Welcome Melissa

We'd like to welcome Melissa Nielson to HHCC for the summer. Melissa has been studying at the University of Northern Colorado for the past three years working towards her Doctor of Audiology degree. She is done with her course work and is now gaining valuable experience in the field. Coming from the best of both worlds, Melissa did her undergraduate studies at the University of Colorado.

A native to Colorado, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family- especially her nieces and nephews, watching old movies and planning her upcoming wedding her amazing fianc, Thad. She loves music and has studied American Sign Language. We hope she'll teach us some valuable signs to use while she is with us!

Welcome Melissa! It's going to be a wonderful summer!

What's new in hearing technology in 2011?

Spring has arrived! We can't help but think of that saying "out with the old and in with the new" around this time of year. Earlier this year, Audibel released brand new wireless technology that we’re very excited about. Dr. Swander, Dr. Burns and Kimberly packed our bags and headed to Las Vegas, NV to learn all about the latest and greatest Audibel had to offer. Here are some things we learned about:

Range is Audibel’s brand new hearing aid system which utilizes IRIS™ Technology. It allows sound from your TV, stereo or computer to stream directly into your hearing aids. The SurfLink transmitter simply plugs into the device you would like to transmit and once it’s turned on, you can enjoy sound without having to wear any extra accessories. You control your volume and the people with you can keep their volume at a comfortable level. Range also includes the latest technologies designed to deliver a better listening experience. Some features include:

Active Noise Control is a feature designed to significantly reduce listening effort delivering maximum comfort and clear speech in even the noisiest environments.

Ear-to-Ear Wireless Communication allows your hearing aids to automatically communicate with each other wirelessly. Manually adjusting one aid will automatically adjust the other.

Superior Speech Locator seeks out speech sounds and decreases unwanted background noise allowing you to focus on the conversation and not what is going on around you.

WhistleFree Feedback Cancellation is the best feedback management system available. Annoying whistling and buzzing are no longer an issue.

During our trip to Las Vegas, we were able to get some hands-on experience with these products. The SurfLink truly is simple set-up. You plug the transmitter into the device you want to steam, set the range of distance you want to transmit. That’s it. One time. Then you sit back and enjoy listening in surround sound.

We could go on and on about new technology but we’d love for you to experience it for yourself. Please contact our office for an appointment. We have 2 convenient locations in Longmont (303) 776-8748 and Boulder (303) 499-3900.

Giving Back

Dr. Swander will be participating in the 9News Health Fair giving free hearing screenings. We've participated in this fair for the past 7 years screening hundreds of people of all ages. It's such a wonderful program for the people of Colorado and we are proud to lend a hand.

Check out the 9News website to find a location near you: http://www.9healthfair.org/findafair

If your closest location does not offer a hearing screening, remember that Hearing HealthCare Centers offers free baseline screenings all year long at our Longmont and Boulder locations.

Please call for an appointment: Longmont (303) 776-8748 and Boulder (303) 499-3900

Friendly Reminder

We officially kicked off health fair season yesterday in Boulder. Dr. Swander, Kimberly and Sue packed up our materials and equipment and spent the day educating people about all things hearing related.

Yes, spring is the time when people from all over Boulder County call to have us perform hearing screenings, present valuable hearing information at a booth or both. We really enjoy perticipating in health fairs because it gives us the opportunity to meet new people and share our passion for hearing.

We have a feeling that 2011 is going to be a busy year!

We'd like to remind you that everyone over 55 years old should get a baseline hearing screening. It's always good to know where your hearing stands. If your company holds a health fair that offers a hearing screening, we encourage you to take advantage of it. A screening takes less then 10 minutes!

If you do not participate in a health fair, contact us for a free baseline screening.

Longmont (303)776-8748
Boulder (303) 499-3900

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Do you AMP?

Do you AMP?

There is a period of time when people begin to miss out on things they used to hear and a later time when they are ready to accept the need for hearing aids. This ‘space-in-between’ is different for everyone. Some people get through it by turning the TV up a little louder, blaming others for not speaking “clearly” enough, or avoiding situations where they notice the most trouble hearing. Hearing loss is gradual and most people squeak by with a mild hearing loss for some time. But that does not help them in situations where they truly want to hear. So what are the options? For a while, there seemed to be only two: suffer with the hearing loss or get expensive full blown hearing aids.

However, there is another option- AMP.

AMP is a device for people who are not quite ready for hearing aids. It was designed to help people who are having some trouble in certain situations. AMP’s non-custom design allows it to be fitted in one visit, it fits invisibly in the ear canal and it’s very easy to remove. AMP has just been released at an introductory price of $1500 for the pair. They even come with a 30 day money back guarantee.


Call Hearing HealthCare Centers in Longmont (303) 776-8748 or Boulder (303) 499-3900 to schedule an appointment to try AMPs.

You’ll be amazed how much they help you in the ‘space-in-between’!

A Comparison: Invisibel vs. Lyric (WOW)

There has been a surge of new hearing products on the market and sometimes all the information can be confusing. We at Hearing HealthCare Centers get asked multiple times a week to explain the differences between many amplification devices in both our Longmont and Boulder offices. We wanted to take the opportunity to compare the 2 most common devices we are asked about: Audibel’s Invisibel hearing instrument and the Lyric (also known as WOW) hearing device. Of course, there are many more products that can be compared, but these are by far the ones we asked about the most.


