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Introducing the DexBox!

We’re always working on projects behind the scenes here at Hearing Healthcare Centre, usually trying to improve the service we provide to our clients along their journey.

In the past, we’ve showcased audio illusions, disproved dangerous wax removal techniques, and informed clients on the best ways to communicate with hearing impaired individuals. Today, we’re focusing on client dexterity!

 

What is dexterity?

Dexterity is defined as skill in performing tasks, especially involving a person’s hands. When we talk about dexterity in Audiology, we generally refer to the manipulation of small objects, such as hearing aids. Dexterity usually remains untarnished in most people and is only worsened by age and certain diseases.

As we get older, we naturally incur a loss of motor function which can make manipulating objects more challenging. Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Arthritis also worsen dexterity, and sometimes individuals have a combination of these factors.

 

How does dexterity relate to Audiology?

When it comes to hearing aids, most manufacturers are focusing their efforts on the miniaturisation of their already tiny hearing aids, dexterity is extremely important in our field of work.

As hearing aids get smaller, the dexterity of our clients becomes more and more important. We need to know they can manipulate the devices they’re provided with. Not being able to change a battery or wax guard will have an ill effect on the device’s functionality.

 

 

What is the DexBox?

The DexBox is the first of its kind, a dexterity assessment tool focused solely on hearing aids. A product of our own findings, the idea behind the DexBox is to assess a client’s dexterity in clinic prior to sending them off with their hearing aids.

We often receive emails and calls from clients who at first overestimated their dexterity, and who are struggling with some of the smaller hearing aid models. That’s when the DexBox was born.

The DexBox is a small cuboid tool which has a hearing aid related dexterity task on each of its faces.

The DexBox includes functional battery doors for the three smallest batteries: size 10, size 312 and size 13. This allows users to test their dexterity performing one of the most common hearing aid maintenance tasks.

The DexBox also includes four wax guard apertures, for the most commonly used hearing aid wax guards: Cerustops, HF3s, HF4s and Cerustop XLs.

After hearing aid batteries and wax guards, the most common tasks are clearing vents with a thin thread, turning very small volume dials, and pressing very small buttons; all of which are on the DexBox.

 

See For Yourself!