Find the Right Hearing Aid for Your Needs
Choosing a hearing aid is a big decision, and with so many options available, it can feel overwhelming. At Archer Hearing Centre, we make the process simple by offering personalized recommendations based on your lifestyle, hearing needs, and budget.
Whether you’re exploring hearing aids for the first time or upgrading to a newer model, our Hearing Aid Buying Guide will walk you through key factors to consider.
What to Expect from Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are life-changing, but they don’t restore hearing entirely to its natural state. Instead, they enhance and amplify sounds using advanced technology, helping you hear conversations, music, and everyday noises more clearly.
Key things to keep in mind:
- Hearing aids improve clarity but won’t eliminate background noise entirely.
- Your brain needs time to adjust to hearing aids, especially if you’ve had hearing loss for a while.
- Proper fitting, programming, and follow-up adjustments are essential for the best experience.
- Early intervention (i.e., as soon as you notice signs of hearing loss) can enhance your results.
The sooner you seek hearing help, the better your long-term outcomes will be.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Hearing Aid
Before selecting a hearing aid, your audiologist will consider:
- Your Lifestyle: Do you spend time in noisy environments, attend social gatherings, or prefer quiet settings?
- Severity of Hearing Loss: Mild, moderate, severe, or profound hearing loss will influence the style and power of your device.
- Hearing Loss Type: Sensorineural, conductive, or mixed hearing loss may require different solutions.
- Manual Dexterity and Vision: Smaller devices can be harder to handle if you have dexterity or vision challenges.
- Ear Shape and Size: Some styles may fit better depending on the anatomy of your ears.
- Budget and Features: Hearing aids come in a range of price points and technology levels.
- Current and Future Needs: We want to ensure your hearing aids will work for years to come.
What Features Should I Look for in a Hearing Aid?
Hearing aids come in four technology levels: Essential, Standard, Advanced, and Premium. Each level is a step up in terms of sound quality, features, and performance. Depending on your needs, you may be interested in modern features like:
Noise Reduction Using Artificial Intelligence (AI): Hearing aids can use AI and machine learning (ML) to scan your surroundings more than 500 times a second. They emphasize human speech and reduce background noise. This is an important feature if you have an active social life.
Advanced Sound Processing: Feedback suppression, state-of-the-art sound processing capabilities, and speech enhancement all help to reduce strain and make communicating easier.
Adaptive Microphones: Using algorithms, adaptive microphones adjust direction in real-time. This lets you follow the sounds you want to hear while reducing noise from other directions.
Bluetooth Connectivity: Stream audio from your phone, TV, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices directly to hearing aids. This also lets you use a phone app as a remote control for your devices.
Rechargeable Batteries: No more replacing disposable batteries!
Variable Programming: Save custom settings for different environments, so you don’t have to constantly fiddle with your hearing aids.
Water and Dust Resistance: Hearing aids are much more durable today, and dust- and water-resistant options are great choices for active lifestyles.
Hearing Aid Styles
There are numerous hearing styles available, including receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) or receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), behind-the-ear (BTE), invisible-in-the-canal (IIC), and more.
As an independently owned audiology clinic, we have the flexibility to work with all manufacturers and brands, giving you a greater variety to choose from. We’ll help you decide on the best type of hearing aid for your cosmetic preferences, type of hearing loss, budget, and lifestyle.
To explore the pros and cons of the different types of hearing aids, visit our Hearing Aids page.
Hearing Aid Costs and Payment Options
No hearing aid buying guide would be complete without discussing the cost of hearing aids. Our Markham audiologists believe in making hearing aids accessible without compromising quality.
- Price Range: At Archer Hearing Centre, the cost for a pair of hearing aids ranges from $1,900 to $5,900 (after ADP government funding), depending on the type and technology level.
- Flexible Financing: Interest-free payment plans are available.
- Insurance and Coverage: We accept insurance and assist with third-party funding options, including WSIB, ODSP, and DVA.
The Process of Getting Hearing Aids
Step 1
Consultation/Case History
We’ll start by discussing your medical history, hearing history, noise exposure, medications, lifestyle, and concerns, so we can tailor the process to your needs.
Step 2
Comprehensive Hearing Assessment
Our audiologist will examine your ears and conduct a complete hearing assessment, which includes:
- Tympanometric Assessment: Checks how sound travels through the middle and inner ear
- Pure Tone Audiometry: Tests how well you hear different frequencies and tones
- Speech Audiometry: Evaluates your ability to hear speech sounds (speech testing can be done in English or Chinese)
- QuickSIN: A special assessment to test your hearing in noisy environments
Step 3
Hearing Aid Selection
The audiologist will recommend the best hearing aids for you and let you try them out at this visit.
Step 4
Fitting and Real-Ear Measurement
Your hearing aids will be programmed and fine-tuned for optimal comfort and clarity.
Step 5
90-Day Risk-Free Trial
To ensure your hearing aids meet your needs in real-world situations, we offer 90-day, risk-free trials, along with free adjustments and support.
Ongoing Follow-Up and Maintenance
We provide regular checkups, as well as lifelong maintenance and service throughout the lifespan of your hearing aids’ functionality. Follow-up care is key to keeping your hearing aids performing at their best.
