The Hearing Center Blog
We are excited to announce that the renovation of our Manalapan office is complete! After completing the update of our equipment to computer based diagnostics, we decided to update the look of our office as well.
But don't just take our word for it, make an appointment and check out all of our latest advances in person!
6. What is the trial period or return period associated with the hearing aid purchase?Any Reliable location that offers hearing aids will offer a trial period of at least 30 days, with a limited non-refundable portion of the hearing aid purchase. 7. How long should my hearing aid last? Hearing aids should be usable for a good 5 years. Perhaps a wearer will want to replace them sooner than every 5 years, and some patients will wear their hearing aids longer than 5 years. We advise patients to expect 5 years out of their hearing aids. Places that recommend you replace them every 3 years should be looked at with a healthy degree of skepticism.
8. For how many years will this hearing aid be repairable if something were to go wrong? Hearing aids can almost always be repaired. Some places that sell hearing aids will not repair hearing aids once the device is over 5 years old. They will tell patients the hearing aids can no longer be repaired. That is not true. Some manufacturers may no longer support a hearing aid for repairs, however, there are outside labs and 'all-make' repair options.
9. Can the hearing aid being recommended integrate with other technology that I use in my day to day life? Most of the hearing aids that we recommend offer connectivity options. Some connect directly with devices such as iPhones and iPads. Some require intermediary devices to connect to other technology devices. However, virtually all of the hearing aids we offer have connectivity options.
10. Are more than 1 manufacturer of hearing aids offered here? Yes, we work with many of the major manufacturers. We work mostly with GN Resound and Oticon, but we also work with Phonak, Widex, Unitron, and others when necessary.
11. Are you an independent practice or are you owned by another entity? We are fully independent. Our owners are all audiologist in the practice.
12. How long have you been in practice? The Hearing Center was opened in 1986 by Dr. Judith Sandler and Dr. Meredith Rothenberg. In 2010 Dr. Eric Sandler became a parter.
13. How can I communicate with my provider if I have a problem. We offer communication via phone and email. Patients are welcome to contact us on off hours via email so that questions can be answer and problems can be addressed when office hours are not in session. We strive to offer access for our patients so that we may provide service unparalleled at any other practice.
14. Why is there such a price range when it comes to hearing aids? There is a wide variation in hearing aid technology as well as features and bells and whistles. Not every patient requires the most advanced hearing aids, and not every patient is well served with less expensive hearing aids. A decision as to what hearing aids are most appropriate for you is determined via a needs-based assessment.
These are the answers to these questions that you would receive in our Clinics: 1. What is the cost of the device and what is included with this cost?
A. It depends upon the technology level. We look to match the technology to the patient's lifestyle. The more active the person, the more likely they are to see increased value in more expensive technology. We Currently offer 5 price tiers of hearing aid technology.
2. How many years of service, how many office visits are included with the hearing aid purchase?
A. We offer cleaning and hearing aid checks for the life of the hearing aid at no charge and we do not limit office visits.
3. Are there costs for replacement parts (domes, receivers, filters, etc)?
We do not charge for domes. In warranty, filters and receivers are covered as well.
4. Will I be able to see the same provider at each visit or the same team of providers, or is staff constantly shuffled?
Patients are welcome to request the same provider for each visit.
5. Are hearing aid fittings verified with Real Ear Measurements?
Yes, we do offer real ear measurements at all of our offices for all of our hearing aid fittings
Keep an eye out for the answers to the rest of the questions you should be asking of your Hearing Health care provider.
We are asked by patients all of the time, "How do we know the right place to get a hearing aid". Many of our patients report being bombarded by local advertisements offering the next best thing in hearing health care at a rock bottom price. To those seeking out hearing health care I caution it can be a minefield out there. There are many ways that you can protect yourself against deceptive practices and slick sales people. First, The MOST important factor in deciding where to seek your hearing health care is that you trust the provider. It is more important to shop around for the Audiologist than to shop around for the product (hearing aid). Go with the person that you trust!
Second, you want to make sure that you are seeing an Audiologist for your diagnostic hearing tests. Often times, test are offered as 'free' because those providing the tests are not able to provide diagnostic tests because insurance companies do not recognize them as providers. If someone is selling hearing aids and is not an Audiologist, they may only be able to test hearing for the purposes of fitting a hearing aids. This test will not be the same as a comprehensive diagnostic test. At many hearing aid stores, the sales person will wear a lab coat to confuse the patient and make them think they are a 'doctor' when in fact they are just selling a device.
