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The comprehensive, on-site hearing assessment is the cornerstone
of PrimeSource's AudioCare program to maximize functional hearing and maintain resident independence.
A licensed Audiologist will perform assessments to
determine hearing quality.
If a hearing aid is warranted, PrimeSource will
complete a prior authorization form. The patient’s primary care physician must sign the medical clearance that will be sent to Medicaid with the prior
authorization request.
An Audiologist will dispense and fit the hearing aid to the resident at the facility.
Residents can elect
to participate in the PrimeSource Battery Club to receive four
to six batteries
(depending on type of battery) per hearing aid, every other month.
Adjustments and Repairs
Referrals
Indications for Care
PrimeSource Hearing Aids
PrimeSource Hearing Aid Lab
TotalCare™ Replacement Guarantee
Warranty for Hearing Aids
30-Day, Money Back Guarantee
Audiology News
Sound Information About Age-Related Hearing Loss
Adjustments and Repairs
The PrimeSource-affiliated Audiologist will make any necessary frequency adjustments.
PrimeSource may provide a “loaner” unit (subject to availability) until a hearing aid can be repaired or replaced.
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Referrals
Problems of a medical nature will be referred to the primary care physician, or an ear, nose and throat specialist.
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Indications for Care
Provided by the PrimeSource AudioCare Team
- Speaking in a loud voice.
- Listening to television or radio at high volume.
- Failing to reply to staff or family members.
- Slurred or incoherent speech.
- Ototoxic medications.
- Previous exposure to loud or constant noise.
- Decrease in socialization.
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PrimeSource Hearing Aids
What is a Hearing Aid?
A hearing aid is an electronic, battery-operated device that amplifies and changes sound to allow for improved communication. Hearing aids receive sound through a microphone, which then converts the sound waves to electrical signals. The amplifier increases the loudness of the signals and then sends the sound to the ear through a speaker.
It is important to remember that a hearing aid does not return hearing to normal or “cure” hearing loss.
PrimeSource Hearing Aids Feature
the Latest Digital Technology.
PrimeSource offers digital hearing instruments for sound that is clear and free from distortion. Inside the hearing aid, a computer chip converts the incoming sound into digital code, then analyzes and adjusts the sound based on the patient’s hearing loss and listening needs. The signals are then converted back into sound waves and delivered to the ears. The result is sound that’s more finely tuned to the individual’s hearing loss.
PrimeSource Offers Both In-The-Canal (ITC) and Behind-The-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids.
- Worn in the bowl of the ear, with circuit and ear mold together
in a single piece, the ITE hearing aid takes natural advantage of the shape
of the ear to channel sound down the canal to the eardrum.
- BTE hearing instruments use
a slim tubing that hooks into a custom mold that fits in the patient’s ear canal.
It’s best to let the PrimeSource Audiologist determine which style most precisely meets the patient’s hearing needs.
Hearing Instrument is Custom-Fit to the Patient.
Custom ITE hearing aids are built from an impression
of the patient’s ear canal taken by the Audiologist. The process takes about 10 to 15 minutes. An ear impression is made
by injecting a waxy material into the ear canal and outer portion
of the ear. The material hardens after a few minutes providing a detailed replica of the patient’s ear. The impression is removed and used o make the shell of a hearing instrument that will fit the patient’s ear comfortably.
Sound Bites.
- Based on findings from a hearing evaluation, the hearing aid can be adjusted to select the most appropriate settings for a patient’s hearing loss.
- PrimeSource hearing aids are digital, single-channel devices with volume control and low battery beep.
- PrimeSource hearing aids are covered by a 30-day, money back guarantee; a 90-day warranty; and may be subject to the TotalCare Replacement Guarantee (five years in Indiana, four in Ohio).* Best coverage anywhere!
- Patient receives the hearing aids in a handsome, leatherette box that also contains batteries, a handy cleaning tool and a travel pouch.
