[We hope that this Newsletter will prove to be informative and useful to you. If you do not
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*****
Hello Everyone,
As I write this, the construction guys are putting up our new wall. Boy is it noisy!
Yesterday, they demolished the old walls, creating a fine film of dust all over the office.
Today, the dust has pretty much settled, the new walls are taking shape......it's called
"progress"! We're really looking forward to completion of this renovation, and outfitting
the reception area with new furnishings and decor. It should be fun....and hopefully a more
comfortable and welcoming place for all our customers.
Well, here it is three weeks later...things are still in some sort of disarray. We do have the
new furniture in place, but the electricians need to come back to put in the electrical outlets
and light switch, and the wall guys need to put the molding back on. I'm sure we'll be
arranging and rearranging for awhile yet.
And, now, today, at posting time, we do have the electrical outlets in place, but the wooden
molding is still not finished.....ah, patience!!
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We would like to announce the addition of a manufacturer that we've added to our product
line: Bernafon is now in the Sonus network that we belong to. As we've explained before,
Sonus is not a brand of hearing aid, it is a buying network that we belong to in order to
obtain the best possible warranties and prices for our customers. Bernafon has some new
products that we are very happy to make available. The Bernafon company is a very well
known and respected hearing aid manufacturer. We have used Bernafon over the years, and
they have provided very dependable products.
Bernafon has developed a channel-less digital hearing instrument! Instead of having
several channels in which to program, they have made a system with state-of-the-art
technology that doesn't break up sound into channels. Speech and all other sounds are
processed as a whole. In doing this, the natural structure of speech is precisely preserved
and reproduced. The Symbio is the Bernafon circuit that provides this new technology.
There are no controls, no programs, no volume to adjust---it is fully automatic. That way,
you can concentrate on the conversation at hand----enjoy what you hear and forget the
hearing aid is there! The Symbio is Bernafon's premier product.
Bernafon also has an open-air product that is pretty unique. This product is called Swiss
Ear, and is an over-the-ear product that can be fitted with the very thin open-air tubing or
conventional tubing with a custom earmold. This hearing instrument comes in several
shades, and is very comfortable. Swiss Ear open-air technology provides full speech
understanding in many environments, and allows you to better understand speech in noisy
situations. Swiss Ear also provides the new channel-free processing with a directional
microphone system and an adaptive feedback canceller.
Another new product that Bernafon has recently made available is the Win. The Win is a
100% digital, 3 channel hearing system. This versatile circuit has Adaptive Noise Reduction
and Directionality, allowing you to hear soft voices, while keeping loud sounds comfortable.
Currently, we are offering this product for a very competitive price, starting at $695 each.
Imagine---a 3 channel digital product with the features it provides at this price! We're
pretty excited about it!
**********
Getting the Most out of Your Hearing Aids
{Taken from Sonic Innovations}
(Continued)
When adjusting to new hearing instruments, it is very helpful to keep a diary during the first
week after your initial fitting to be able to see how well your hearing aids are working. Show
this to your dispenser at your follow-up office visit in order to give him/her a better idea of
what adjustments might need to be made.
During that first week, the following list of questions and answer choices should make up
your diary entries:
1. When you listen to people speaking, how is the volume of speech sounds?
Good Too soft Too loud
2. Soft sounds, like people talking at a distance or whispers should sound soft through your
hearing aids. How is the softness of the soft sounds?
Good Too soft Too loud
3. Loud sounds, like sirens or horns honking, should sound loud through your hearing aids, but not so loud that you need to turn them off. How is the loudness of loud sounds?
Good Too soft Too loud
4. Noise is all around us. In fact, people without hearing loss are bothered by noise. So, some noise is normal. However, noise shouldn't be overwhelming when wearing your hearing instruments. How is the volume of noise or non-speech sounds?
Good Too much Too little
5. Overall, how is the quality of the sounds you hear through your hearing instruments?
Good Too sharp Too muffled Echoing
6. How is speech in quiet situations (such as two or three people talking in a living room or
quiet restaurant)?
Good Too soft Too loud Not clear
7. How is speech in noisy situations (such as a crowded restaurant or party)?
Good Too soft Too loud Not clear
8. Frequently, when people wear hearing instruments, they comment that their voice sounds different. This is a normal occurence; however, it shouldn't be distracting when you're speaking. How does your own voice sound to you?
Good Too sharp Too hollow Too muffled
Too booming Too soft Too loud
9. When you speak, where does your own voice sound like it is coming from?
In front of my mouth Right Left Nose
Throat Inside my head Far in front
10. Feedback is the high-pitched squealing/whistling sound some hearing aids make when
one chews, smiles, or uses the phone. Are you experiencing feedback in these situations?
Yes No
If Yes, does it happen in your....?
Left ear Right ear Both ears
Does it happen when you chew or smile on your....?
Left ear Right ear Both ears
Does it happen when you use the phone on your....?
Left ear Right ear Both ears
11. Are your hearing aids or earmolds comfortable in your ears?
Yes No
12. Do you feel comfortable inserting your hearing aids or earmolds into your ears?
Yes No
13. Do you feel comfortable using the controls on your hearing instruments (memory button,
volume control, etc.)?
Yes No
14. Do you feel comfortable changing the batteries in your hearing instruments?
Yes No
15. How often do you use your hearing instruments?
Every day Once a week 4-6 days a week
2-3 days a week Not often
16. About how long do you wear your hearing instruments each day?
More than 15 hours 11-15 hours 6-10 hours
1-5 hours Less than 1 hour
Three weeks after your initial fitting, keep this diary by again answering the above questions.
If any more adjustments need to be made, schedule an appointment with your dispenser.
It is a good idea to have your hearing checked every year or two. As your hearing changes,
it's important to make adjustments to your instruments. Additionally, as your brain adjusts
to hearing, adjustments to your instruments may be necessary. This is all part of the
process of hearing better. We, at Advanced Hearing Plus, provide free unlimited lifetime
adjustments to your hearing instruments.
**********
As always, your questions and comments are welcome.
*********************
"Quote of the Month":
"The great calamity is not to have failed, but to have failed to try."
Author unknown
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Reminders:
If you last had your hearing instruments cleaned in June, it is time to get them cleaned this month!
For Assistive Listening Devices, please visit our online store at www.advancedhearingplus.com .
We offer many products, including TV Ears, at competetive prices, and shipped directly to your door. Satisfaction guaranteed.
********************
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
premium 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 or advanced 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 they receive
the best care, but we can save them money, too!
Do you have a question or 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. We also
have copies of the Newlsetter in our office if you would like to pick them up here.
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 Advanced Hearing Plus, Inc.
