PEI Improves Quality of Life for Mother and Daughter

As mother and daughter, 91-year-old Miriam and 64-year-old Amy Finkel share many things in common – a sense of humor, unique style and a love of family. The pair also shares similarities with regard to their health - both women are among the growing number of Americans dealing with the effects of hearing loss.

According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, approximately 48 million Americans report some degree of difficulty hearing. While the extent of Miriam and Amy’s hearing loss may differ, they were both led to the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) for care.

Miriam had worn hearing aids before but she noticed that her devices weren’t working as well as she would’ve liked. Disappointed with her poor functioning devices, Miriam stopped wearing her hearing aids all together – that is until her granddaughter Kate, a Salus employee herself, recommended PEI.  

“I used to be the president of Keneseth Israel – the synagogue across the street. I’m very familiar with Salus so I said, ‘Let’s give them a try,’ and I’m glad that I did,” Miriam said.

Miriam received a full diagnostic check of her hearing aids. The devices were reprogrammed to properly suit her level of hearing loss and readjusted to provide a more comfortable and secure fit in the ear.

According to her family, the improvements have made a world of a difference.

“We were at a restaurant and for the first time in a long time, she had to ask me to quiet down,” her granddaughter said.

It was that same granddaughter who also noticed that her mother Amy had difficulty hearing. However unlike Miriam, Amy was unaware of the extent of her hearing trouble.

“I didn't realize how much my hearing had diminished as it happened very slowly,” Amy said.

Her experience is common and she is not alone. Hearing loss usually happens gradually and sometimes it can take several years for someone to notice there is an issue and to seek help. Under the recommendation of her daughter, Amy came to PEI for a comprehensive hearing evaluation. While her hearing loss wasn’t severe, Amy was advised that hearing aids would be the best solution.

“I was surprised because I didn’t think I needed hearing aids,” Amy said.

After getting fitted with her hearing aids, Amy was able to get them connected to her smartphone using Bluetooth technology. While she’s still adjusting to wearing her devices, Amy says she’s definitely noticed an improvement.

“Now I can tell the difference. I can definitely hear better and I don’t have to worry about missing out on conversations,” she said.

Both mother and daughter say they were impressed with the comprehensive care and attention to detail that they received at PEI.

“I’m delighted - my hearing aids will help me professionally as well as personally,” said Amy. “I’m very happy with the care I received.”

“The care was excellent,” Miriam added. “Everyone was very professional, very personal and very precise – I’m very pleased with the results.”

If you or someone you know has hearing concerns, PEI offers a wide range of services including comprehensive hearing evaluations and hearing aid dispensing, fitting and repair. For more information on PEI’s services or to schedule an appointment, call 215.780.3180.