How do I know if I should try a Personal Sound Amplifier or a Hearing Aid

If you’re unsure of which of these two products are right for you we hope we can give you some helpful points to consider.

Personal Sound Amplifiers are for those individuals who have normal hearing but find themselves in certain listening situations needing help to hear what is going on.  Perhaps you’re at a lecture and are finding it difficult to hear the speaker or maybe you need a little extra volume for TV listening. This is what a PSAP is for.

On the other hand if you’re always having trouble hearing and you think you may no longer have normal hearing, then you should look into getting a hearing aid by seeing a hearing healthcare professional (Audiologist, Licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser, or Doctor). If you think you have a medical issue that is causing your hearing loss then you should not only consider a hearing aid but see an audiologist or doctor. Hearing aids are medical devices used to help you hear better and can only be fit by a hearing health care professional. You must make an appointment and have your hearing evaluated so that the right hearing aid will be fit for your specific type of hearing loss.

PSAPs are readily available on line. Since they are designed for someone with normal hearing they do not require a hearing evaluation by a hearing healthcare professional. No appointment is needed. Just purchase one and you’re ready to hear better in those special situations.

The difference between PSAPs and hearing aids has been compared to the differences between reading glasses you can buy anywhere versus prescription eyeglasses. Reading glasses are for people who have normal vision, but maybe in a dark restaurant need some help in order to read the menu. Personal Sound Amplifiers are for these kinds of situations in the hearing world.

Like prescription eyeglasses are for people with more significant vision issues issues where you should see an optometrist or ophthalmologist, Hearing Aids are for people who have hearing loss or medical issues related to their hearing and should see an audiologist or ENT.

Deciding Which Kind of Personal Sound Amplifier (PSAP) is Best

Personal Sound Amplifiers (also known as PSAP’s) are designed either to fit inside the ear or behind the ear.  To find out which one would work best for you…read along!!

There are a few factors that would help you determine whether you would want a Personal Sound Amplifier (PSAP) that fits either in your ear or behind your ear is the best and right choice for you.

IN-THE-EAR PERSONAL SOUND AMPLIFIER (I.T.E. PSAP)

First…many consumers assume that a PSAP that fits in the ear would automatically be the best choice, but that is not entirely true.  For example, some in the ear (I.T.E) models can be more difficult to place in your ear and stay securely in the bowl of your ear so they won’t fall out.  This can be slightly problematic since everyone’s ears are built differently.  These PSAP units are designed quite small and very thin so it can be difficult to know how securely the PSAP is sitting in your ear.

Second…It is important that the opening of the PSAP where the sound comes out is aimed into your ear canal. If it doesn’t sit properly at the opening of your ear canal you will hear very little or possibly nothing at all.

BEHIND-THE-EAR PERSONAL SOUND AMPLIFIER (B.T.E. PSAP)

Behind the Ear PSAPs offer some excellent benefits as well.  Although these PSAP’s are slightly larger, they become easier to handle and sit behind the ear.  The body of the unit rests comfortably behind your ear with the very slim ear wire, which carries the sound, hooking around the front of your Pinna and then the tip of the wire sits right outside the opening of the ear canal.  Since it sits behind your ear,  it is easier to make sure that it is sitting securely on your ear.  For added security, you will know that the wire hooks around the ear.  The tip of the ear wire can be easily checked for sound,  by making sure it is aimed directly into your ear canal.  This feature makes it less likely to disrupt or displace the PSAP itself.

Either way, consumers will be very happy with their Personal Sound Amplifier purchase.  Some consumers will find the I.T.E. PSAP to be more comfortable to wear while other consumers will prefer the B.T.E. PSAP because of its ease of handling and its featherweight also making it very comfortable to wear.  We hope this has given you some help in figuring out which style of PSAP is right for you.   For further information or any other questions regarding PSAP’s please visit our website at www.hear4youtoday.com .

FDA EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEARING AIDS AND PERSONAL SOUND AMPLIFIERS (PSAP)

With an influx of PSAP’s arriving in stores and online, the FDA felt it was necessary to explain to the public, what it saw as the differences between Personal Sound Amplifiers (also known as PSAP) and hearing aids.   For consumers needing a boost, a PSAP can be a very viable option.  They are inexpensive compared to hearing aids, are discreet and work in many types of situations.  The FDA describes the difference below. 

