Hearing Aids in Lancaster, PA

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Is It Time for Hearing Aids?

Hearing loss can have a big impact on your life, from your work to your relationships and emotional well-being. If you have a problem hearing the sooner you address the problem, the better. Your ease of adapting to hearing aids decreases over time, because you are no longer accustomed to normal sounds. Your brain simply forgets how to hear normally. The answer to “When is it time for hearing aids?, is as soon as you are diagnosed with hearing loss.

Do others complain the TV is too loud?
Do you have trouble hearing in a noisy room?
Do you have more trouble hearing women than men?
Do you ask others to repeat themselves?
Do you avoid going out because you’ll struggle to hear?
Do you notice any ringing or buzzing sounds in either ear?

Brands We Carry

Oticon

People First is a promise: Everything we do always begins with the people we are doing it for. Designed to help you communicate, interact and participate fully in life

Widex

Whatever your degree of hearing loss Widex has the right hearing aid for you regardless of your type of hearing loss, your lifestyle, your personal preferences, your age or your budget.

ReSound

An ecosystem of hearing aids, apps, and wireless accessories let you adapt to all kinds of environments and situations and makes sure you hear the sounds you want to hear.

Signia

Signia hearing aids deliver the sound that nature intended by combining uncompromised audibility with a natural sounding own voice hear everything in harmony.

Starkey

Helping millions of patients with never-before-seen hearing aid technologies. Starkey believes every person’s hearing loss is unique that’s why every solution they design is, too.

Unitron Hearing

The small size & flawless finish contribute to the impressive appearance of each unit. Every detail is combined for comfort. Functional buttons are designed for effortless use.

Hearing Aid FAQ

Will a hearing aid help me?

If you have an aidable hearing loss, meaning you have some hearing left to work with then the answer is yes. How much it will help will depend on a whole host of factors including:

How long you waited to do something about your problem.
How you lost your hearing.
Your overall health.

Do I need two hearing aids?

If you have a problem hearing in both ears (and that’s the rule not the exception) then 99% of the time you’ll need two hearing aids.

Could my hearing just be normal for my age?

Your hearing is either in the range of “normal” or it isn’t. Although a significant number of people will lose their hearing as a result of aging. Your age has nothing to do with whether or not your hearing is “normal”.

Should I wait to get hearing aids?

The longer you wait to get help, the longer it will take your brain once you do decide to address the problem to re-learn how to process sounds. It will also take time for your brain to re-learn how to separate the speech from the noise. More importantly, while you’re waiting to fix your hearing problem you’re missing out on life.

Do you offer financing options?

Affordable Hearing Care and Financing Options That Fit Your Budget

Your investment in better hearing is a time-intensive process that, when all is said and done, benefits your quality of life in ways that you may not have experienced in years. You may not hear better overnight, but by retraining your ears and brain to process sounds that it hasn’t heard in years — a process we can help you with at Red Rose Hearing Center — your satisfaction with your devices will continue to increase.

Once you’ve acquired your hearing aids, you’ll have access to unlimited follow-up care, batteries for your devices when you need them, and a three-year warranty that protects your hearing system from the wear and tear that heat, humidity, moisture, and oils can cause. And while there’s no getting around the fact that healthcare is a high-ranking expense for many Americans, we do our best at Red Rose Hearing Center to help you get the treatment you need with financing options and payments to help fit your budget. Ask our audiologists for more information about these options. Red Rose Hearing Center also accepts cash, check, and Visa or MasterCard. In addition, we have partnered with other institutions to provide convenient payment options for our patients. Available options are listed below. Our front office staff can explain these options in further detail during your visit.

Wells Fargo Health Advantage® credit card* program

Wells Fargo Health Advantage® credit card brings you exclusive benefits:

Convenient monthly payments to fit your budget
Revolving line of credit that you can use for future healthcare needs
Flexible terms promotions available, ask your healthcare provider for details
Easy to use online account management and billing payment options

*The Wells Fargo Health Advantage® credit card is issued with approved credit by Wells Fargo Bank, NA.