What size is it?
Invisibel: Fits deeply into the canal and is 100% invisible.
Lyric (WOW): Fits deeply into the canal and is 100% invisible.

How long can they be worn?
Invisibel: They can be worn all day and removed nightly to promote better ear health.
Lyric (WOW): Once inserted by a hearing professional, they are worn continuously for up to 120 days.

What size battery does it take and how often are they changed?
Invisibel: A size 10 battery that lasts about a week.
Lyric (WOW): A size 10 battery that is never changed.

How are they put in/removed?
Invisibel: They are inserted and removed daily by the patient.
Lyric (WOW): They are placed deep in the canal and removed by a hearing professional.

How many settings do they have?
Invisibel: There can be up to 4 custom settings programmed into the aid.
Lyric (WOW): It has 1 setting that can only be programmed by a hearing professional.

Are they made for each individual?
Invisibel: Yes, they are custom made for each individual’s ear by taking a deep impression of the ear canal.
Lyric (WOW): No, they are an instant fit, one size fits most design.

What is the design?
Invisibel: The electrical components are housed inside a durable custom shell.
Lyric (WOW): The device is made of a foam material for a comfortable fit.

How long will they last?
Invisibel: A patient typically wears custom hearing instruments for 4-7 years.
Lyric (WOW): The unit is replaced when the battery dies and a completely new device is inserted by a hearing professional. The old unit is disposed of and not used again. This happens every 60-120 days.

Is there an additional cost?
Invisibel: No. each set of hearing aids is a one time purchase.
Lyric (WOW): Yes, kind of. Lyric is sold with a one year subscription. Each year there is a significant renewal cost. The WOW is sold as individual units so they will need to be purchased each time the battery runs out, which is typically anytime between 60-120 days.

What hearing loss do they fit?
Invisibel: Fits mild to severe hearing losses.
Lyric (WOW): Fits mild to moderately-severe hearing losses.

Can they be used with ear buds?
Invisibel: Yes, the custom fit allows use of standard ear buds.
Lyric (WOW): The device cannot be used with inserted headsets, ear buds or ear plugs.

Can the volume be changed?
Invisibel: Yes, T2 Remote Control allows the patient to control by using a touch tone phone to change the volume and/or settings.
Lyric (WOW): Yes, a magnetic tool is used to turn the volume up or down.

What kind of technology is it?
Invisibel: The Invisibel uses digital technology which includes: WhistleFree Feedback Cancellation, Active Noise Control, and Automatic Telephone Response features.
Lyric (WOW): The Lyric (WOW) devices utilize analog programmable technology.

We hope this clears up some questions. We know there are many more products to compare and we hope to do so in later articles. We chose to compare these products because we are asked about them so often. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact our office to schedule an appointment. Hearing HealthCare Centers has 2 convenient locations to serve you: Longmont 303.776.8748 and Boulder 303.499.3900.

Have You Heard The News?

Have you ever been so excited to share such exciting news that it's hard to know where to start? Well that’s how we feel. Last week Dr. Swander was invited to Audibel headquarters in MN to learn about Audibel's new line of products. The most exciting development introduced at the conference was a brand new style of hearing aid, the Invisibel.

The Invisibel is the first custom Invisible in the Canal (IIC) hearing aid of it's kind! It fits so deeply in the canal that it truly is invisible. Really, it is! Check out the picture. It is fully digital and completely programmable.

The Invisibel boasts Audibel's top rated Whistle-Free Feedback Cancellation feature that virtually eliminates any buzzing or whistling. It also utilizes the brand new Active Noise Control feature. This exciting feature was designed and tirelessly tested and perfected to seek out speech sounds in noise. Imagine being able to truly hear someone speaking to you even in the midst of background noise. We're pretty excited about this new feature.

Of course, the Invisibel also has some pretty cool telephone features such as the Automatic Telephone Response. Yes- that is basically how it sounds. When you put the phone to your ear, the hearing aid recognizes the phone and automatically changes to the pre-programmed telephone setting for optimal hearing. When you take the phone away, the hearing aid will automatically change back to the appropriate setting. Finally, the Invisibel is equipped with the T2 Remote Control feature. This handy feature allows the hearing aid wearer to adjust the programs or volume of the hearing aid with any touch-tone phone, including cell phones. It’s like having a remote control by using something you already carry around.

The Invisibel hearing aid is custom made for each patient. It is not meant to be an extended wear hearing aid like some similar aids out there. It is actually much healthier for your ears to take the hearing aids out at night. You don't sleep with your glasses do you? Then why commit to sleeping with your hearing aids in? Trust us- everyone sees and hears perfectly in their dreams!

Bottom Line: the Invisibel is a high quality, digital hearing aid that is packed full of cutting edge technology and features that is custom-made to fit so deeply in the canal that it's invisible! How much better can you get?

We can hardly wait to start fitting the Invisibel and hearing all the wonderful feedback we are positive this hearing aid will bring.