The FDA said “PSAP’s are intended to amplify environmental sound for non-hearing impaired consumers. They are not intended to compensate for hearing impairment. Examples of situations in which PSAPs typically are used include listening to lectures with a distant speaker, listening to soft sounds that would be difficult for normal hearing individuals to hear (e.g. distant conversations, performances, bird watching, and hunting (listening for prey).”

The FDA goes on to say that “PSAPs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or mitigate disease and do not alter the structure or function of the body, they are not devices as defined by in the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.  As such, there is no regulatory classification, product code, or definition for these products (PSAPs)”.

The FDA also states that although both affect our ability to hear sound, “a PSAP is a wearable electronic product that is not intended to compensate for impaired hearing, but rather is intended for non-hearing impaired consumers to amplify sounds in the environment for a number of reasons, such as for recreational activities.”

Personal Sound Amplifiers (PSAP) takes hearing to new levels.  This device was designed to help the average person hear better in noisier environments, reducing the background noise all while amplifying hard-to-hear sounds.  To learn more, please visit www.hear4youtoday.com

Stay Healthy All Winter Long with Hear4YouToday.com

Stay Healthy All Winter Long with Hear4YouToday.com

Staying healthy this winter is a priority as the flu and cold season is upon us.  As the winter settles in and we dream of summer, we at Hear 4YouToday offer great products that will help keep those nasty cold and flu germs under control and help keep you healthy all winter long.

KEEP GERMS IN-CHECK WITH PDI SUPER SANI-HANDS ALC GERMICIDAL DISPOSABLE WIPES

Did you know that your work or home desk harbors a ton of germs, microorganisms, viruses and bacteria?  In order to help keep your desk in tip-top shape this winter, we have a solution.  Our PDI Super Sani-Hands ALC GermicidalDisposable Wipes kill up to 99% of germs after just 2-minutes of contact time.  Keep your keyboard, cell phone, telephone and desk clean with daily use.

KEEP YOUR TELEPHONES CLEAN WITH DISPOSABLE ACOUSTIC EARPHONE COVERS

Providing extra protection from your telephone these Disposable Acoustic Earphone Covers that are hygienic, hypo allergenic, latex-free and acoustically transparent.  These covers allow many different people to use the same handset without sharing germs or bacteria.  Just place a cover on the base of the telephone or on your ear for maximum protection, or both!

Hear4YouToday (www.hear4youtoday.com) is dedicated to providing the very best in products for the hard of hearing, including quality of life products and hearing loss education items. All products offered by Hear4YouToday have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear4YouToday offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price. We will not be undersold! 

Check out these articles about hearing loop technology!

At Here4YouToday.com, we are always scouring the Internet in search of news impacting the hard of hearing, in general, and news about hearing loop technology, in particular.

Hearing loop technology makes it possible for the hard of hearing to enjoy perfect sound quality at theatres, concert halls, playhouses, churches and other public places. In other words, it allows the hard of hearing to enjoy a sense of normalcy that many of us thought impossible.

Here are some recent articles about hearing loop technology. We’ll be sure to post more in the coming weeks and months!

Church in North Carolina the first in its county to offer hearing loop technology

At Bellevue College in Washington State, hearing loop technology is just one enhancement to the quality of life for students and faculty living with disabilities 

In Arizona, those who use hearing loop technology are trying to inform their peers about it within the hard of hearing community

In Tucson, Arizona, hearing loop technology is installed in more than 40 places 

There’s a push in Kentucky to make hearing loop technology available throughout the state 

A church is the first house of worship in Colorado’s Summit County to feature hearing loop technology

Hear4YouToday is dedicated to providing the very best in products for the hard of hearing, including quality of life products and hearing loss education items. All products offered by Hear4YouToday have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear4YouToday offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.

There are lots of ways to stay in touch with H4YT!

If you are of a certain age, you remember when it was unusual for a company to even have a website. Believe it or not, those days weren’t that long ago! But as we welcome in 2013, a business needs a lot more than just a single web presence in order to distinguish itself in an increasingly crowded landscape.

With that in mind, Hear4YouToday.com has embraced social media - Facebook and Twitter, to be exact. We post multiple times per week on both platforms, where we share with our followers and our friends the latest news and deals at Hear4YouToday as well as news stories that are of interest to the hard of hearing and their families and friends. Make sure to follow us and like us to ensure you don’t miss a thing!