Click here to apply

What’s New in Hearing Aids

Reasons to Consider Rechargeable Hearing Aids

Ease of Use

Rechargeable hearing aids are particularly useful if you have decreased dexterity or health issues that make handling small objects difficult. Place the hearing aid in the charger at night and in the morning it will be fully charged

Environmentally Friendly

Rechargeable batteries are better for the environment. You may only need to replace the batteries once over a 3 – 4 year time span.

Cost Effective

The cost to replace your rechargeable batteries is less than the cost to replace regular hearing aid batteries over the same period of time

Rechargeable Hearing Aids

Hearing aid technology like most technology goes through stages of evolution. The most recent technological advance has been to the category of rechargeable hearing aids. Although rechargeable hearing aids have been around for quite some time, they were unable to hold a charge for an extended period of time, often just a few hours. Technologically has advanced to the point where a rechargeable hearing aid can now hold a charge for days.

Hearing Aid Repair

Even if you take care of your hearing aids and keep up with regular maintenance, time takes its toll on all technology, and it’s possible that yours will eventually wear out through the course of normal use. While replacing your damaged hearing aids may be the best answer in some cases — it gives you the opportunity to upgrade your technology — there are some common hearing aid repairs that you can try if you’re having problems with one or both of your devices. Try these quick fixes:

Repair FAQ’s

Are hearing aids easily broken?

Because of how small and light today’s hearing aids are — and because of how delicate the internal components are — any excessive force applied to the device may crack the outer shell, which is likely to compromise its function permanently. Internal components might be moisture resistant, but submersion can still permanently damage the unit.

Are hearing aids waterproof?

A few hearing aid brands are waterproof, but by and large, most hearing aids are not. Some internal components in some hearing aids are water resistant, meaning they’ll protect against humidity or condensation to a degree. Direct contact with liquid, or submersion, should be avoided.

Does insurance cover my hearing aid repairs?

Contact your insurer’s customer service line to find out for sure, but typically, insurance does not cover the cost of hearing aid repairs. Extended-coverage plans that protect against damage, however, are available for some hearing aids at Red Rose Hearing Center. Please call our office to learn more about protecting your investment in better hearing!

How do I know if my hearing aids are broken?

Only device diagnostics by a professional can determine that, but your devices might be broken if you have tried troubleshooting them using the tips above but are still experiencing difficulties getting them to work correctly.

What activities can damage hearing aids?

If you aren’t using hearing aids that are tightly secured, any intense physical activity might jar them loose. Swimming or showering without first removing your devices can also cause damage, as most hearing aids are not rated to withstand water.

Where can I repair my hearing aids?

Our practice can help diagnose the problem with your technology, and we will offer a repair if fixing the device is possible. In many cases, when you’ve purchased your technology at Red Rose Hearing Center, repairs for devices that are still under warranty carry a minimal charge, if any at all.

How Much Do Hearing Aid Repairs Cost?

The cost to fix a broken or damaged hearing aid varies based on a few things: whether the hearing aid is still under warranty, how damaged the device is, and the cost of replacement parts for your unit.

If you bought your hearing system from Red Rose Hearing Center and it is still under warranty, your repair costs will likely be minimal — if there’s a charge at all. Hearing aids that are no longer under warranty or that were purchased elsewhere may cost more to fix. Cracked shells on custom-molded devices can be expensive, but in some cases these cracks can be repaired.

When Is Your Hearing Aid Beyond Repair?

It takes a hearing aid expert to properly diagnose a damaged hearing aid, but you can assume your hearing aids are beyond repair if:

Your devices are more than five years old. Hearing aids typically last for four to seven years. If your hearing aids are beyond five years old, repair needs are likely to pile up, in which case it makes more financial sense to get some new devices.
The damage is visible. Although the damage may not be as bad as it looks, if your hearing aid has been stepped on or smashed in some other way, it may be unfixable.
Your hearing aids have an extensive repair history. If your hearing aid has undergone multiple repairs for the same or different issues, it may be beyond saving. Much like a totaled car, a hearing aid needing that many fixes to be functional may simply no longer be worth the repair cost, and it may make more sense financially to invest in some new units.

