WW has been coming to the Crystal River office of Gardner Audiology for two years. She purchased top-level hearing aids less than one year ago and was recently seen with complaints of understanding conversation, especially in noisy situations. Inability to hear in noise is a common complaint. Programming was checked on her hearing aids and they were programmed properly. I offered her the option of participating in our new Starkey Hearing in Noise Field Study. We have had many patients compare previous top-level hearing aids to 3 Series i110 receiver in the canal aids with markedly improved understanding noted.
WW was fitted with the Starkey 3 Series i110s and returned after one week stating she was much more comfortable with the aids and was understanding conversation better. She is sure that she will keep the new aids and is appreciative of the opportunity to trial them as well as the option to trade in her recently purchased hearing aids.
Because technology improves at an unpredictable rate, we can never be sure when a better product is being released. Offering trials with new hearing aids and trade in options with more recently purchased hearing aids allows our patients to keep up with technology changes. Even if they try new aids and do not see a significant improvement, they know that they are doing the best that they can with the hearing they have to work with.