There is a world of difference between now and before Willy got his CI.
Two-Ear Hearing. How my AB Cochlear Implant and Phonak Hearing Aid Enables my Active Life
Monday, October 6, 2025
It is nice and warm in the living room in Greve, south of Copenhagen, where Willy lives with his wife Helga. He sits down on the sofa to talk about his life and hearing with two ears. However, it has not always been like this, as Willy has been profoundly deaf in his left ear for almost 43 years.
“I have managed to hear with just one ear for many years, and it hasn’t always been easy,” he says. “When I was a gardener and researcher in weed control, it was difficult to hear over distance, as there often was noise in the plant halls, and my ability to locate sound was poor.”
In 2004, Willy got a hearing aid for his right ear because his hearing on that side began to decline. He managed reasonably well with it until 2017, when he first heard about a cochlear implant (CI).
“When Willy first heard about cochlear implants, went through the evaluation process, and finally received the implant in his deaf ear in 2018, something truly changed,” his wife, Helga, says. “There is a world of difference between now and before Willy got his CI.”
His wife says she was worried that if something drastic didn't happen with her husband’s hearing, they would eventually have to start writing to each other.
“The CI is the reason we can communicate at all and live the active and social life we have,” she says. We hike in Norway and other beautiful places, and when you're trekking far from civilization, good hearing is essential. We need to trust that Willy hears as well as possible. Imagine if, in that situation, we had to write to each other... it would seriously limit our level of activity.”
Hearing Loss is No Obstacle to an Active Life
Willy lives an active lifestyle. Catching him on the sofa is a bit of a rarity for the almost-80-year-old, but before addressing his hearing loss, it was threatening his passions.
“I stopped roller-skating in Greve Trim Motionsklub last year, at the age of 78,” he says. “Not because I couldn't keep up, but more because I thought that my ability to react was not what it used to be. Because on roller skates, you must be able to react quickly if there is uneven asphalt or a large stone.”
Now, the roller skates have been replaced with an electric bike and a warm sleeping bag. He enjoys heading out into the countryside and staying in a shelter, either alone, with a good friend, or grandchildren.
“When I'm in nature, it's good to know that my hearing aid and CI work together and automatically tune the sound for optimal hearing.”
Combining an AB cochlear implant with a Phonak hearing aid
Willy uses a combination of an Advanced Bionics cochlear implant and a Phonak hearing aid, which are designed to work together. It is a combination that he is very happy and comfortable with.
“The Phonak hearing aid gives me depth and spaciousness, and the CI gives me speech understanding and a clear and specific sound,” he says. “The combination of the two things means that I feel I get a rich and comfortable sound.”
Sif Eriksen, a Clinical Specialist at Advanced Bionics, says that pairing a hearing aid with a cochlear implant works well when hearing loss is more severe in one ear over the other. It may also be that for physical reasons it is not possible to get a second CI, or simply personal preference.
“In any case, I think it is crucial that the two different devices work together, so that we ensure that the user gets the best benefit from the solution and thus gets the best possible hearing,” Eriksen says.
Because a Phonak hearing aid and an AB cochlear implant are designed to work together, acoustic and electronic sound meet each other, so that the user benefits from all microphones in a collaboration—not at the same time, but according to the listening needs. The same applies to the processing of the sound, which takes place constantly and automatically, without the user noticing.
He gives the example of a user in a noisy restaurant.
“In this case, both the hearing aid and the CI will treat the noise the same and can, if needed, put all microphones into play to provide the best sound and directionality and thus the best listening experience,” he says.
Willy agrees.
“I feel like one device does something and the other device does something else. And the fact that both brands are under one company gives me security. So, I think I've done my best for my hearing.”
Note: The views expressed in this post are those of the author. Each person's situation is unique so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your hearing care provider about whether a cochlear implant is right for you.
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