Third, you want to make sure that your provider is working with name brand nationally or internationally recognized hearing aid manufacturers. These major hearing aid manufacturers include names such as Resound, Oticon, Phonak, Widex, Siemens (Sivantos), or Starkey. You also want to make sure that the provider is not offering hearing aids that have in a sense, 'locked' technology. If you move away from your current provider, could your hearing aids still be adjusted? Many hearing aids are designed to limit who can actually adjust and program them.
Fourth, here are some VERY important questions to ask when purchasing hearing aids:
1. What is the cost of the device and what is included with this cost? 2. How many years of service, how many office visits are included with the hearing aid purchase? 3. Are there costs for replacement parts (domes, receivers, filters, etc)? 4. Will I be able to see the same provider at each visit or the same team of providers, or is staff constantly shuffled? 5. Are hearing aid fittings verified with Real Ear Measurements? 6. What is the trial period or return period associated with the hearing aid purchase? 7. How long should my hearing aid last? 8. For how many years will this hearing aid be repairable if something were to go wrong? 9. Can the hearing aid being recommended integrate with other technology that I use in my day to day life? 10. Are more than 1 manufacturer of hearing aids offered here? 11. Are you an independent practice or are you owned by another entity? 12. How long have you been in practice? 13. How can I communicate with my provider if I have a problem. 14. Why is there such a price range when it comes to hearing aids?
Stay tuned to this blog for the answers to the questions later in the week! Please check us out and like us on Facebook. Check out our website for updates at The Hearing Center . Please contact our Director of Audiology DrEricSandler@thcaudiology.com with any questions you may have.
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At The Hearing Center, we are very proud to announce that by the end of the week, all of our facilities will be offering state of the art computer based diagnostics. Our practice has enhanced our diagnostic testing capabilities and modernized our facilities. Integrated real ear measures are now available for all hearing aid fittings at all facilities. Please contact our office to set up an appointment and take advantage of our state of the art capabilities!
We are very excited to announce that we have been approved as a selected clinic site for the Cochlear Americas Provider Network. In the near future we will be working with Cochlear Implant and BAHA patients for their evaluations and mapping. Please contact us for further details! Keep an eye on this blog for more exciting updates in the near future! Check out this video to get learn about the newest cochlear implant technology:
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The Central New Jersey Patch.com news service recently ran an article on us! Check it out:
MANALAPAN, NJ -- Oftentimes during the holiday season, people who use hearing aids without advice or guidance from professional audiologists are left at a disadvantage around the dinner table. Even worse, they may not even be aware that their hearing aids are ill-fitting, leading to conversations peppered with requests to repeat jokes and stories from family and friends.
“We get patients who have had bad experiences with hearing aids, through internet purchasing or big box purchasing,” said Dr. Eric Sandler, an audiologist with The Hearing Center in central New Jersey. “Proper hearing aid fitting is a part of the hearing healthcare process, but it is not the end of the process. We provide comprehensive hearing health care beyond just hearing aids.”
At The Hearing Center, Sandler said that comprehensive hearing healthcare, aural rehabilitation and hearing aid use reduces struggles users may have with non-personalized service by ensuring that hearing aids fit and function properly, in accordance with each individual’s needs. When going to an audiologist, patients “work with a doctorate-level expert, concerned with all aspects of hearing health care. Not at the place where they buy their toilet paper.” This expert advice can often make a critical difference, when contrasted with the experience of ordering online or going into a discount store.
“At The Hearing Center, each device is expertly programmed, not just to a cookie cutter formula,” Sandler said. “We are making sure that the hearing aids we fit are doing what we expect them to do because we verify fittings and each person’s hearing loss is different. The acoustics of the individual ears need to be taken into account as well.”
According to Sandler, patients of The Hearing Center know they are receiving a quality, FDA-approved hearing aid.
“There are regulations that are often skirted around with some of these sales channels,” Sandler said. “There are guidelines regarding what can be called a hearing aid. Items that are not hearing aids are called personal sound amplifiers, and those are not necessarily regulated by the FDA.”
Comparing personal sound amplifiers to vitamins in the health and wellness industry, Sandler said that FDA regulation is in place to protect consumers looking to improve their hearing.
