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. | My hearing is damaged by a combination of age and aphasia-related stroke. My audiologist reported that my capability is moderate with a 50% loss. I have his best Phonak hearing aids. It helps a lot, but I struggle to understand speech. He suggests LACE. Can that help? ChatGPT offers suggestions. |
Here’s a clear and practical explanation of what LACE is, how it actually works, and what your options are — without spending $499/month.
What LACE Is (Listening and Communication Enhancement)
LACE stands for Listening and Communication Enhancement — it’s auditory training, not a hearing aid or medical device. (HearWell Center)
The program is designed to train your brain to process and understand sound more effectively — especially in background noise, with rapid speech, and when multiple speakers are present. (UCSF Health)
Think of it like physical therapy for listening — hearing aids bring sound in, but LACE helps your brain interpret that sound more effectively. (firstwordhealthtech.com)
How LACE Actually Works
Typical training tasks include exercises that:
- Improve recognizing speech in background noise
- Help you keep up with fast speech
- Teach you to focus on one voice among many
- Boost auditory memory so you understand and retain words better(atlhearing.net)
You usually do short (often ~15–30 minute) sessions several times per week.(UCSF Health)
Does It Really Work?
Evidence & experts say:
- LACE has been used by audiologists for 20+ years and is built on real auditory science.(neurotone.com)
- Some users and clinics report noticeable improvements in speech-in-noise understanding, confidence in conversations, and how quickly they acclimate to hearing aids.(pjspeech-hearing.com)
- However, a large clinical study found no significant advantage versus standard hearing-aid care (though individual results varied). (PubMed)
This means LACE can help some people, but it’s not a cure-all — and it’s not guaranteed for everyone.
What It Costs (and what you don’t need to pay)
❌ $499/month?
That pricing you saw is not typical for the basic training itself. It’s likely a clinic’s service package or subscription add-on, not the core program.
✅ Typical LACE Options LACE AI Pro standalone license: around $300–$350 one-time (lifetime access). (Ahrens Hearing Center)
Some clinics give it to you as part of a hearing rehab package — sometimes included with your hearing-aid purchase.
Other auditory training apps (like Hearoes or AudioCardio) are much cheaper/free and worth trying too. (Healthy Hearing)
Some clinics give it to you as part of a hearing rehab package — sometimes included with your hearing-aid purchase.
Other auditory training apps (like Hearoes or AudioCardio) are much cheaper/free and worth trying too. (Healthy Hearing)
So you do not need to pay $499 every month just to try auditory training if you don’t want to.
Alternatives & Complementary Tools
If you don’t want to do LACE, you can try:
- Free or inexpensive auditory training apps: many have listening exercises similar to LACE. (Healthy Hearing)
- Speech-in-noise training games or word-list drills available online or on smartphones.
- Routine listening practice at home: podcasts, audiobooks, or conversations in variable backgrounds — this still engages your brain.
Tips for Someone With Aphasia
Because LACE focuses on brain auditory processing, the benefit might vary if comprehension issues are heavily related to language processing (from aphasia), not just hearing. It may still help you practice auditory focus and memory.
But your speech-language pathologist or audiologist may recommend language-specific training apps and exercises — those are often free or covered by therapy.
Combine LACE-style listening drills with aphasia-focused speech therapy for the best results.
But your speech-language pathologist or audiologist may recommend language-specific training apps and exercises — those are often free or covered by therapy.
Combine LACE-style listening drills with aphasia-focused speech therapy for the best results.
Bottom Line
✔️ LACE is auditory training — a structured way to improve how your brain understands sound and speech. (HearWell Center)
✔️ It’s not a medical device, and it doesn’t replace hearing aids.
✔️ $499/month is not a necessary price tag — many clinics or vendors sell it for a one-time fee closer to ~$300-$350.(Ahrens Hearing Center)
✔️ There are other, less expensive options if this feels too pricey. (Healthy Hearing)
✔️ It’s not a medical device, and it doesn’t replace hearing aids.
✔️ $499/month is not a necessary price tag — many clinics or vendors sell it for a one-time fee closer to ~$300-$350.(Ahrens Hearing Center)
✔️ There are other, less expensive options if this feels too pricey. (Healthy Hearing)
Here are specific free or low-cost apps and tools you can use for auditory and listening training — especially helpful alongside your hearing aids and good for speech understanding in noise, auditory memory, and general listening practice: (ENT & Audiology News)
✅ Free or Mostly Free Auditory Training AppsThese focus on listening skills, background noise challenges, and sound discrimination.
• Hearoes (iOS & Android)
A free game-style auditory training app with different listening tasks, including background noise and sound differentiation — good for training speech perception and auditory memory. (hearingspeech.org)
• Hear Coach (Free)
Free listening game suite with background noise challenges — focuses on cognitive and auditory skills. (hearingspeech.org)
• Angel Sound (Free, Web-based)
Interactive listening practice program with tasks for speech in quiet and noise — good for structured listening practice on a computer. (hearing.ucsf.edu)
• Read My Quips (Web/Apps)
A training tool that mixes auditory and visual cues to help with speech understanding — useful for listening in difficult situations. (hearing.ucsf.edu)
Mobile Tools That Adjust or Support Listening
These aren’t strictly training programs, but they help you practice listening and stay engaged with challenging sound environments.
• Cochlear™ CoPilot (Free)
Designed for improving listening skills with interactive activities and games. (Cochlear Hear and Now)
• AB ListenFit & WordSuccess (Free)
Apps with listening tests and practice exercises to help track progress and challenge your understanding. (AdvancedBionics)
Supplementary Listening Practice (Free)
Not apps but helpful tools for auditory training:
• Google Live Transcribe (Android)
• Google Live Transcribe (Android)
Real-time transcription can help you see what people are saying in challenging listening situations. (abilitynet.org.uk)
• TED Talks + Captioning
Listening to varied voices and accents with optional captioning is excellent real-world practice — not structured training, but very useful. (Cochlear Hear and Now)
Tips for Using These Tools
- Practice regularly but briefly. 15–30 minutes a day is often enough to start noticing improvements.
