[We hope that this Newsletter will prove to
be informative and useful to you. If you do not wish to receive our monthly
Newsletter, please email Beth at beth@advancedhearingplus.com or return this
email with UNSUBCRIBE in the subject line, and you will be removed from our
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*****
Hello Everyone,
We hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th! We sure did. After a soggy start
to the summer, it's nice to have sunshine and warm temperatures! Hope you
all are having a good summer. It goes by fast, doesn't it?
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!---Jim's dad, SANDY, will be here Monday and Tuesday,
July 11th and 12th for a special Family Days event we're hosting. We want
to invite you all to come in and have some cake and coffee and say Hi to
Sandy. As many of you know, Sandy is the founder of our business, and Jim's
mentor as well as his dad. He's a wonderful person, and has done a lot to
provide quality hearing help to people all over Lane County, OR when he started
in the hearing healthcare business in 1972!
The Unitron Moda----the very small over-the-ear digital open-air system---is
finally here! We will be demonstrating this product during our special Family
Days event on those with a qualified hearing loss. If you or a loved one
would like to try this product, please call our office to schedule an appointment.
We have been fitting this new product on several of our customers with absolutely
excellent results. This little hearing instrument is packed with features:
Directional mics, many channels for flexibility in programming, noise reduction,
feedback cancellation, wind noise cancellation. It also can be used for
moderate to severe loss with conventional earmolds. For those with a high
frequency hearing loss, the ultra-fine invisible tubing is all you need,
making this product nearly invisible! And the really neat thing is that
the MODA is an advanced digital product at a mid-level digital price! The
response from our customers has been very positive.
***********
Analog or Digital--What's the Difference??
Many folks do not understand the difference between analog and digital hearing
aids. It used to be that all a person could get for hearing help was an
analog. If you had a flat loss across all frequencies, then this type of
hearing instrument served you pretty well. However, if you had fairly decent
hearing out to about 3000 Hz, and then dropped in the higher frequencies,
you were not a very happy camper wearing an analog hearing instrument. That
is one of the major reasons----other than a poor fit----that many people
wear their hearing aids in their dresser drawers rather than in their ears!
All hearing aids----both analog and digital---are designed with a microphone,
amplifier, and receiver (or speaker). The microphone picks up the sound
which is processed and amplified and delivered to the receiver from where
it enters the ear canal....and onward to the brain.
Basically, analog hearing aids increase the volume across all the frequencies.
It is possible to get potentiometers added which help reduce high and low
frequencies. These are adjusted with a very small screwdriver by the specialist.
So, there is a limited amount of adjustment possible, but only to a degree.
Digital hearing aids can perform much more complex functions across the various
frequencies. They contain minute computer chips that convert sound into
coded signals. Digital hearing aids can reduce extraneous background noise
and be programmed to your particular hearing loss at various frequencies,
which customizes your aids to your hearing needs in various hearing environments.
They afford clearer sound quality and listening comfort, and allow the reduction
of feedback in various situations such as chewing, talking, etc.
It's important to remember, though, that hearing aids are just that---aids
to hearing---and do not restore 100% normal hearing. Sometimes people's
expectations are not very realistic. They get frustrated or disgruntled
if they cannot hear everything they want to hear in every situation. Realistically,
even with today's technology, one must accept that there will be limitations.
Part of the reason is how one's brain interprets what it hears. It isn't
necessarily the hearing instrument's fault; sometimes it's just a brain thing!
Even with the most expensive hearing aids on the market, there will be limitations
in certain situations. It's important to obtain hearing help early on in
order to keep the brain active and not lose one's speech discrimination.
Maintaining one's determination to hear better is a very healthy attitude
when it comes to wearing hearing instruments. Periodic test updates and
adjustments are recommended. As one's hearing changes, adjustments and fine
tuning can be performed on digital instruments, which provides the customer
with much more satisfaction from their investment.
The trend in the hearing aid industry is to become all digital. We foresee
a time in the near future where analogs will not be available. The cost
for digital instruments is becoming more affordable, so there really is no
reason to settle for old Class A or Class D technology when you can have
a much more flexible digital system today.
Because we deal with quite a variety of manufacturers and are a member of
the largest national buying group in the country, we are able to provide
digital hearing instruments at very competitive prices to our customers.
This, in turn, affords a wider range of choices for specific hearing needs.
Something we can offer today because of the digital technological advances
being made!
*************
SILENCE IS LONELY
When at first our hearing begins to fade,
Though the signs are foretelling,
We may choose to evade.
We tell others they don't speak clearly,
They mumble a lot...
My concentration is elsewhere,
That's why I ask, "What?"
"Please, talk a bit louder--
"Your voice is so weak!"
"I could hear you okay,
"If you'd look at me as you speak."
"I hear you just fine
"When you're close at hand."
"If you would learn to enunciate,
"I could understand."
"Being with family
"Is one of life's greatest joys--
"But don't expect me to hear
"Over all that noise!"
It's easy to blame others,
Though it's not really fair;
It's your hearing problem:
Solve it; show others you care.
He who said "Silence is golden"
Spoke for himself only;
For people who are hearing-impaired,
Silence is lonely.
--Roy Bain
(Roy Bain is the Founder of NuEar Electronics of San Diego, CA, which
is now a Starkey company. Roy was very instrumental in how Sandy developed
our business.)
********
If you know someone who has been thinking about getting some new hearing
aids and benefiting from newer technology, please send them our way. If
they purchase a set of advanced digital instruments, we will gladly supply
you with 3 free boxes of batteries (roughly a year's supply). If they purchase
a set of basic digital hearing instruments, we will supply you with 1 free
box of batteries.
We appreciate your referrals! As you know, we do not use telemarketing to
acquire new customers. We rely upon word-of-mouth and media advertizing.
Not only will your friends and loved ones receive the best care, but we can
save them money, too!
Do you have a comment or testimonial that you would like us to include in
a future Newsletter? Please email me at beth@advancedhearingplus.com
If you have friends or loved ones who would like to receive our email Newsletter,
we will be happy to add them to our email list. All you need to do is have
them email me at beth@advancedhearingplus.com to provide me with their name
and email address, and we will email them our monthly Newsletter. We also
have copies of the Newlsetter in our office if you would like to pick them
up here.
Reminders----
If you last had your hearing aids cleaned in March, it's time to get them
cleaned this month.
Please don't forget to check out our online Assistive Listening Devices store
at www.advancedhearingplus.com . If you are in need of TV Ears, an amplified
phone, a personal FM system---or any other kind of assistive listening device---we
have a wonderful selection at very good prices. You can order online and
have these products shipped directly to your door. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Do you have a question or comment? Please email me at beth@advancedhearingplus.com
.
Website address: www.advancedhearingplus.com
How to contact us:
You can always call us at 746-7671 or toll-free at 1-800-230-1953. Our hours
are from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. Before or after hours, you are
welcome to call and leave a message on our machine.
Feel free to email us with any questions or concerns.
Jim's email: james@advancedhearingplus.com
Beth's email: beth@advancedhearingplus.com
Copyright ©2005
