If you have trouble hearing, or have an elderly parent or friend who does, consider looking at some of the fancy gadgets out there, specifically created to help the deaf or hard-of-hearing among us.
These include visual alerts when the phone rings, bed and pillow shakers that wake you up when there is a weather alert, cellphone accessories that are hearing-aid compatible or have an extra loud speakerphone. Also look out for the new Apple watch (available in SA from 23 October 2015) with its “taptic engine”, which uses soft vibrations to alert its wearer to certain events.
As well as working for notifications, the technology also allows people to navigate without actually looking at the screen, giving different nudges for left and right.
For all the latest news, visit the Health24 Hearing Management Centre.