As a lifelong hearing aid user — spanning the evolution from clunky analog devices to today’s sleek, high-tech digital models — I’ve learned firsthand that no one likes to be told they ...

And unlike analog hearing aids, which amplify all sounds equally, digital devices can amplify and clarify speech and allow noises such as the hum of a refrigerator to fade into the background.

In the early years of my career in magazine publishing, my anxiety was palpable. My analog hearing aids were bulky, and my solutions often came from the local Radio Shack. The phone, especially ...