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One of the great things about Bluetooth hearing aids is the ability to have music, phone calls, and television streamed directly into your ear.
You can listen to your latest book or take in your favourite podcast knowing that the sound being steamed into your ear has been processed to match your hearing aid settings, you hear it with the best possible clarity.
Some people love this feature so much that they pair up just about every device they own with their new hearing aids.
While we admire the enthusiasm, there is a downside, as it may cause confusion about what device is currently paired and it may accelerate battery drain as your hearing aids hunt for a device to link up to.
Most Bluetooth hearing aids will let you pair to two devices - typically a phone and a tablet but only one can be connected at a time. If you regularly switch between devices it is wise to be aware of which device your hearing aid was last paired with.
Here are some general instructions on how to switch from one device to another.
- Switch off Bluetooth on the device that is connected at the moment.
- Ensure that Bluetooth is enabled on the device that you are going to connect to.
- For battery, hearing aids: open the battery door, wait 5 seconds, and close it again. For rechargeable: Switch the hearing aid off and on.
Now your hearing aids will be connected to the other Bluetooth device. For more specific instructions, refer to your manufacturer’s handbook.
Having Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids doesn’t drain the battery in of itself. It will sit quietly in the background until it is needed.
But if you are streaming from your device for hours on end - like listening to that riveting audiobook you can’t put down - you will find that you are using more power than in ordinary listening situations.
Another thing to remember is that Bluetooth hearing aids are hearing aids first and foremost. This means the aids will prioritise working as hearing aids, so don’t worry if the connection drops out between your hearing aids and device.
If that happens, just run through the procedure outlined above.
