Janice Parsons

As an active person, Janice Parsons desired hearing aids that could keep up with her busy life. Her previous digital Completely-In-the-Canal (CIC) hearing instruments seemed to amplify everything, even sounds that she did not want to hear. When attending social gatherings, the background noise was louder than the conversation. Loud noises were often too loud, and her ear canals became sore after wearing her hearing aids for awhile.

Janice Parsons, age 55, binaural Element 4 open fit 13 BTE wearer

Janice decided to try two Element 4™ open fit hearing instruments. She immediately noticed how comfortable they felt in her ears compared to her previous CIC hearing instruments. Sounds were comfortable including the sound of her voice. She could also hear conversations more easily.

“In a group situation, they drastically improve my ability to interact. When in restaurants, I can hear the conversation at our table without interference of the table behind,” Janice explains.

Janice appreciates how Element’s antiShock™ technology works to minimize irritatingly loud noises so listening is more enjoyable. When she was at a fundraiser meeting, a large wood door slammed shut. She was certain that if she was wearing her other hearing aids, the noise would have been overpowering. With her Element hearing aids, she felt she was hearing it the way a person with normal hearing would. Similarly, the sound of an ice cube tray emptying used to sound uncomfortably loud. Now irritating noises, such as these, are lessened so that she can still hear them, but they are tolerable.

Janice enjoys the freedom and flexibility that the Element 4 hearing instruments give her. She used to worry about certain situations, anticipating she might have challenges hearing others. After wearing the Element 4 hearing aids for a couple of weeks, her anxiety lessened. She knew that she would be able to catch more of the conversation, including in noisy environments. She was amazed that she was even able to understand whispered conversations on a couple of occasions.

Janice finds traveling more enjoyable. She and her husband used to limit the number of hours they traveled because hearing conversations in the car was particularly frustrating. With her Element hearing aids, she can hear him more easily so he does not have to continuously repeat what he says. She was pleasantly surprised that she could also hear her cell phone ringing from inside her purse in the backseat as well as the radio more clearly.

Janice’s audiogram illustrating her moderately severe to profound high- frequency sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally.

“I could hear instruments I am sure I could never hear before,” she says.

Other sounds she can now hear are crickets at night, and many of the electronic beeps that are a part of daily life, such as microwave timers and alarm clocks. On a recent trip to the grocery store, she was able to hear 100% of what the cashier said.

“I thought, wow, this is great. I felt so in tune with what was going on around me,” Janice explains.

Janice recommends Element 4 open fit hearing aids to someone else with a hearing loss:

“They are very comfortable to wear and far superior to my In-The-Ear aids. I like how you can’t really see them. I am also very impressed with the clarity of sounds, and how much easier it is to hear and participate in conversations, especially in groups. Sounds that I can hear in the normal range aren’t magnified making for a far more enjoyable listening experience throughout the day. They have really made a difference in my life.”