24 25Tips for wearing hearing aids for thefirst time• Start in a quiet room at home first to getused to the new sound quality. Sounds likethe ticking of a clock, the humming of thecomputer, the beep of the microwave or therustling of clothes or paper may seem loudto you at first, because you have not beenhearing them properly for a long time.• Read aloud to yourself and learn to adjustthe volume of your own voice when you arewearing the hearing aids.• Talk to different people and learn how todistinguish between different sound patternsagain.• It will take some time before you arecompletely used to your hearing aids and canfully enjoy the benefits.• Wear your hearing aids for as many hours aday as you can, and for a little longer eachday.• Make notes at the back of this booklet,write down difficult situations and describewhat any unpleasant noises were like. Thisinformation will help your hearing healthcareprofessional to fine-tune the hearing aidsbetter for your needs.• Involve your family and friends in thisfamiliarization period. For example,ask someone to set the television to acomfortable volume.• When you are beginning to get used towearing the hearing aids, wear them in moredifficult listening environments such as theoffice, at parties or in restaurants. This canbe difficult even for people who can hearnormally. Give yourself time to regain yourability to hear in these difficult situations.• Make your hearing aids part of your everydaylife and be patient with yourself while you arelearning to hear sounds correctly.