Frustrated and embarrassed.
For the past twenty years, Eric has been working hard as a local financial advisor, helping individuals and families in need of expert help in investing and planning for their future. Being a father himself, he can relate to the balancing act of a busy family, which is one of the many reasons people trust him with their finances. Recently, during meetings with clients at coffee shops or restaurants, he felt embarrassed and frustrated. No matter how hard he tried, background noise made it very difficult to hear and understand the voices of his potential clients.
"I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”
Eric was fed up with repeating that line. He worried that it was harming his ability to appear competent in his work and felt anxious that it would impact his relationships. Eric also loves music, and taking his son to live shows around town is a favorite pastime. His hearing loss was making it hard to fully enjoy that quality time.
Time to make a change.
As fate would have it, he bumped into Chelsea Walters, co-owner of Family Hearing in Broomfield, at a community hearing screening event. Her empathetic approach, sharp wit, and sense of humor instantly helped him trust her. He felt comfortable sharing his story and seeking her guidance on how to treat his hearing loss so he could participate in the moments he’d lost touch with.
Solutions that go beyond hearing devices.
Coincidentally, when Eric and Chelsea met, he was already in the process of trying out different hearing devices. But the fit was uncomfortable, the sound quality was artificial, and the results were insubstantial. Chelsea brought Eric in for an appointment with Tyana Bruso, an Audiology Technician, who tested the devices and explained that while she found nothing technically wrong, it was obvious that they weren’t meeting his needs. A comprehensive analysis of his hearing and goals revealed that more effective treatment was possible.
Say “hello” to evidence-based hearing treatment.
Eric’s experience supported the rating of a significant hearing handicap based on the survey Tyana sent before his appointment. By putting a number to his subjective experience, the Family Hearing clinicians validated what he was going through and now had a target they were set to beat. Together, Eric and the Family Hearing Team uncovered a substantial hearing loss, sampled various fitting styles, and met regularly for programming adjustments to build the solution that empowered him to hear confidently.
Finding a solution that actually works.
Several months after his initial consultation and best practice fitting series, Eric could not be happier. His follow-up survey indicated he improved from a significant handicap to no handicap. Similarly, his ability to understand speech in background noise was comparable to someone with near-normal hearing ability using his devices. In his opinion, “They had the tools, the time, the technology and the experience. Totally different experience from the first place I went to.”
Not “bad enough” to treat.
In other cases, commonly for younger to middle-aged adults, clinicians sometimes minimize mild hearing loss. Even though symptoms bother the patient, treatment is not recommended. This was the case with Laila. She met Family Hearing after visiting several hearing care specialists who told her that her audiogram wasn’t “bad enough” to treat, which left her feeling invalidated since she was struggling to participate in family events. Family Hearing took her pain seriously and after a few appointments, Laila felt that she could get back to being the involved mom and the grandma she wanted to be. “Each individual experience sounds differently,” explains the audiologist, Dr. Anna Hopkins. “It’s common that some people don’t notice a mild hearing loss and others are severely impacted by it.”
I felt heard.
Laila’s difficulties finding someone who will listen are too common. But that all changed at Family Hearing. Even though her hearing loss was marginal compared to Eric’s, they fine-tuned her hearing technology until feeling like an outsider in conversations became a thing of the past. “When I walked into Family Hearing, I was greeted with a big smile. Everybody is so kind, understanding, knowledgeable, professional, and helpful. I felt HEARD, pun intended!”
Conversations with the people who matter are the heart of a life well-lived, yet 15% of American adults are left out due to hearing loss. We hope these stories shed light on the impact that compassionate care and evidence-based treatment provide so that more people can tune back into life!
Chelsea Walters & Jennifer La Borde
Co-Owners of Family Hearing
Audible laughter is the trademark of any meeting between Jen & Chelsea, co-owners of Family Hearing in Broomfield. While they both love helping people communicate, they approach it from complementary skill sets.
Since childhood, Jen has been drawn to non-verbal expression. Her love of dance led her to her husband, falling in love while learning Argentine Tango. She is also fluent in American Sign Language, which is what introduced her to the world of hearing loss in the first place.
As for Chelsea, she will always fill the silence. Whether singing or sharing a thought, it’s rare that she doesn't have something to talk about. Her husband says she and their 5-year-old son compete for airspace. She was drawn to hearing care through a love of engaging with people and listening to their stories. It is only fitting that she revitalizes others’ ability to do the same through her work.
For the last seven years co-owning Family Hearing, Jen and Chelsea have learned that their distinct communication styles allow them to help their practice, the people they serve, and a team of competent women thrive.
“They had the tools, the time, the technology and the experience. Totally different experience from the first place I went to.”
