class. This is to ensure that there really is no speech in the environment before switching to a non-speech sound class. Remember that the level of the sounds used in the Sound Class Detection demo needs to be at least 60 dB SPL – if they are too soft, the sounds will simply be classified as Quiet. For a big wow effect, it is recommend to use either Restaurant or Bus ride, and let it detect the appropriate sound class. Then, play the Jazz music file – once the hearing aid switches to the Music sound class, the sound quality difference will be quite evident. It is recommended to test the sound class demo in advance, to ensure that the hearing care professional is comfortable with the demonstration.
Wind Noise Attenuation demonstration
Soft Level Noise Reduction demonstration
If experienced hearing aid users encounter difficulties when wearing their hearing aids outdoors/in windy situations, it may be beneficial to demonstrate UNIQUE’s Wine Noise Attenuation system.
The soft level noise reduction feature may not be needed for all hearing aid users. It may be of particular benefit for those hearing aid users who have a mild to moderate low-to-mid-frequency hearing loss. You may wish to demonstrate this feature if the hearing aid user complains that the hearing aid is noisy in quiet.
To demonstrate the Wind Noise Attenuation system: • Have a small fan to use as the wind source • Connect the hearing aids to COMPASS GPS 2.0 • Turn on the fan and ensure the wind generated by the fan hits the hearing aid microphones • Toggle between Wind Noise Attenuation OFF and ON using by going to Feature SettingsWind Noise Attenuation (Figure 7)
To demonstrate the soft level noise reduction: • There should be some kind of soft level noise in the environment. For example: computer fan noise, soft ventilation noise, refrigerator noise • Connect the hearing aids to COMPASS GPS 2.0 • Toggle between Soft Level Noise Reduction OFF and ON using by going to Feature SettingsSoft Level Noise Reduction (Figure 8)
Figure 7
• Keep talking to the hearing aid user during the demonstration, so that they can see/hear the difference in speech understanding when feature is OFF vs ON. Example script: “You stated earlier that one of your main complaints with your current hearing aids is that you cannot hear speech, or anything, when you are outside in windy situations. Since this is one of your biggest communication difficulties, I would like to demonstrate the wind noise manager in this hearing aid. To do this, I will first turn on a fan, at full power, to simulate wind blowing on the hearing aids. I will then switch between the settings. First, you will hear what it’s like when the feature is turned OFF, and then I will turn it ON, and you can let me know if you hear a difference. I will keep talking to you during the demonstration.”
Figure 8
NOTE: Soft level noise reduction is only active for sounds which are below 62 dB SPL, including microphone noise. It is recommended that you demonstrate the feature to those patients who complain about “noisy” hearing aids. Example script: “You stated earlier that you get easily bothered by soft sounds like computer fans, ventilation systems or refrigerator noises. This hearing aid is very good at making very soft sounds louder, so that you can hear them better. However, as you say, some of these soft noises are distracting and they don’t necessarily need to be louder. I am now going to demonstrate to you how the hearing aid is able to reduce some of the very soft noises in the environment, but without reducing speech sounds. I will keep talking to you, and then you can tell me what you think after the demonstration.”
DEMO OUTSIDE THE CLINIC Another effective way to demonstrate the feature could be to take the hearing aid user outside, particularly if the clinic is on a busy street. Wind noise, traffic noise, bird songs and children playing in a park would all be relevant sounds to listen to with the hearing aid. You can demo by toggling between programs using the RC-DEX, and show the difference between the various programs that isolate a specific feature, the performance of the universal program, or the performance of the Wind Noise Attenuation system. Ask them to take a 10-minute walk and to focus on the changing sound environments, and ask them to tell you what they thought and how it made them feel. If the hearing aid user decides to purchase the hearing aids, ensure that they get a proper trial period and that a follow up appointment is scheduled in 2-3 weeks’ time.
TOOLS FOR SUCCESS For most hearing aid users, “hearing is believing”. The demonstration can be one of the most important parts of the journey towards the ultimate goal: better hearing and communication. It is important to remember to have a good dialogue with the hearing aid user before performing the hearing aids demonstration, to ensure you understand their needs. For a comprehensive overview on how to get potential hearing aid users to accept treatment recommendations, please refer to the article entitled Getting the YES!, available on Audiology Online: http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/getting-theyes-14762
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