Services for older clients

At Chear we are pleased to see adults with hearing difficulties. This may be for initial assessment of hearing ability, for consideration of hearing aid amplification, or for review and fine-tuning of hearing aid fittings.

Different types of appointment

There are three types of appointment for adults:

1. Full Diagnostic Hearing Assessment

Clients are often referred by ENT consultants in Cambridge, Hitchin and Harpenden for full diagnostic testing. Reports are sent to both the client and referrer, describing the tests carried out and results obtained. We do not offer balance testing in this centre.

The typical cost of a full hearing assessment appointment is £90, depending on the range of tests needed.

2. Assessment for Consideration of Hearing Aids

Clients may request an appointment for hearing assessment to consider whether they may benefit from hearing aids. The cost of this type of appointment is £45, though this amount is deducted from the cost of a hearing aid, if the client subsequently chooses to purchase an aid.

Different hearing aid manufacturers

We use hearing aids from a number of manufacturers including Oticon, Phonak, GN Resound, Sonic Innovation and Puretone. These range from super power behind-the-ear to completely-in-the-canal devices, depending on the individual needs of the client.

All hearing aids are trialled over a period of six weeks before a decision is made on whether the hearing aid is proving beneficial to the client. The process of fine-tuning the hearing aid fitting for the wearer’s needs continues, as required, over 12 months post-fitting. We find that the fitting of hearing aids is very specific to an individual’s needs and should be viewed as a process, rather than a one-off event.

Prices for Hearing Aids

The cost of a digital, custom-made hearing aid ranges from £1,050 to about £1,850, depending upon the technical specification of the device. If two hearing aids are purchased at the same time, £200 is deducted from the cost of the second aid.

3. Hearing Aid Review Appointment

If a client already has hearing aids and would like an appointment for re-assessment of hearing, or adjustment to the hearing aid, the cost of the appointment is £45.