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PrimeSource Hearing Aid Lab
Some service providers offer an off-the-shelf solution. Not PrimeSource Healthcare. Hearing aids are crafted by our lab technicians to achieve exacting quality standards and customized to meet the unique needs of the patient.
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TotalCare™ Replacement Guarantee for Hearing Aids
In the event a patient’s hearing aid, regardless of who dispensed it, is lost or for any reason broken beyond repair within five years (four years in Ohio) from the date the hearing aid was first delivered to the patient, PrimeSource will fit and dispense unlimited replacement hearing aid(s) at no cost to the patient, the patient’s family or the facility.*
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Warranty for Hearing Aids
If a hearing aid manufactured by, or for, PrimeSource Healthcare is found defective, please notify PrimeSource within 90 days of the delivery of the item. PrimeSource will repair or replace the hearing aids without charge to the patient, the patient’s family or the facility.
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30-Day, Money Back Guarantee
PrimeSource Healthcare will issue a refund for hearing aids returned for any reason within 30 days from the delivery date. A full refund (100%) is issued for hearing aids returned in “like new condition”, and with all accessories. A 10% restocking fee is assessed for hearing aids not returned in “like-new” condition, or without all the accessories.
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Sound Information About Age-Related Hearing Loss
The popular notion that older people are “hard of hearing” is often true. Hearing loss occurs gradually in most people as they age. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), about one out of every three U.S. adults between the ages of 65 and 75 has a hearing loss. The NIDCD further estimates that about half of people 75 and older have some hearing loss.
Age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis, is commonly caused by gradual changes in the inner ear. As people age, structures of the ear can become less responsive to sound waves, contributing to hearing loss. Sounds often seem less clear and lower in volume for a person with presbycusis. The most common symptoms include:
- Sounds of mumbled or slurred speech by others.
- Difficulty in understanding conversations, particularly when there is background noise.
- Hearing men’s voices more easily than women’s.
- Difficulty in distinguishing high pitched sounds.
- Increased sensitivity to loud noises.
Hearing problems can make it difficult for older people to hear doorbells, car horns and alarms. Hearing loss also can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice or respond to warnings. Its effect on speech communication can reduce a person’s physical, functional, emotional and social well-being. Isolation and depression often accompany hearing loss.
The good news is that there are ways to compensate for presbycusis. There are devices to help people hear and communicate more easily, including the digital hearing aids made by PrimeSource Healthcare. Audiologists know that hearing aids can help individuals with hearing impairment avoid social isolation and other problems associated with hearing difficulties. However, hearing aids are not being used by the majority of older people who could benefit — perhaps out of embarrassment, because the hearing loss is under-diagnosed, or because it is under treated.
Some people perceive that there is a social stigma associated with wearing a hearing aid. Many people who have a hearing impairment are afraid to admit it, or are unaware of the devices available to improve their hearing.
Another reason, hearing aids are a significant financial investment in many cases, and associated with this is the risk of ownership. People are worried about losing or damaging a high-priced investment. Here is where PrimeSource’s TotalCare™ Guarantee for hearing aids becomes so important. If a hearing aid is lost or broken beyond repair, PrimeSource will replace it at no charge to the patient or the patient's family.* Patients will most likely wear their hearing aids more often when the worry is eliminated.
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Career Opportunities • Frequently Asked Questions
*To be eligible for the TotalCare™Replacement Guarantee, a person must reside in a facility contracted with PrimeSource for all four services, consent to all four PrimeSource services and have had initial visits with each PrimeSource-affiliated Provider. TotalCare Guarantee benefits are terminated if a person no longer resides in a contracted facility. PrimeSource Healthcare may seek payment from Medicaid, other insurance or liability when appropriate.
The content of the PrimeSource Healthcare web site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
AudioCare and TotalCare are trademarks of PrimeSource Healthcare Systems, Inc.
©2006 PrimeSource Healthcare Systems, Inc. Information subject to revision.
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