Peter studied hearing aid fitting at the world headquarters of Starkey Labs. He was able to have hands on training with the company’s founder, Bill Austin. He has also undergone advanced training in the smallest, nearly invisible style hearing aids, and has expanded his education by traveling to Denmark to learn directly from European hearing aid manufacturers. He continues to attend conferences and training seminars to stay current on the rapidly evolving world of hearing aid technology.
Latest posts by Peter Lucier, HIS (see all)
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We offer free hearing evaluations at Hearing Aid Consultants of the Central Coast and we want to make sure you are completely comfortable with the hearing aids you buy and how they work. Here are some guidelines to consider before buying hearing aids.
Bring a friend along
Bring someone with you to the first appointment. We are sure you’ll have lots of questions and two people can absorb a lot more information than one. They may think of a question you didn’t, and they can help you through the process by discussing what you learned after the appointment.
Find a good provider
We’ve got 20 years of experience serving the community and we pride ourselves on the attention we give each patient. We are well versed in the innovative technology surrounding hearing devices and accessories and can help you chose the model you need for your lifestyle.
What is it that you want?
What do you need the hearing aid to do for you? Are you a homebody that just wants some improvement in your general hearing? Do you just need to hear the television and phone calls better? Do you miss hearing the birds? Are there specific places you visit that you seem to have more trouble hearing or understanding a conversation? Is it the full sound range of a concert or your musical selections on an iPod that you miss? Do you attend conferences or seminars frequently and need to hear the speakers better? How tech savvy are you? Are you a swimmer and will you need custom ear molds?
Getting your hearing tested
You will get tested in a sound-proof room and a hearing instrument specialist will determine the level of loss you are experiencing and give some recommendations on hearing aids based on the level of hearing loss. We offer in-home appointments, mobile appointments at care facilities and, if needed, weekend and after-hours visits by appointment.
Get a demonstration
Using disposable hearing aids, you’ll get a demonstration on how the different types of hearing aids and we can simulate how your new hearing experience will work. You can hear music, different sounds and see how much hearing aids will help! We can help determine if an inside-the-ear device or an outside device will work best for you and for what you want. You can take your time and decide at your own pace. There will be a trial period for
Will you need add-ons?
Small directional microphones can help with hearing in noisy places and Telcoils can aid phone conversation hearing as well as your hearing experience in some public places. There are also wireless options that can help with cell phone use, computer sound issues or help you focus better on hearing the television. You can stream directly from your phone to your hearing devices, there are a variety of tiny remotes that you can use to adjust your hearing aids and even a “find my hearing aids” app!
Get it in writing
Make, model number, price, specifics of the trial period, financing options, non-refundable costs and warranty information – get it all in writing! This will be helpful as you sort through the different options you have.
What about the price?
We work with nine different hearing aid manufacturers, so you’ll be able to find hearing aids that work for you within your budget. We offer interest-free financing and we work with numerous insurance providers. We accept all HAS cards.
Sound check
Don’t leave the office without checking the fit and getting some “real time” testing to make sure everything is working the way you want. We’ll make sure you know how to make any adjustments and we will help you with the resources that your hearing aid manufacturer has. Many have on-line videos and apps to help you make adjustments or understand using your charger or changing batteries.
Why are you waiting?
Millions of Americans are dealing with hearing loss and studies show they wait three to five years before getting hearing aids. What will you miss in that time and what do you have to loss by getting a hearing evaluation? Contact us today at Hearing Aid Specialists of the Central Coast for a consultation.