- Combine structured apps with real-world listening. For example, listening to podcasts and following captions can train listening naturally.
- Track your progress. Many apps like Hearoes and Hear Coach let you see improvements over time.
Final Thoughts
These apps aren’t a direct substitute for structured clinical tools like LACE, but they are inexpensive (often free) and can effectively build listening skills — especially speech-in-noise understanding and auditory memory. (Healthy Hearing)
I can suggest a simple daily listening practice routine using these apps and other tools tailored to your goals (speech-in-noise, fast speech, conversational confidence, etc.).
I can suggest a simple daily listening practice routine using these apps and other tools tailored to your goals (speech-in-noise, fast speech, conversational confidence, etc.).
Suggest a simple daily listening practice routine. My great problem is with fast speech. Thanks to my aphasia, my brain does not work fast with speech.
Tom, this is a very specific and very solvable problem.
With post-stroke aphasia, the issue often isn’t hearing volume — it’s processing speed. When speech comes too fast, your brain can’t decode it quickly enough. The good news is that processing speed can be trained, and you can control speech speed digitally in ways that weren’t available even a few years ago.
Below is a simple, structured 20–25 minute daily routine designed specifically for fast speech tolerance.
With post-stroke aphasia, the issue often isn’t hearing volume — it’s processing speed. When speech comes too fast, your brain can’t decode it quickly enough. The good news is that processing speed can be trained, and you can control speech speed digitally in ways that weren’t available even a few years ago.
Below is a simple, structured 20–25 minute daily routine designed specifically for fast speech tolerance.
(Designed for slow processing/aphasia recovery)
⏱ Total Time: 20–25 minutes
5–6 days per week
⏱ Total Time: 20–25 minutes
5–6 days per week
1 - Warm-Up: Slow, Clear Speech (5 minutes)
Goal: Success first. Reduce stress.
· Play a podcast, audiobook, or TED Talk.
· Set playback speed to 0.75x.
· Turn captions ON.
· Listen for 2–3 minutes.
· Pause and summarize aloud what you heard (even a few key words are fine).
· Set playback speed to 0.75x.
· Turn captions ON.
· Listen for 2–3 minutes.
· Pause and summarize aloud what you heard (even a few key words are fine).
Why this works:
You are pairing auditory input + visual reinforcement + speech output. That strengthens neural pathways.
You are pairing auditory input + visual reinforcement + speech output. That strengthens neural pathways.
2 - Controlled Speed Challenge (8–10 minutes)
Now train speed gradually.
· Replay the same segment.
· Increase to 0.85x.
· Then later in the week, try 1.0x.
· Only increase speed if comprehension stays around 70–80%.
· Increase to 0.85x.
· Then later in the week, try 1.0x.
· Only increase speed if comprehension stays around 70–80%.
Important rule:
❌ Do not jump to full speed immediately.
Gradual increase trains processing speed without overload.
If you miss words:
· Pause.
· Rewind 10 seconds.
· Listen again.
· Don’t read first — try listening twice before using captions.
3 - Fast Burst Training (5 minutes)
This specifically trains fast speech tolerance.
· Play 30–60 seconds at 1.1x speed.
· Expect to miss things.
· Focus on catching keywords only.
· Stop and write down 3 words you heard.
· Expect to miss things.
· Focus on catching keywords only.
· Stop and write down 3 words you heard.
This reduces panic response when speech accelerates.
4 - Real-World Simulation (5 minutes)
Use one of these:
· Watch a short news clip at normal speed.
· Ask a friend to speak slightly faster than comfortable.
· Practice asking:
· Ask a friend to speak slightly faster than comfortable.
· Practice asking:
“Please slow down just a bit.”
This builds conversational control — extremely important.
Week Target Speed
Week 1: 0.75 → 0.85
Week 2: 0.85 → 1.0
Week 3: 1.0 comfortably
Week 4: Short bursts at 1.1
Improvement usually appears in 3–6 weeks.
· YouTube (easy speed control + captions)
· Audible (adjustable playback speed)
· Apple Podcasts (slow down easily)
· TED Talks with subtitles
You do not need paid programs for this.
· Audible (adjustable playback speed)
· Apple Podcasts (slow down easily)
· TED Talks with subtitles
You do not need paid programs for this.
After a stroke, fatigue matters.
If your comprehension suddenly drops:
If your comprehension suddenly drops:
· Stop.
· Rest 10–15 minutes.
· Resume later.
· Rest 10–15 minutes.
· Resume later.
Mental fatigue mimics cognitive decline — but it’s reversible.
Train yourself to say:
“I process speech a little slower — could you repeat that more slowly?”
That single sentence gives you back control socially. Most people are happy to adjust.
“I process speech a little slower — could you repeat that more slowly?”
That single sentence gives you back control socially. Most people are happy to adjust.
You are training:
· Auditory discrimination
· Processing speed
· Working memory
· Predictive language skills
· Processing speed
· Working memory
· Predictive language skills
That’s exactly what fast speech stresses.
And the brain remains plastic — even in our 80s.
Tom, given your history of mild aphasia and hearing aids, this kind of structured practice is more directly relevant than LACE alone.
If you would like, I can also:
· Design a 4-week structured plan
· Suggest specific TED Talks ideal for this training
· Or help you measure improvement objectively
· Suggest specific TED Talks ideal for this training
· Or help you measure improvement objectively
You are not trying to “hear better.” You are training your brain to keep up.