I began working for my father and the founder of our center, Haywood L. Kube, back in the summer of 2008. Since then, I have truly enjoyed helping people improve their hearing. Under his direction, I learned how to properly care for people in every way. I learned to really listen to them and be completely honest, whether that meant testing a busy mom who thought she was suffering from hearing loss but wasn’t, helping a veteran who received new hearing aids from the VA, or explaining to someone they really are experiencing hearing loss and it isn’t just people mumbling. All scenarios are different, but equally important, and I pride myself on treating everyone the same and also as the unique individuals that they are.
According to the World Health Organization, over 5% of the world’s population, or approximately 466 million people around the world, suffer from disabling hearing loss. Of that number, 34 million are children. It is also estimated that, by 2050, over 900 million people will have disabling hearing loss. A disabling hearing loss is characterized by a loss of 40 decibels or more in adults and 30 decibels or more in children. Hearing thresholds of 25 decibels or less is considered normal hearing.
At Elevate Hearing Aid Center, we believe everyone should have a baseline hearing evaluation. If you experience hearing loss, how will you know how much or to what degree without a baseline hearing test? If you are within normal limits (25 decibels or less), then it is good to repeat that test once every five years. If you do have hearing loss, then you should be tested annually to compare for change. We offer this service at no charge and encourage everyone to take advantage of this, regardless of their age. As I have learned, hearing loss does not discriminate, and it can affect people for a variety of reasons. The leading cause of hearing loss is noise induced hearing loss, which is 100% preventable. Other causes of hearing loss are presbycusis (age related), viral infections, poisons, ototoxic drugs, congenital loss, trauma to the temporal bone, and even tumors or cysts. If at any time after testing we feel you would be better served by seeing an ear, nose and throat specialist, we will always refer you and be cleared before purchasing hearing aids.
At Elevate Hearing Aid Center, people matter. Just as we are all different, hearing aids are different and one brand, style, power range, size, etc., doesn’t fit all. That is why, at every new evaluation, we conduct air tone testing, bone conduction testing, speech recognition testing, and speech in noise testing for every person. We also discuss your lifestyle, dexterity issues, what is important to you and not important to you, before we decide on a hearing aid that will ultimately be the best for you individually.
Our center has been one of the leading hearing aid centers in Fredericksburg for over 30 years, and we have seen hearing aid technology explode in amazing ways, which in turn helps people hear better and better. People who once thought they would never be able to hear in noisy situations, play golf, or exercise outside, or even talk on the phone effectively are enjoying all that and more in today’s world. What I often explain to people is that hearing is a process. It will take several visits to fine tune and adjust your hearing aids to suit every environment you will encounter.
The technology level does matter! The more active you are and the more variable your lifestyle is, the more advanced technology you need. Hearing aids, regardless of what brand you buy, typically have 3 or 4 technology levels. An easy way to explain it is good, better, and best. The better the hearing aid, the more channels and automatic programs come built in, which in turn means the better it is at keeping up with your lifestyle. My philosophy is that everyone deserves the best, but I can also appreciate that people are often operating on a budget. This is why talking about your lifestyle and what is important to you matters at your first hearing evaluation.
At every hearing aid fitting, we take the time to go over every facet of the hearing aid that you have purchased and always schedule a follow up visit within 10 days. We also encourage you to come in regularly for thorough cleanings and annual testing and adjustments. As always, no hearing aid fitting is complete without real ear measurement verification. There is no other way to know if you are at 100% target at every frequency.
In summary, hearing loss should not be ignored. Whether you have suffered for a day or for years, it is always good to have your hearing checked and know your options. We never charge for a hearing evaluation and believe that everyone should have this testing done. When we have eyesight problems, we have that checked and wear corrective lenses if needed. We feel hearing and correctly fit hearing aids when needed is equally important. Helen Keller said this beautifully: “Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people.” Don’t be separated from the people you love. Don’t ostracize yourself because you get frustrated about not hearing the important conversations around you with your friends, family, and sometimes our sweet, precious grandchildren. I would never want to miss anything one of my six grandchildren said to me.
Make an appointment with someone in hearing healthcare, get your hearing tested, and have an honest conversation about the results. If you would like to schedule an evaluation with our center, then contact us and we would be happy to schedule that for you. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
CONTACT US TODAY!
CALL 540-785-4676 or EMAIL
Kind Regards,
Kimberly Kube Sorrell
Owner/Hearing Aid Specialist
Elevate Hearing Aid Center
Elevate your hearing, Elevate your life.