“Like with unregulated vitamin supplements, you don’t always know what you’re getting or if what they are claiming is true,” Sandler said. “A lot of sound amplifiers aren’t cheap. They could be hundreds of dollars, which gives the illusion of quality. Then when patients have a bad outcome with them, they assume all hearing aids don’t work because they tried them out in a less-than-ideal way.”
Sandler’s practice works with medical professionals to guarantee that any medical issues are addressed prior to fitting hearing aids.
“We often work closely with physicians to make sure that medical issues are treated,” Sandler said. “We are doctorate-level audiologists who understand the science and physiology of the ear. [Hearing aid] manufacturers will often put lesser technology in big box stores, and they tend not to have the most up-to-date technology in those sorts of places.”
Sandler said that this lesser technology -- including recent efforts to consolidate hearing aid manufacturers and outlets where the devices can be purchased -- can be detrimental to unknowing patients.
“There has been a lot of consolidation in the industry, where hearing aid companies are buying practices,” Sandler said, noting that The Hearing Center remains independent and not tied to any particular hearing aid manufacturer or representative. “People don’t necessarily know when their practices are owned by a hearing aid company, whose employees are pushing those particular products.”
Sandler explained that while the cheaper price can be appealing to those on a budget, these compromise options would almost certainly not work as well in the long run.
“People will oftentimes shop around for price -- the more important thing is to shop for the provider that they are comfortable with,” Sandler said. “So many hearing aid products are similar across manufacturers. You need the audiologist that you feel most comfortable with to ensure that you adjust accordingly. A lot of places will advertise cheap hearing aids but won’t tell you that service terms may not be included or may be less comprehensive.”
One of the ways The Hearing Center helps patients adjust to hearing aids is with free classes led by Dr. Anne Michele Puglisi, the center’s audiologist who specializes in aural rehabilitation. These classes guide patients on exactly how to maximize the benefits they derive from their hearing aids. Staff is open to questions via email as well as on their very active Facebook page.
“We give patients access to us off-hours via email, where we can be very responsive and they are not limited to our office hours,” Sandler said. “I have patients who are traveling the world, and I can troubleshoot their hearing aids via email.”
In addition to the classes, patients can draw maximum benefit from hearing aids by utilizing the state-of-the-art technology employed at The Hearing Center that fine-tunes hearing aids and guarantees that they are at full working capacity in relation to each person’s particular hearing needs.
Check it out, from our latest press release which was picked up on Yahoo News, Reuters, the International Business Times and dozens of other huge media sites! Even the Boston Globe is running our story!
New Jersey audiology practice The Hearing Center now offers free community education courses on communication-enhancing skills for those experiencing hearing loss.
"Many patients do not have a great understanding of hearing loss," said Dr. Eric Sandler, director of audiology at The Hearing Center. "Hearing loss affects you in different listening environments, so [we teach] different strategies to compensate for how the hearing loss affects them."
Aural rehabilitation classes cover strategies that enhance communication, including lip-reading and handling stressful listening environments.
According to audiologist Dr. Anne Michele Puglisi, class facilitator and aural rehabilitation specialist with the center, group settings are useful ways to learn how to cope with reduced hearing capabilities.
"The class is a perfect time for [attendees] to share thoughts or to ask questions about hearing loss," Puglisi said. "Classes give patients the opportunity to learn more about strategies they can use to improve communication.
Attendees learn how to use visual cues to improve understanding. We practice techniques using real-life situations and language. We even review technology that can complement their hearing aids in challenging listening environments."
The free aural rehabilitation class begins on Oct. 7 at 1:15 p.m. at The Hearing Center's Manalapan offices, 224 Taylors Mills Road. Additional sessions will take place at the same time and location on October 14th and 21st. Reservations are required and space is limited; call (732) 462-8412 to reserve.
For the full story including more quotes from our staff check out the release here!
And remember to make your reservations if you'd like to attend a class. You can give us a call or reach out via our contact form by clicking here.
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To all of our patients, customers and friends, we thank you so much for your support throughout the years! We are very proud of our brand new website which uses the latest in web design technology just as we use the latest in audiology technology. We hope you will enjoy using our streamlined system which is specially designed to be easily accessible on computers, smart phones and tablets.
Keep checking back here for more updates and news from The Hearing Center!
And if you haven't yet, make sure you connect with us on social media:
The Hearing Center on Facebook The Hearing Center on Twitter The Hearing Center on Google+ The Hearing Center on Pinterest
Manalapan:
732-462-8412
Clark:
732-574-3550
Somerset:
732-649-3317
Highland Park:
732-243-9444
