1. Bluetooth connectivity

Several hearing aids now on the market have the ability to link wirelessly to "bluetooth" phones (landline and mobile phones) using a "go between" piece of kit that you wear around your neck.

Bluetooth is a fairly recent technology found in computers, phones, cameras and other devices that enables different pieces of equipment to talk to each other without needing to connect with a wire.

The bit that goes around your neck transmits phone calls directly into both hearing aids, giving you the ability to hear the telephone conversation in both ears completely hands-free. When your phone rings, it actually rings in your hearing aids. You press a button on the bit that goes around your neck, and hey presto, you're connected to the conversation!

It gives you excellent sound quality and the convenience of hands-free.

To use this option with the phone you need a suitable hearing aid, the bit that goes around your neck, and either a phone that has Bluetooth built in to it (many mobile phones do, and one or two landline phones) or a box that converts your standard phone into a Bluetooth phone.

2. Automatic Telephone Programme

Some of today’s hearing aids have the ability to automatically tune in to the telephone as soon as you put it up to your ear. It senses the presence of a small magnet which you stick onto the telephone’s receiver and switches over to a specially set up telephone programme. As soon as you take the telephone away from your ear it switches back to its normal setting. This solution works best when combined with a telecoil/loop/induction coil (see below).

3. Hearing Aid Compatible Phone (i.e. with Loop)

If your telephone is “hearing aid compatible” it means that it has a built in loop system, so you can use it with the ‘Loop’ setting (if you have one) on your hearing instrument.

Simply press the button on your hearing instrument to activate the loop and the hearing aid tunes out the world around you and tunes into the telephone.

But how do you know if you have a “hearing aid compatible” phone? As a general rule, if your telephone has an amplifier, it often has the loop built in.

But the best thing to do is to test it by switching over to the 'T' setting (or loop programme or telecoil programme) on your hearing aid, then dialling a telephone number such as "123" (the Talking Clock).

To use a “hearing aid compatible” telephone you need to make sure your hearing aid has a loop built into it and that it has been activated by your hearing aid dispenser. If you’re not certain, please ask.

4. Speaker phones

Some people get on well with Speaker Phones because it means you don’t have to put the telephone up to your ear, and it means you don’t have to have a loop built into your hearing aid. Be careful, though, because the sound quality on speaker phones varies, and people at the other end may find you sound distant.

5. Phone Holding Methods

In the Ear Hearing Aids with Phone

If you wear an ‘In the Ear’ aid, put the phone right up to your ear as normal. Now imagine a hinge running along the side of the phone closest to the top of your ear, and angle the phone 45° as if it is still attached at the hinge. This will reduce the risk of whistling but direct the sound into the mic.

Behind the Ear Hearing Aids with Phone

If you wear a ‘Behind the Ear’ aid, lift the phone higher than you would normally, so the sound from the phone is lined up with the mic on the hearing aid.