Call for Help
Could you please assist me? Our older neighbor, 93, has the Ameriphone XL-40. We need to program the phone for her but have no directions. Life would be easier for her if I could complete this task. Are there instructions on the Web? Please direct me to the correct location. In advance, thank you so much for your assistance.
Martha Shaw Sylvester
Deland, Fla
Hello, Martha. I took a look around the Internet and I found the following link on the Clarity Products Web site that takes you to a PDF file of the operating instructions for an Ameriphone XL-40: www.clarityproducts.com/pdf/userguides/76556.000_Manual.pdf
If you have any trouble downloading or accessing it, please let me know. —Ed.
Latex Concerns
I am in the process of researching hearing aids for my mother and found your publication in the process. I am trying to connect with an expert on hearing aids to better understand what they are made out of. My mom has a severe allergy to latex and some other types of plastics that are in contact with her skin for a long time. I would really appreciate it if you could put me in touch with someone who could give me detailed information about the materials involved with these products. Thanks so much.
Jay Clark
Washington
I would recommend that you first talk with an audiologist or dispensing professional in your area, and carefully explain to them that this is a critical issue for the success of your mom’s hearing aid fitting. You might even request during the initial consultation to talk with a factory representative from the company whose hearing aid is being recommended by the professional. My understanding is that most of the hearing aid shells come under the general category of hypoallergenic, but there may be special formulations that I’m unaware of, particularly for very sensitive skin or people with allergies to latex. In that case, a good dispensing professional, and/or with the help of the manufacturer, should be able to solve any potential problems. —Ed.
Comparison Shopping
I am contacting you because I am losing my hearing and am interested in the hearing aid amplifiers that are now on the market. Would you be able to rate them according to their efficacy? My finances are such that I cannot afford to spend money on them if they are not truly effective.
I will look forward to your response at your earliest convenience.
Gayle
Via e-mail
Hi, Gayle. While I don’t have the comprehensive information you’re seeking in regard to hearing aids right now, it’s actually coming—and soon! Beginning with October’s issue, Hearing Products Report is undertaking an exciting new products survey feature that will offer details of the different types of instruments in an easy-to-use side-by-side comparison format, allowing our readers a comprehensive look at what’s out there on the market. Until then, my recommendation is identical to the one we gave Jay in his letter: sit down and explore the products and options available to you with an audiologist or dispensing professional in your area. —Ed.
Downsizing
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon: reading Hearing Products Report.
May I be bold to make a suggestion? Can the publication be sized down so it is easier to store on a bookshelf or end table in the office? This size makes it hard to store and display.
Your thoughts?
Jerry Cammarata, PhD, ScD, FAAA
New York
Funny you should mention that, Jerry. You’re certainly not alone in making that suggestion. In fact, it’s a rare month that goes by that I don’t get an e-mail or letter about our issue size. But if you think the current square footage of Hearing Products Report is too big for your bookshelf, you should know that its current dimensions pale in comparison to what they were up until October 2006: 2.5 inches taller and .75 inches wider! The good news is that consideration is presently being given to resizing the magazine to match the standard dimensions of our sister publication The Hearing Review. It’s not a done deal yet, but perhaps by the beginning of next year you can clear a space on your end table because HPR might just fit there perfectly. —Ed.