Call (916) 365-9081 http://hearing-aids-fair-oaks-ca.com 8146 Greenback Lane, Suite 100 Fair Oaks, California, 95628 In the 22 years that I wrote the ALLEARS column for Senior Magazine, I had never featured a specific brand or type of hearing instrument. I have always discussed hearing aids, in general. That’s about to change!

1. Changing The Way People Feel About Hearing Aids
In the 22 years that I wrote the ALLEARS
column for Senior Magazine, I had never
featured a specific brand or type of
hearing instrument. I have always
discussed hearing aids, in general. That’s
about to change!
I have been in the hearing healthcare
field for 32 years. I have seen many advancements and
improvements in hearing aid technology over the past quarter
century. Technology has gone from linear, analog circuits –
hearing aids that were straight amplifiers where you, the wearer,
were always adjusting the volume. This technology worked well in
a quiet listening environment but was far too loud in a noisy
environment. You usually had to take your aids out in a noisy
restaurant which ironically was the place you had the most
difficulty understanding. Some places still sell this old technology
making you, the consumer, think you are getting a real bargain.
Don’t throw your money away. Unless you are sitting at home, or
talking to one person at a time, this technology is no bargain. It
will end up in a drawer.
The next big advancement was programmable hearing aids with
wide dynamic range compression. Technology started to address
the issues of loudness in a much more effective way. These
circuits now amplified soft sounds a lot but hardly amplified loud
sounds. They did a lot more self adjusting which meant you could
leave your aids on while in that noisy restaurant, and follow a
little more of the conversation.
In the late 1990’s, we saw the introduction of digital technology.
Digital processing circuits are much cleaner and clearer sounding.
It’s like listening to a CD versus a record. We were now able to
match your specific hearing loss much more accurately, and that
Avalon Hearing Aid Center, Inc.
(916) 365-9081

2. meant better clarity and more comfortable listening for you.
Multiple listening programs also became available. For example,
program one might be for normal listening situations while
program two might be set for noisy environments.
Today, some of the more advanced digital technology continually
analyzes incoming sounds, and processes them to best amplify
speech while reducing unwanted noise. Couple this with
directional microphones, many people do fairly well in a noisy
restaurant and can actually follow most of the conversation. Up
until recently, if you had a hearing loss in both ears, you would
be fitted with two aids, one for each ear. But the instruments
functioned as independent units. So you had to operate each
separately. Your ears send signals to the auditory nerves which in
turn send the information to the brain. The brain is where you
actually process sound and interpret what you hear.
Starkey introduced an instrument that is changing the way people
feel about hearing aids. Using wireless transmission technology,
Starkey developed the 3 Series hearing instruments. The 3 Series
with ear-to-ear wireless technology makes it possible for your two
hearing instruments to talk to each other and function as one
synchronized hearing system which is how the brain works. The
instruments actually communicate with each other, automatically
and instantaneously assessing and adjusting to your listening
situations. The volume, program, noise reduction and directional
settings of both instruments are completely in sync. But if you
prefer to make some adjustments manually, you can do this with
less effort. Just touch the control on one device and the volume
or listening program changes on both ears! You no longer have to
adjust or balance one aid, and then the other to keep both in
sync. This gives your brain the best information.
So what does all this mean? For me, the proof is always in my
patients. One 53-year old, man who has worn aids for the last 15
years fell in love with the 3 Series. He used to wear his other
digital aids “only when he had to”. He would put them in as he
Avalon Hearing Aid Center, Inc.
(916) 365-9081

3. went into work and they came out the minute he left work. I fit
him with a set of Starkey 3 Series instruments. He literally said
he couldn’t wait to put them in first thing in the morning, would
wear them all day long, and take them out last thing at night.
The instruments instantly became a part of him. He said they
were the closest he had ever gotten to natural hearing! I was in
awe.
A 62-year old woman who has worn hearing aids for 25 years
came in for her first follow-up visit after being fitted with the 3
Series instruments. I asked her how she was doing. She literally
got tears in her eyes and peacefully said, “Great! Betty, I feel
connected to the world again. I can actually follow conversations
in the car and in restaurants, places where I used to feel
embarrassed and left out.” I was in awe again with tears in my
eyes.
I have fit two people that did not benefit from this technology but
at least we tried. It’s not for everyone. However, people’s
reaction to this miraculous technology has been overwhelming.
There are dozens of first-time wearers that have started with the
3 Series. Typically, they get used to their instruments with ease
and joy. One man said, “If I had known it would have been so
easy to get used to hearing aids, I would have done this a lot
sooner!” I reminded him that this revolutionary technology had
just been released in June 2012 so his timing was perfect!
Whether you are discouraged or resigned about your current aids
or you’ve been putting off getting your first set of hearing
instruments, the 3 Series with wireless technology could change
the way you feel about hearing aids! Please, go and check it out!
Avalon Hearing Aid Center, Inc.
(916) 365-9081