“Ever since I received the Ceretone hearing aid, it’s such a relief to know that I can hear and comprehend better.”
– Phillip, BridgingApps client
Ceretone is a leader in hearing-aid technology—and, like Easterseals, an organization that emphasizes making assistive technology affordable, practical, and individual-user-friendly. Recently, Ceretone held two events, through their “Sound Circle” program, to introduce Core One Pro hearing aids to the Houston area.
Community participants (including several BridgingApps clients) were invited to test the equipment onsite, then take it home to try in everyday life. During the event and in weekly follow-ups through mid-September, Ceretone is using participant feedback to improve ease of setup, comfort, sound quality, day-to-day usability, and other aspects of consumer experience.
Since Easter Seals Greater Houston is a Ceretone distribution partner, BridgingApps helped with the hearing-aid events. Working onsite were BridgingApps team members Amy Fuchs, Alejandra “Ale” Gonzalez, Silvia Guajardo, and Tara Rocha.
Opening a World of Sounds
Many seniors go without hearing aids because they’re nervous about the whole idea: worried about discomfort or technical difficulties, reluctant to admit hearing challenges lest they be stigmatized as “old.” Others just don’t want to go to “a lot of bother” when they’re “doing okay as is.” Tara remembers one Sound Circle participant who came “reluctantly: his wife, who attends our tech talk classes from time to time, brought him.” However, “after putting the hearing aids in and learning how to use them, he was all smiles and you could tell that they were a welcome addition. The couple commented that he would be using them every day.
“Another client shared that this will help him in ways he never knew. He already prefers these hearing aids over some of the more expensive devices he has tried in the past.”
Ale recalls other participants, who doubted whether they really needed hearing aids, being “pleasantly surprised at how comprehensible the world suddenly became. I’ll always remember the way their faces lit up as they announced, ‘I can hear!!’ The smiles and excitement were the best parts of the event.”
And from Amy: “I would echo that it was so great to hear a client suddenly—and loudly—say, ‘I CAN HEAR!!’ right after putting in the aids!”
More to Come
One participant, who has an unusually shallow eardrum, couldn’t complete the onsite fitting because none of the ear inserts were small enough. The Ceretone representative gave him a Core One Pro anyway, promising that he would be contacted to work out a solution—an example of the brand’s commitment to improving customer experience via specific feedback.
Another thing that stands out with the Sound Circle program: it focuses on people who have little or no previous experience with hearing aids. With input from first-time users, Ceretone hopes to offer the “newcomer” market helpful answers to common questions: “Do I really need a hearing aid? If I get one, will it be worth the costs in money/time/convenience/comfort/appearance?”
BridgingApps has already had positive feedback from client participants. Ale reports:
“We’ve heard several stories from clients and their caregivers about how they’re now able to watch TV without it being at a super high volume, or able to talk to loved ones without having to raise their voices. One client had been struggling to communicate with her family, and they thought she was experiencing some cognitive decline [which hearing-loss symptoms are often confused with]. Now, the client is very excited that the hearing aids are helping her communicate more efficiently with her loved ones.”
Quick Facts About Ceretone and the Sound Circle Program
The Sound Circle events took place:
- Tuesday, August 18, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.: Catholic Charities in Richmond
- Wednesday, August 19, 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.: Senior Companions at Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
The Catholic Charities event brought in 20 participants; Senior Companions, nine. Appointments were on a staggered schedule with 3–4 participants per time slot.
Notable Core One Pro features:
- Tiny size that allows it to fit snugly—and comfortably out of sight—in the ear canal.
- Sealed against dust, water, and perspiration.
- A wireless charger built directly into the case.
- Charge lasts up to 80 hours.
Besides the Core One Pro, Ceretone’s primary hearing-aid models are the Beacon and the Torch. For more information, see the Ceretone website, or the Ceretone Hearing Aids Review published last June by the National Council on Aging.