OK, I’m no expert in the CI arena, but have worn aids for well over 30 years. I’ve also had to “retrain” my ears to better comprehend speech when I get a new pair of aids, meet new people, or even have a pair of mal-functioning aids fixed so that I’m once again hearing as best I can.
I think the BRAIN + EAR connection is the most powerful method for improving one’s ability to comprehend audio input - whether that be sounds, music, speech, TV, radio, whatever is going on around one.
So either component of that - brain OR ear - malfunctioning will lead to a diminished hearing ability. One has to test both hearing and brain to see what the issues are. There are issues with not being able to hear at any volume, and then there are issues of not being able to comprehend at any volume, if you know what I’m saying.
I don’t know about the exercises audiologists recommend, but it could be that they - like many medical professionals - are aiming for a WIN-WIN, and will toss out suggestions they’ve been told should, could, would work. The final test is the individual with the issue! Unfortunately, we have to be our own advocate, able to articulate what issues we are having, and go from there. That alone could involve more than one medical expert’s examination, diagnosis and treatment suggestion.