Hear4YouToday is dedicated to providing the very best in products for the hard of hearing, including quality of life products and hearing loss education items. All products offered by Hear4YouToday have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear4YouToday offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price. 

Hear4YouToday.com is back up and running after Hurricane Sandy

Like millions of others on the East Coast, Hear4YouToday.com was impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Ninety percent of residents on Long Island, NY, where we are based, lost power - some for up to two weeks or more. And several coastal communities were literally decimated by Sandy and the coastal flooding she wrought.

But Long Islanders are tough and resilient people, and we’re joining our neighbors in bouncing back from the direct hit we absorbed from Mother Nature. Hear4YouToday.com is back operating at 100 percent efficiency and ready to serve all our loyal customers by providing them the best deals on quality of life products for the hard of hearing and their families and loved ones. Visit our website and contact us today to learn more about all that we can do for you!

Hear4YouToday is dedicated to providing the very best in products for the hard of hearing, including quality of life products and hearing loss education items. All products offered by Hear4YouToday have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear4YouToday offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price. 

Preserve your hearing with products from H4YT

While the focus at Hear4YouToday is providing hundreds of products aimed at assisting the hard of hearing, we also consider it our mission to minimize hearing loss by helping people with normal hearing prevent hearing loss.

With that in mind, check out our line of hearing conservation items. You only get one set of ears—make sure they remain in optimal working condition by taking good care of them! Whether you’re a swimmer looking to keep water out of your ears, a frequent flier tired of suffering from that painful popping sensation as the plane ascends and descends or simply a concert goer hoping to enjoy music in as safe a fashion as possible, we have the earplugs and hearing protectors you need to conserve your hearing for decades to come.

Hear4YouToday is dedicated to providing the very best in products for the hard of hearing, including quality of life products and hearing loss education items. All products offered by Hear4YouToday have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear4YouToday offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.

Stay clean—and healthy—with germicidal wipes from H4YT

Everyone knows the first rule of staying healthy is staying clean. This is particularly true for the hard of hearing, who wear hearing aids, earplugs and other assistive devices that can carry germs that lead to infections.

Keep all your hearing products in pristine condition with germicidal wipes from Hear4YouToday. We offer almost a dozen varieties of these wipes, all of which are easily portable and can be used at home or on the road. Most importantly, all of the wipes we carry can be used in everyday situations. Use our wipes to disinfect surfaces and help reduce the risk of infection while ensuring peace of mind for you and your loved ones!

Hear4YouToday is dedicated to providing the very best in products for the hard of hearing, including quality of life products and hearing loss education items. All products offered by Hear4YouToday have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear4YouToday offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.

H4YT ready for the HLAA Convention!

After months of anticipation, the big days are almost here: June 21-24 is the Hearing Loss Association of America Convention in Providence, Rhode Island!

The annual convention is an important event for everyone involved with the hard of hearing community; from those who are battling the effects of hearing loss to those who assist, educate and inform people suffering from diminished hearing.

HLAA will waste little time in getting things underway when Dr. David Myers delivers the keynote address at 5 p.m. June 21. Dr. Myers is an icon among audiologists and those in the hard of hearing community because of his prolific work as an author (he has written 17 books, including "A Quiet World: Living with Hearing Loss") and his status as the creator of the website hearingloop.org. In his keynote address, titled "Accelerating Progress toward the Looping of America and Doubled Hearing Instrument Functionality," Dr. Myers will discuss how support continues to grow for assistive listening compatibility with hearing instruments.

The morning of June 22 will bring another can't-miss event with the research symposium “How the Brain Makes Sense of the World of Sound” in which researchers and medical professionals from Johns Hopkins University will discuss music perception amongst the hard of hearing. The symposium is scheduled for 9 am through noon.

HLAA has plenty of other activities and opportunities for attendees, including an outing to a minor league baseball game as well as the chance to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Click here for more information about the schedule of events at the Hearing Loss Association of America Convention and its various offerings. We hope to see you there!

Check out some of our best-selling products!

While we are thrilled to offer hundreds of products for the hard of hearing at Hear 4 You Today, many visitors—new and returning alike—are most interested in learning about our most popular selections. So with that in mind, here's a look at five products that are easily our best-selling, most popular items:

—Docs ProPlug Non Vented – Medium: These ear plugs allow those participating in swimming and other water sports plenty of comfort and protection during those summer afternoons and evenings! Each ProPlug has a watertight seal and is soft and hypo-allergenic.

