MyLife Hearing Aids Friendly Service At The Best Prices  

Properly working and fitting hearing aids are a blessing. But when they don't work or fit properly, they often end up in a drawer. Michael and Cathy Roberson have recently opened MyLife Hearing Aids in Carterville and made it their mission to help people hear well, comfortably, and at a reasonable price.

According to Michael, reasons for hearing loss vary from head trauma and diseases to medication and just the natural aging of the body. Even cold water experienced by swimmers can change the size of the ear canal and affect hearing. Some symptoms of hearing loss are: having trouble hearing in crowds; people telling you the TV is too loud; thinking people are mumbling; regularly asking people to repeat what they are saying; and conversation and sounds are blurred.

High prices are one of the biggest problems with hearing aids, but at MyLife, prices start at $495, and they will beat any competitor's price by 15% on the same or similar models. The reason why MyLife can offer such great prices is they work directly with Starkey Laboratories, the largest hearing aid manufacturer in the U.S.

"Hearing aid technology has improved by leaps and bounds from five years ago," reported Michael. "With the old analog type, you often had whistling or when picking up the phone, you'd get ringing from the feedback. Starkey has the best feedback cancelation technology, so you don't have to deal with that anymore."

Cathy Roberson is a registered nurse, and she has worked in emergency rooms at St. Joseph's Hospital, Well-Star Kennestone and Cartersville Medical. Michael is a civil engineer and a residential contractor. When an opportunity arose to create a family business and franchise with MyLife, they jumped in with both feet. In addition to their first store in Cartersville, the Roberson's plan to open another location on Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw by David's Bridal in July and another in Smyrna in September. In all, they plan to open seven stores total, including Rome, Douglasville, Roswell and Dalton.

Michael and Cathy have a great desire to help people, and they want people who visit MyLife and feel at home. They welcome new arrivals just like in their own home with a friendly "hello" and coffee and snacks. More than anything, they want people to feel like friends rather than customers. To them, the bottom line is not about money, but about service and helping people.

"It's all about patient needs," Michael explained. "We are going to provide great care and a quality instrument. Cathy and I love working with people and helping them so they can hear their grandchildren laughing or the birds singing."

Sometimes, a new hearing aid isn't needed, just a good cleaning, which they are happy to do, free of charge. "Just like your house or your car, a hearing aid needs regular maintenance, too. They can get clogged and need to be cleaned," said Michael, "so we show everyone how to clean them and send them home with a cleaning kit."

To find out if new aids are needed, MyLife provides free hearing tests to make sure. Even though they use the latest computer technology, MyLife tests hearing an old-fashioned way ­ with a ten-word test. Rather than having people respond to the sounds of beeps and buzzes, this test has a friend or loved one stand behind the person being tested (so they can't read their lips) and repeat ten words. These are simple everyday words, but they are easily misunderstood if a person has a hearing loss.

"The test is a wake up call. People are amazed at how many words they miss."

After complete testing, the results yield an audiogram which is input into a computer that creates a "best fit," or the best settings for the hearing aid. When the aid is set properly, the staff at MyLife then does a sound check by speaking with the patient and making manual adjustments to the settings, ensuring they get the best sound possible. Michael and Cathy want their friends to go away happy and hearing well.

In addition, MyLife hearing aids come with a free full year warranty against defects, and cleanings are free that year. Additional insurance against breakage or loss is also available. Also, MyLife can send any hearing aid to Starkey for repair for $150 to $300, and this includes a six-month warranty.

With hearing, time is always of the essence, so patients can walk out with a behind-the-ear model or an over-the-ear model right after their hearing exam. Custom-made, in-the-ear models are ready in 48 to 72 hours. People are welcome to come in any time, even without an appointment, but they would appreciate a call ahead of time.

"When it comes right down to it, we want to improve the quality of life for friends," Michael said, and everyone is a friend at MyLife Hear Aids.

MyLife Hearing Aids is located at 40 Slopes Drive in the Shoppes at Cinema Square beside the movie theater, and they are open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. They can be contacted at 770-607-1745.