About four years ago, I went for my first hearing test at Costco. The result was the need for hearing aids. I took these older hearing aids in for service and was informed that they were only performing at about 80% and that Costco no longer carried them.

I made an appointment to have my hearing retested and to order new hearing aids. Cynthia, the audiologist who has helped me throughout the last four years sat me in the test room to have my new hearing test. These tests are very thorough and start with pushing a button when you hear tones in different frequencies and at different levels in each ear. The test continues with repeating words that you hear at different levels in each ear. The third stage that asks to push the button when you hear three tones that are at different levels and of different types. From these different tests, a profile of my hearing performance was created and compared with the last test that I had taken. Cynthia informed me that my hearing in one ear was about the same as the previous tests – at about 80% – but the other had declined about 10%.

Based on these results a specific hear aid – the Jabra Pro – was recommended for me. A test set was then used to adjust the setting for each ear and to allow to me to see how they functioned for me. I was asked to go out and walk around, make a phone call, and see if there were any issues with what I heard and how I heard myself talk. Once the settings all seemed to work well, Cynthia asked if I would like to purchase this model of hearing aids. I said yes and she took a new set from inventory and went through the process of adjusting the settings to my profile and testing them with me. She indicated that she would only take these to 80% and that I would have to return in two weeks to adjust them to full strength, once I was more used to them.

The hearing aids come with an app that allows you to connect through Bluetooth on your phone. Cynthia added some specific profiles that I requested – TV, live music, and outdoor. The app also permits you to adjust for wind noise, background noise and to focus the direction from which the sound is coming. With music you can adjust the level of bass, treble and mid-range to meet your preferences.

These new hearing aids have dramatically improved technology from the last pair, fit better in my ears, and feel more comfortable. I went back for the two-week adjustment and have been very happy. They are also rechargeable and so I don’t not have to regularly change batteries as I did with the old pair.