Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
HEARING LOSS
Loss of hearing is often a gradual process. If you have any of the following examples of symptoms, you may have a hearing loss.
- You can hear but cannot understand.
- You find it difficult to hear conversations in a noisy environment.
- You feel that people mumble.
- You often ask people for repeats.
- You need to turn up the television to hear clearly.
- You misinterpret what is said over the telephone.
- You have ringing or noises in your ears.
Hearing loss can be caused by many reasons. The most common cause is the normal aging process or exposure to loud noises (often in the work place or leisure). Hearing loss can also be caused by a build-up of wax, a middle ear infection, trauma or congenital reasons.
ELIGIBILITY
You are eligible to access services under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program (HSP) if you are an Australian citizen or a permanent resident older than 21 years old and you are one of the following categories:
- a Pensioner Concession Card holder
- a recipient of a Sickness Allowance from Centrelink
- a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Repatriation Health Card holder
- a Department of Veterans’ Affairs White Repatriation Health Card holder for conditions that include hearing loss
- a dependent of a person in one of the above categories
- a member of the Australian Defense Force
- a referred client of an Australian Government funded vocational rehabilitation service.
To check if you are eligible, visit here
You can apply by
- Visiting the Hearing Services Program (HSP) website online AND
- Obtaining a referral and medical certificate from your general practitioner.
For more information or help with the application process, you can contact us at Rowville Hearing on 03 9763 8828 and we can guide you through the process.
If you are not eligible to be assessed under the HSP, a private consultation fee will apply depending on the type of appointment. You may also be able to utilize your private health insurance fund depending on your level of cover. Please ring us for more information.
REPAIRS/BATTERIES
For HSP clients, we offer an annual government subsidized maintenance package which provides batteries and minor repairs for the whole year.
For private clients, batteries can be purchased through us privately.
HEARING DEVICES
If you are eligible under HSP, there is a range of fully subsidized hearing devices available for your selection. If you choose a top-up hearing aid, which is higher in technology and features, you will have to partially contribute to the cost of the hearing devices.
If you are not eligible for a hearing services voucher and are seen privately, you will be required to pay for the full cost of the hearing device. You may also want to check with your health insurance to find out how much of the costs can be claimed.
Top-Up hearing aids have extra features which will benefit you depending on your listening needs and goals. These aids range in sizes, and include the smallest and most discreet hearing aids available. During your appointment, our professional practitioner will discuss your needs and goals, and assess the benefits of top-up hearing aids with you.
An Assistive Listening Device (ALD) is usually a system where the audio source is transmitted wirelessly or via infrared over an FM frequency. The receiving listener may use a FM receiver device to listen at a preferred volume. An ALD is used to provide hearing ability in various listening situations. An ALD can assist people in hearing the television and other audio systems, and also speech through public address (PA) systems such as in school, a lecture or church.
HEARING APPOINTMENT
An initial hearing assessment appointment will involve a full comprehensive hearing test to measure your ability to hear sounds across different frequencies. If a hearing loss is determined, our Audiologist practitioner will explain your hearing test results, and discuss the options and recommendations of hearing devices according to your needs. The health of your middle ears will also be checked, together with other necessary tests.
If a hearing loss is detected and you decide to proceed with a hearing device fitting, a second appointment will be arranged for a hearing device fitting. During this appointment, your hearing device will be optimally adjusted to your hearing loss and needs. Our Audiologist will guide you through the management and operation of the devices.
You will be given the opportunity to utilize the hearing aids for several weeks in your regular environment. A third appointment will be arranged for a follow-up for further adjustments and assistance. You will also be eligible for further follow-up appointments to maximize the benefits of the hearing aids.
An initial hearing assessment appointment takes up to an hour. A fitting appointment may take up to an hour as well, and a follow-up appointment takes half an hour.
We are able to extend our services beyond the clinic to clients who are unable to travel to the hearing centre due to illness or injury.
An audiogram is a graph that shows the softest sounds (in decibels) a person can hear across different frequencies (from 250Hz to 8000Hz). With results from an audiogram, our hearing practitioner can determine the degree and type of hearing loss.