—Doc's ProPlug – Medium – Non Vented with Leash: Much like the above item, each ProPlug provides a watertight seal, is hypo-allergenic and provides protection and comfort for swimmers of all ages. However, these ProPlugs have a leash so that wearers can let them rest on the neck. Don’t worry about water getting into the ear plugs—they have no holes, so there's no way for the water to get in there!

—Audiologist's Choice Audio Wipes Disinfectant Towelettes – Canister: Each 160 pack of disinfectant wipes will come in handy cleaning not only hearing aids and other products for the hard of hearing but anything around the house: sinks, toilets, toys, counter tops and much more! There's no alcohol in the towelettes, so rubber and plastic items will not be harmed.

—Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid – Single Jar: A damp or wet hearing aid is an ineffective one, so keep it clean by placing it inside the jar every night. The special molecular sieve pellets in Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid can hold a tremendous amount of moisture and last for months at a time before needing rejuvenation. And when the Dri-Aid needs rejuvenation? The blue indicator pellets will turn opaque!

—Lightweight Plastic Stethoset: Gives parents peace of mind by allowing them to quickly and decisively check the performance of a hearing aid before sending their children off to school. The test takes just 30 seconds and will indicate if the hearing aid is distorted or weakened. The stethoset is a comfortable fit for all wearers and the eartips can be removed easily in order to clean and/or replace them.

Hear 4 You Today (www.hear4youtoday.com) is dedicated to providing the very best in quality of life aids and personal sound amplifier products for the hard of hearing. All items offered by Hear 4 You Today have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear 4 You Today offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.

Amplicom PowerTel 500 Cordless Amplified Telephone

The one thing every person who is hard of hearing seeks is a telephone that is both easy to use and hearing aid compatible while also providing plenty of amplification. The search for that special all-in-one phone is over with the Amplicom PowerTel 500 Cordless Telephone.

No amplified cordless phone matches the versatility of the Amplicom PowerTel 500, which is compatible with hearing aids and also offers a ringer that increases to 90dB as well as the capability to amplify a call up to 35dB. The phone also features several other advantages that make it a must-have for the hard of hearing, including large buttons and a clear LCD (both of which benefit users who have dexterity problems), a Dot Matrix LCD display that contains two lines of text as well as a backlight, a speakerphone on the handset, nine ringer melodies and a clock and alarm function. Just as importantly, the phone is built to last—it can handle up to 11 hours of continuous conversation and 100 hours of standby power. Plus, it features a telephone book with room for 200 names and numbers.

Best of all, this phone is affordable! We are offering it for $119.99, down from a list price of $139.95. This phone has everything for the hard of hearing, so pick one up for yourself and get one for a friend or family member, too!

Hear 4 You Today (www.hear4youtoday.com) is dedicated to providing the very best in quality of life products and personal sound amplifier products for the hard of hearing. All items offered by Hear 4 You Today have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Hear 4 You Today offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.

H4YT to attend the Hearing Loss Association of America Convention

Spring has just begun, but at Here 4 You Today, we’re already eagerly awaiting the start of summer and the Hearing Loss Association of America Convention in Providence, Rhode Island!

The annual event, which will be held from June 21-24, features three days worth of workshops dealing with a variety of topics relevant to the hard of hearing as well as the research symposium “How the Brain Makes Sense of the World of Sound” and the keynote address delivered by author David Myers, Ph.D.

Convention 2012 attendees are also eligible to receive 1.3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the American Academy of Audiology (the Academy). Approval is pending from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

In addition, there will also be a variety of social activities allowing attendees of all ages the opportunity to meet and converse with fellow hard of hearing advocates—including a group outing to a Pawtucket Red Sox (the top minor league team of the Boston Red Sox) game on June 22.

We can’t wait for the Hearing Loss Association of America Convention and we hope you’ll join us there! Click here for more information about the Convention schedule as well as registration and hotel information. And click here to visit the Hearing Loss Association of America homepage.

Here 4 You Today is dedicated to providing the very best in quality of life products and personal sound amplifier products for the hard of hearing. All products offered by Here 4 You Today have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Here 4 You Today offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.

