I love Costco- really I do. I try and buy everything I can there. Truck, food, churros- they do ALMOST everything better than anyone. The HUGE exception to that is when it comes to hearing aids. Sorry Costco- Metro Hearing and Dr. Halterman cannot be beat.
Here's why.
My awesome Mom was having difficulties hearing conversations, and when we would go dining she would really struggle to discern words with loud background. I wanted to get her some hearing aids, but she's a stubborn Irishwoman who takes no BS from anyone.
NPR has a big article detailing the link between hearing loss and brain decline. Long story short, when your ears stop hearing, your brain doesn't need to process info and work as much, so the brain declines in an alarming rate.
Learning this info really motivated me to convince my Mom to have her hearing assessed with a real Doctor of Audiology. I did a ton of research and learned that Costco has Audiology technicians and salespeople, NOT legit Doctors of Audiology. While I love saving money as much as the next guy, I'm a firm believer not to be cheap when getting body armor, parachutes, and health professional services.
My Mom sacrificed so much to raise me and my siblings, and she deserved the best care, not a salesperson who is out of their league. I was told about Metro Hearing and Dr. Halterman and made an appointment.
I brought my Mom to her appointment and Dr. Halterman was amazing. The hearing assessment was very comprehensive and took about 1.5 hours. After the testing, Dr. Halterman showed the results of the testing on a big TV, and did an excellent job of explaining what the results were. Then Dr. Halterman popped in some hearing aids so my Mom could see/hear the difference. It was so amazing to see her hearing correctly for the first time in years.
Dr. Halterman then discussed a wide array of hearing aids that can help. There was ZERO pressure to buy anything. None. You can tell that she truly cares about her profession and helping people hear better.
After reviewing several options, we selected a pair of hearing aids that provided a great array of options for my Mom. They are adjustable so in a year or so they can be adjusted digitally louder or softer. It was amazing to see Dr. Halterman work her magic with the computer so the hearing aids are fine tuned. It's worth noting these devices aren't cheap- but truly it's a case of "You get what you pay for". My Mom is worth any amount of money to keep her hearing and have her brain firing on all cylinders. In addition to the first appointment, we came back three times after for fine tuning and check ups with the device.
Sorry this is so long, but I really wanted to paint a clear picture of the process. I also feel the amazing level of service and care Dr. Halterman showed makes this review worthy of the detail. If you or a loved one has hearing issues- do yourselves a favor and make an appointment with Dr. Halterman. She is a dedicated, warm, friendly professional who has dedicated her career to helping people hear the best they can.
So, Costco is a great place for most everything- with one notable exception. See Dr. Halterman for any hearing needs- you won't be disappointed and your ears and brain will thank you! read more