A manufacturer’s warranty essentially states that the product should work for as long as the warranty lasts — nothing beyond that is guaranteed. Balancing the cost of repairs with the cost of a new system (and how it will benefit your life) can be tricky, but our practice can help you determine a proper course of action after diagnosing the damage and estimating repair costs.

If you’re having any trouble with your hearing aids, please contact us. We’re more than happy to help you get your devices back in working order, or to help you determine what options are available to fix your broken hearing aid.

Hearing Aid Batteries

Many hearing aids use disposable zinc-air batteries that are color- and number-coded for easy replacement. The type of battery needed depends on the style and size of your hearing aids and includes: 5 (red), 10 (yellow), 13 (orange), 312 (brown) and 675 (blue). Most drugstores carry replacement batteries; they can also be purchased from your audiologist at Red Rose Hearing Center or ordered online.

Cleaning & Service

Like all technology, your hearing aids require care and maintenance. Keeping your devices clean can help prevent wear and tear, extend the life of your technology, and keep you hearing clearly.

Learn More About Cleaning

Cleaning and Care Products

Regular use of the following items can help ensure that your hearing experiences are second to none.

Dehumidifers: A dehumidifier is designed for the maintenance and storage of all types of hearing aids. The device is a maintenance chamber that dries and disinfects your devices. This process kills fungi and bacteria, and it greatly reduces itching and the chance of infections.
Cleansing Wipes: Cleansing wipes contain a surface-active agent that is effective against earwax but doesn’t damage hearing aids, helping to facilitate the daily cleaning of your hearing aids.
Cleaning Spray: Cleaning spray is specially designed to dissolve earwax quickly, which helps improve sound quality without damaging hearing aids. Cleaning sprays also help prevent skin irritation and eczema.

How and What to Clean Your Hearing Aids With

Cleaning your hearing aids on a daily basis helps ensure their performance and longevity, and it saves money on repairs. Easy to fit into your nightly routine, these hearing aid cleaning tips will help you reduce the amount of wax, debris, dust, and other contaminants that could affect your technology.

How to clean your hearing aids depends upon the type of hearing aid you have. For instance, behind-the-ear technology contains an earmold that can be submerged in water (NOTE: just the earmold, not your entire hearing aid!) and cleaned with certain solutions or soap, while that would be detrimental to an in-the-ear device. Ask your hearing care provider what the best practices are for cleaning your specific hearing aid style.

No matter which kind you have, the shell, the receiver, and the microphone are what you’ll want to focus on.

First Things First:

Wash your hands and make sure they are dry before cleaning hearing aids.
Work over a soft surface to prevent losing or breaking anything that might fall.
Be extra mindful when cleaning, handling each piece with care.
Turn technology upside down so debris will fall out rather than get pushed back in.
Do not use a soaking wet cloth, unapproved solutions, or cotton swabs.
If earwax is something that continues to be an issue, ask your provider about having your ears professionally cleaned.
NEVER put your hearing aid in water.

What You’ll Need:

A wire loop for cleaning earwax out of the receiver
A wax pick to clear out the vent
A brush to remove debris from the entire hearing aid (mostly for in-the-ear devices) and microphone
A multitool is very handy when cleaning hearing aids, as it has the above pieces as well as a magnet to help remove your battery
Tubing air blower, which is used mostly for cleaning moisture out of the tube that connects your over-the-ear ear mold, or dome

Let’s Clean!

Always take the batteries out before cleaning your hearing aid.
The case or the shell of your device is best cleaned with a soft cloth or brush as described above. If there are particularly difficult parts, you can use a damp cloth to help remove the debris.
The receiver is most subject to wax buildup, so you will want to be careful and thorough when scooping out debris. It’s also good practice to focus on brushing the receiver when you’re done scooping to make sure you’ve gotten everything.
Using the brush again, gently clean the microphone.
When done, keep your batteries out and the door open (brush gently) on a towel at night. Even better, a dehumidifier is more effective in removing moisture from your technology, helping it last longer.

Cleaning hearing aids manually is the ideal way to maintain them, but over time debris, dust, and wax will build up, so take advantage of your practice’s clean and checks. During this time, parts will be thoroughly cleaned or even replaced to make sure your technology is working its best — so your hearing can too.