[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 Newsletter list.  Thank you.]

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Hello Everyone,

Can't believe it's September all ready!  I think the summers go by faster every year.  We hope you all had a wonderful summer whether you traveled the country or stayed at home and enjoyed the beautiful weather. 

We had a busy summer here, at AHP.  The word is out about the new products that we now have available for high frequency hearing loss; we have fit these on quite a number of folks with excellent results.  In fact, we recently helped a new customer who hasn't really heard in 65 years!  Jim fit her with two Unitron Modas and she walked out the door to try them out in the "real world".  When she returned later, she was weeping!  She was so overwhelmed that she could hear after all these years---it was such an emotional experience for her.  Needless to say, she purchased these instruments and left our office very happy.  We LOVE helping people hear better!   

We have had numberable unsolicited responses regarding the new Moda.  Those with a high frequency hearing loss are finding it to be a remarkably comfortable and highly effective hearing instrument.  One gentleman remarked that he wore them to a restaurant and was amazed how well he could here.  In addition, he found them so comfortable, he forgot he had them on.  Another gentleman told us when he wore the Moda he was able to hear things he hadn't heard in 20 years!  He said it's a wonderful hearing aid and remarked that there was no extra noise or squealing to contend with.  Another lady who was very skeptical walked out of our office wearing a pair of Modas.  She was so surprised at how well she heard.  She had purchased a pair of custom canal hearing aids over 10 years ago and disliked wearing them because she didn't feel they really helped.  But she was delighted with the Modas. 

If any of you have friends or loved ones you think may benefit from the Moda, please have them call us for an appointment to try this product for themselves.  There is no cost or obligation to try them out.

There are several of you who have expressed interest in receiving our Newsletter via email.  If you have arrived at our Newsletter page upon accessing our main website, we would like to invite you to sign up to receive our monthly Newsletter via email.  All you have to do is email me at beth@advancedhearingplus.com and we will put you on our regular email list.  Also, all our Newsletters are archived on our website, so if there is a particular Newsletter you want to referr to, you can do so.   At the end of our Newsletter page, if you scroll down, you will see some tabs, including the Archive tab.  Click on the Archive tab and it will take you to a page listing our monthly Newsletters.  All you have to do is click on the Newsletter you would like to read. 

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 Getting the Most out of Your Hearing Aids
(Continued) 

Last month we discussed what one should and shouldn't expect hearing aids to do for them.  This month, we will continue learning how to get the most out of your hearing instruments.

Often, people do not realize that a hearing loss is a serious matter.  Because it isn't a life-threatening illness, many relegate a hearing loss to the bottom of a list of "need to attend to" things.  But, hearing loss is not a harmless condition by any means.  If a hearing loss is not corrected, the following can occur:

    Isolation from friends and family
    Avoidance of social events---parties, gatherings, restaurants where they may not be able to follow conversations
    Anxiety, depression, frustration, anger
    Trouble at work---not being able to understand on the phone, what is said at meetings, among co-workers, etc.
    Loss of confidence, self-esteem

These are just some of the problems that people with hearing loss have to contend with.  It is amazing how correcting the loss has such a positive impact on one's life.  We have actually received some very nice thank you cards from our customers telling us that they feel like living again because we took the time to help them hear better.  It's so important to find a service-oriented hearing aid dispenser who will take the time to work with you and find solutions to your personal hearing needs.  We cannot emphasize this enough.  There are many hearing aid salespeople who are very good at selling their product, but who lack the expertise necessary to accomplish the fine-tuning programming needed with today's sophisticated instruments.

It's important to remember that it may take several days---even weeks or months for some folks to completely adjust to new hearing instruments, so patience is necessary.  Here are some helpful suggestions:

    Try different listening situations during the first week or so.  Some of these situations can include one-on-one conversations with family and friends, conversations with two or three people at a time in a quiet setting, listening in church or to a speaker at a meeting. 

    Next, try having conversations in noisier environments---at restaurants, parties, outdoor functions.  But, remember---some situations are too noisy to hear, even for those of us without hearing loss. 

    Don't get discouraged.  It's often helpful to write down any concerns or problems you're experiencing in various situations.  Bring that list to your follow-up appointment so that they can be addressed.  Oftentimes adjustments can be made in the office that will correct the problem you're having.  By all means, don't shrink from calling your dispenser's office and requesting an appointment for a cleaning or adjustment.  When you purchase a hearing instrument, you are not just paying for the hearing aids, you are also paying for the service that continues after you are fitted with your instruments.  Different dispensers have different policies.  Some offer adjustments and cleanings for no additonal charge while the hearing aids are in warranty.  Others, like us, offer these services at no charge for the life of the instruments.  Don't feel badly about requesting appointments for any reason----that's why we're here.  We don't want your dresser drawers wearing your instruments---we want you to wear them!  

Hearing aids will not do it all for you when it comes to hearing.  In order to hear better, one has to listen better.  Here are some tips that will help your instruments work better for you:

    Stand close to people you are speaking with so that you see their faces clearly and hear them better.

    Watch the speaker's face, lips, and gestures.  These will provide clues to what is being said.

    Concentrate and pay attention to what is being said---after years of not really being able to hear what people say, you may have lost the habit of paying attention.

    Don't try too hard to hear every single word when you are having a conversation or watching TV or movie.  It's normal for everyone to miss a word here and there and fill them in from the surrounding words and sentences.

    Check your surroundings.  If you are near a TV, radio, loud conversation, or other noise, move away from these noisy sources and position yourself so you can hear what is in front of you.  When you go to a restaurant, sitting with your back to a wall is helpful.  That way you won't have as much background noise to contend with. 

    Wear your hearing aids!  The more you use them, the sooner you will adjust to them.  Too often people decide to only wear their hearing instruments when they are with other people.  They refuse to wear them at home by themselves.  It's important to keep the brain active----hearing the refridgerator and the furnace turn on are sounds those of us without a hearing loss hear all the time----but we tune them out because we're used to them. Once you are adjusted to your hearing aids, you, too, will be able to tune out sounds you don't care to notice.  Wearing your hearing aids all the time keeps your brain active and agile and helps you hear better consistently.

    If you miss something that is said, ask the person to slow down or say the same thing using different words.

    Your family and friends can be of help.  Don't hesitate to ask them to do the following:

    Speak at a normal level----they don't need to shout anymore!  Your hearing aid will make their voices louder.

    Talk naturally and clearly---not too quickly or too slowly; not too loudly or too softly.

    Turn off radios or TVs so that there is less background noise to compete with.

    Get your attention before they start speaking to you.  Even with hearing aids, it is often necessary to look at the person when having a conversation. 

    Talk to you face-to-face so that you can watch their facial expressions, gestures and lips.

    Avoid turning away when they talk with you.

    Pronounce words clearly. 

Hearing instruments can certainly make communication much easier and enhance one's life.  Learning how to get the most out of them takes a bit of time and some patience.  But, it's worth it!

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"Quote of the Month":

    "You must learn from the mistakes of others.  You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself."
                 -----Sam Levinson

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Reminders: 

If you last had your hearing instruments cleaned in March, 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.

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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.