98% of our clients report better hearing, better living. Our precise process ends up in just 2% that return their hearing aids or report limited benefit.
Enhancing Your Lifestyle
How does better hearing lead to better living?
- It removes communication barriers that make social scenarios unbearable.
- It brings you closer to the people you love.
- It makes the physical and emotional need for connection through communication easy again.
At Elkhart Audiology, we’re all about helping you regain your confidence and youth through top-of-the-line hearing aids and testing practices. Read on to see how we can help you find hearing aids that are the perfect match for your desired lifestyle.
What to Expect
When you step into our office, you’ll find a homey environment with coffee, cookies, and friendly faces ready to welcome you and get you all set up. Next, you’ll be introduced to Sharon Hirstein.
As a board-certified audiologist in the Michiana region, Sharon Hirstein has set herself apart as the regional expert on hearing loss and hearing aids. What’s even more important, though, is that she’s chosen to establish a private practice instead of joining a large corporation so she can give individual clients the attention to detail they deserve.
We are focused on premium service, which means we have the time and expertise to properly care for our clients and care about precision. Our initial hearing tests generally last 1 hour. After that first test is complete, we’ll walk you through the results and see how you’d like to proceed. If you don’t need the hearing aids, no worries! You’re welcome to take a cookie for the road. If you are a candidate for hearing aids, we’ll go through some additional steps.
Hearing Aid Demonstrations
Once you’ve decided you’d like to learn more, Sharon will perform hearing aid demonstrations at no charge. These hearing aid demonstrations give you an opportunity to see what hearing devices look like on you, how they feel in your ear, and provide you with a brief sound sample in quiet and noise via a large screen TV and recorded sound sample, or just the sound of your family member’s voice!
If the demonstration gets you excited about your potential for better hearing, then you are offered an opportunity to move ahead through a hearing aid selection service to choose instruments specifically tailored to your needs.
Hearing Instrument Selection Services
The process of selecting hearing aids to meet your needs includes tests that measure comfort levels, your ability to understand speech in noise, discuss your vision, dexterity, and lifestyle needs. Sharon chooses from devices she has evaluated, available from three of the leading manufacturers, rather than trying to fit the “deal of the day.”
After the selection process, you can choose to move forward with a purchase, or take your quote home along with an outline for your treatment plan and consider your options.
Counting the Cost
You are only charged for the procedures completed. The typical comprehensive evaluation runs at $105. Additional fees apply for tinnitus assessment, but out of pocket fees may be reduced if you have insurance coverage.
- If you do not purchase hearing aids after having the printed quote, you’ll be billed $100 for the hearing aid selection in addition to the hearing test.
- If you place an order, the charge for the hearing aid selection appears on your hearing aid quote as one of the services necessary and paid for on the day your devices are fit.
You can’t put a price on not asking people to repeat themselves in everyday conversations or regaining the ability to hear your favorite sounds. In addition, we believe that the real benefits to better hearing are in the details. It’s getting the fit just right and fine-tuning the microphones to pick up on the subtle sounds that occur all around us every day. When you regain your hearing, you’ll also get more confidence and independence. Many clients even report feeling a new sense of youth.
Warranties, Service Packages, and Custom Options
Our products come with a 3 year warranty. Plus, customizable service packages and payment plans are available to make the process as personalized as the product. If you purchase a hearing aid and decide it’s not for you, no problem. Hearing aids have a full money back guarantee if returned in good operational order within a 30- day trial period. (Please note that hearing tests and hearing aid evaluations are not refundable.)
Not coming to us? Here are 3 things to look out for when searching for an audiologist.
1. Make sure they’re using real ear measures.
Real Ear Measures are part of the best-practice processes that allow us to dial-in your hearing aid. That means your device will pick up the sounds you’re missing and deliver them in the most pleasing way possible. Fitting hearing aids without using REM is similar to obtaining a prescription medication without a physician checking your medical history. Not considering your weight, height, and other factors puts you at risk for being under or over medicated. Without REMs, the hearing care provider is basically guessing at whether the manufacturer’s targets are appropriate for you. This measure also saves you time as device fittings with real ear generally take fewer follow-up and adjustment visits.
2. Get specific about the individual’s availability and the testing you’ll receive.
Hearing tests and evaluations are standard, but generic words that are used by almost all people who fit hearing aids. That’s why it’s important to ask questions like, “Can you complete quiet and speech-in-noise tests while I am wearing my hearing aids?” Even the highest quality hearing aids can be unsatisfactory without precise adjustments and verification of aided benefit, so make sure your provider will take the time to get it right. Ideally, your provider should be available 5 days a week for any assistance you might need. Hearing aids can fail — you need to have your questions resolved within 48 hours to keep you at your best.
3. The best outcomes require more than a license to sell.
Audiology is an important, technical, and medical practice. With your health on the line, it’s important to go to a place and person you can trust. Inquire about your provider’s education and certifications to ensure you’re receiving care from an audiologist who provides education and has invested in equipment necessary to give you optimal care.
When You’re Ready, We’re Here.
Call 574-262-3277 or fill out our contact form to schedule your hearing test. We’ll keep the coffee warm for when you come in.
Service Hours
Monday – Thursday: 8 AM to 5:30 PM
Friday: 8 AM to Noon
Address
663 CR 17, Ste. 1
Elkhart, IN 46516