LightOn Mobile Phone Alert

The hard of hearing have long been accustomed to products that make it possible to hear a ringing telephone in their homes. But with mobile phones growing in popularity—and, in many cases, leading people to drop their landline entirely—it is essential that the hard of hearing have a visual aid to alert them when their cell phone is ringing.

Fortunately, Here 4 You Today is now offering the LightOn Mobile Phone Alert, which is compatible with any phone that has a vibrating mode and provides an affordable and efficient way to ensure the hard of hearing never miss a phone call.

The LightOn Mobile Phone Alert is different from other phone alerts in that it responds ONLY to the vibrations of a mobile phone and ignores disturbances and noises from other external sources. The device immediately alerts a user, via a flashing red light, whenever he or she receives a call or SMS on his or her mobile phone. If the user misses the call, the light remains on until he or she realizes it and resets the unit.

The LightOn Mobile Phone Alert also features a cradle that makes it easy to conduct sign language via a video call. Best of all, the system is easily portable and can be installed anywhere—home or on the road—thanks to a portable design that has no plugs and requires no installation. It is powered by just three AA 1.5V batteries.

The LightOn Mobile Phone Alert can be yours for just $69.99--$10 off the list price. Check it out today!

Here 4 You Today is dedicated to providing the very best in quality of life products and personal sound amplifier products for the hard of hearing. All products offered by Here 4 You Today have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Here 4 You Today offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.

Read all about how hearing loop technology is helping the hard of hearing!

One of the most invigorating things we do here at Here 4 You Today is scouring the web for stories about hearing loop technology. It’s exciting to learn about hearing loops getting installed around the world—by municipalities and buildings of all sizes—and the hard of hearing getting an opportunity enjoy the type of crisp sound they thought they’d never experience again. Here are some recent stories about the installation of hearing loop technology:

New Zealand aiming to emulate Australia’s Parliament, which has hearing loop technology

Virginia theatre installs hearing loop technology for “Wicked!” performances

North Carolina assisted living facility features hearing loop technology

Hearing loop technology installed throughout an Indiana church

Upstate New York library is first in area to offer hearing loop technology

Supporting this increasing trend in the renewed popularity of Loop technology, Here4Youtoday is proud to offer personal amplification devices with built-in loop receivers (“T” coils) from Comfort Audio and Bellman & Symfon.

We are checking the web daily for the latest in hearing loop technology news! Make sure to “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the latest information about hearing loop technology!

Here 4 You Today (www.here4youtoday.com) is dedicated to providing the very best in quality of life products and personal sound amplifier products for the hard of hearing. All products offered by Here 4 You Today have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Here 4 You Today offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price. 

Our best-selling product is…

We’re often asked by customers new and old alike to identify our best-selling products. The answers help consumers figure out in which they should invest their hard-earned money.

Lately, the sales numbers suggest you can’t go wrong by ordering jars of our Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid. We’ve dubbed moisture “the enemy of all electronics, especially hearing aids” and it’s the truth. A wet hearing aid—whether from body moisture, dampness or humidity—is an ineffective one and could even be rendered unusable if the moisture ruins the microphone and/or receiver.  In addition, Super Dri-Aid™ can effectively dry wet cell phones and other consumer electronic devices.

Fortunately Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid allows users to dry their hearing aids, every single day. Before going to sleep, just put the hearing aid in the jar, and close it. Super Dri-Aid begins working immediately to remove damaging moisture from the hearing aid. The next morning, you’ll have a dry and ready-to-use hearing aid. Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid also comes in a travel size, which allows users to preserve their hearing aids both at home and on the road.

More good news: The Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid is built to last. Super Dri-Aid can be “rejuvenated” and used over and over again. Super Dri-Aid tells you when to rejuvenate by an easy-to-see color change.

The best news of all: Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid is just $14.45 at Here4YouToday.com—a savings of more than 30 percent off of the Regular suggested list price of $21. So what are you waiting for? Check out Hal-Hen Super Dri-Aid today!

Here 4 You Today is dedicated to providing the very best in quality of life products and personal sound amplifier products for the hard of hearing. All products offered by Here 4 You Today have been carefully selected and tested by our team of experts to provide the optimum combination of usability, functionality and economy. Here 4 You Today offers an exclusive money back guarantee on all products and will match or beat any legitimate competitive price.