iPad Apps For Your Ears

AB Clix: People with hearing aids and cochlear implants know how difficult it can be to distinguish between vowels and consonants, especially in crowded places. This app runs you through exercises that you can practice in quiet and noisy settings to help differentiate sounds and words. Practice sessions of different lengths allow you to design the program to suit your needs, and scoring and progress charts visualize your improvement over time. AB Listening Adventures: Designed for children with hearing loss between the ages of 4 and 10, this app uses story-based games to help kids practice listening and language skills. Games focus on listening for plurals, pronouns, multiple elements and more, all in an easy-to-use app children will love. VocAB Scenes: Also designed for children between the ages of 4-10, this app uses fun scenes including the beach, pet store and swimming pool to help guide kids through exercises that promote listening and language development.

Listening and Communication

LACE Auditory Training Programs: Available for personal computers, iPads and Android devices, the LACE program enables both children and adults to develop strategies for communicating in situations where hearing can be difficult, like noisy restaurants and crowded rooms. Online training sessions are only 20 minutes each, making them easy to do every day to keep your listening skills sharp. Forbrain: Using the power of the voice to improve concentration, memory, pronunciation and more, Forbrain is designed for children and adults, and a few minutes a day can lead to improvements in as little as six weeks.

Technology-Free Ear Exercises

You don’t have to be online to give your ears a workout. Try these tech-free tips to exercise your ears wherever you are.

• Practice having a conversation in a noisy environment by turning on the TV or radio at home, and talking to someone while keeping the volume at a normal level. Focus on the conversation you’re in, while trying to tune out the background noise.

• If you don’t have anyone to practice with, try meditating. Meditation improves concentration, which in turn improves listening. Meditation takes practice, but even a few minutes a day of quiet meditation can quickly improve your ability to focus on the conversation at hand.

Yoga For Good Hearing

Yoga poses including tree, lotus, cobra and triangle all help to improve your circulation. Good circulation helps nerve function, and works to remove things like free radicals from your bloodstream – all of which can help to keep your hearing healthy.

You don’t need to go to a fancy studio to reap all the health benefits of yoga. Download a yoga app onto your iPad, or find a YouTube video you enjoy. A simple, consistent yoga practice will be good for your ears, and your overall health.

Visit an Audiologist

Do a little bit for your ears each day, and visit an experienced audiologist annually for a hearing test. Your audiologist will work with you to make sure your hearing stays healthy for years to come.​