Do you wear your hearing aids?

… Or do you keep them in your drawer?

By Laurie Miranda, M.A., CCC-A, Indianapolis South LIVING WELL Magazine

Q: Laurie, I know I need to buy hearing aids, but I’m so confused by all these “free” offers, yet I hear stories of people who pay lots of money for hearing aids who end up leaving them in their sock drawer.

A: I completely understand your frustration. There are a lot of “too good to be true” advertisements out there, and you’re right to question them. The advertisements appeal to those wanting to purchase hearing aids based on price. However, shopping on price alone can result in a poorly fit hearing aid that ends up in your sock drawer.

So let’s get to the bottom of the issue. How important is cost to you? And how important is value? Just like the auto industry, there are many makes and models, all at different price points. So taking your needs and financial situation into account are important in selecting what is best for your situation.

Another important aspect that is often overlooked by the buyer is the service needed to fit and support your selection and use of your hearing aids. People don’t go out on the Internet and look for a cheap hip replacement kit, and then look for the surgeon who will put it in for the lowest price. Yet that is the approach people take with their hearing aids. And if their hip replacement didn’t go well, they would go back to the surgeon to have it corrected. Yet, with hearing aids, people give up and put them in their sock drawer.

As an experienced, licensed audiologist, I have the expertise to help guide you through the selection and fitting process to ensure your needs are met.

To learn more and to help advise you on the treatment option that is best for you, please contact Laurie Miranda directly at Hearing Lifestyles, 313-300-1240, to schedule a visit.