Water worries begone, with the world’s first waterproof* rechargeable hearing aid

What does a waterproof hearing aid mean for people who use hearing technology? With the global launch of the new Audéo Life now completed, we’re about to find out.

Are all hearing aid users going to jump into the nearest body of water with their devices on? …Are they going to throw away their umbrellas and dance in the rain?… Will they make a habit of wearing their hearing aids in the bath just because they can?

Probably not. While the ability to do any of these things is remarkable, what’s going to really change the lives of those with hearing loss is the ability to live a regular life with a lot less stress.

When we think about it, water is everywhere in daily life

What many people don’t realize is just how much anxiety those of us with hearing loss carry every day when it comes to water. “If my hearing aids get sweaty and die, I won’t be able to hear this yoga instructor” is a relatively low stakes example of an everyday worry. It might keep us away from the gym a bit more than we’d like, but the social consequences are fairly small.

What about the stress of burdening your loved ones during a vacation to a hot and humid tropical locale? “If this hearing aid doesn’t come back to life, my partner is going to get sick of repeating themselves while we’re supposed to be relaxing!” Relationships suffer when communication isn’t optimal, and water has an incredible ability to reduce communication for those who rely on electronics.

How about the scathing “Do you know how much those things cost?” that has been known to be regretfully blurted out in moments of moisture-induced hearing aid panic? Whether it’s a grandchild’s errant water gun or a more nefarious push off a lakeside dock, these kinds of outbursts can absolutely affect the enjoyment of time spent as a family.

The emotions that these situations carry are heavy feelings which those of us who use hearing aids have learned to bare. We know what the social consequences of dysfunctioning hearing aids are tremendously isolating, so we’re always extra careful around water and perspiration.

A single moment of inattention can result in a device that needs to be repaired, with days of limited communication for in the time before it can be returned – so we make sacrifices.

While the rest of the family enjoys a soak in a hot tub, we might avoid it out of caution for our technology – or perhaps the devices are removed, and we end up nodding along to conversations we can’t quite hear.

An afternoon spent doing yardwork together in the hot sun might be less worrisome if we remove our devices to avoid sweat – even if that means we can’t hear those around us as well. A visit to the splash park with young children might be more relaxing if we leave our hearing aids at home – even if it means we can’t hear all the fun they’re having.

A waterproof device removes that worry

To me, that’s the biggest benefit that Audéo Life brings – a world for hearing aid users with less sacrifice; a set of devices that can handle a pummeling from water and sweat, PLUS the proven hearing performance you expect from Phonak.

If we’re able to alleviate even a small amount of that stress with a water-proof hearing aid, then I think that’s a conversation we should be having with all our patients.

To learn more about this world’s first waterproof* rechargeable hearing aid, we invite you to visit our product pages.

* up to 50 cm or 1.64 feet