Why would I do this? Why would I leave a great job
with a great company here in my community and take the
risk of opening my own practice? Why would I change
something I've been doing successfully for the past four
That's what I asked myself, and it’s certainly what my
wife asked me when I decided to start my own hearing
aid practice. I had thought about it for a year or so but
was never ready to take this leap until a patient of mine,
a wonderful man who is also a friend, said to me, “These
hearing aids are marked up too high. They are overpriced!
Why don't you break the mold and sell them at a
reasonable price? An affordable price.”
He had given me that last little push I needed to step
out and start my own hearing aid practice, Affordable
Hearing Help, selling quality, major-brand hearing aids
at an affordable price. I can't count the number of people
a major hearing aid company who knew they needed
hearing aids and wanted to hear better with the help of
hearing aids but would not, or could not, pay the high
price of those hearing aids. The main thing that separates
me and my business from most major retailers is my lower
price. My overhead is very low, and I plan to keep it that
way, so I can keep my prices low. When I talk about low
prices, I'm not talking about hundreds lower. I’m talking
about thousands lower – often at a 50% discount! Low
prices mean I can help more people afford the hearing
help they need.
Besides low prices, I treat people the way I want to
be treated – the Golden Rule. I think more in terms of
communication loss rather than hearing loss. Hearing is
a huge part of communication, and if there’s a hearing
problem, there’s a communication problem.
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, here’s a
Valentine’s Day tip: Hearing aids improve relationships
because they improve communication. Communication
is a cornerstone of any healthy relationship, and if you
can't hear the person you love, it is a challenge to listen
and understand. In fact, a great percentage of hearingimpaired
people over age 55 report that relations with a
spouse, family members and friends had suffered due to
hearing loss.
While it’s easy to make jokes about selective hearing,
the startling reality is that for those age 65 or older, about
1 in 3 people experience a hearing loss, according to the
Hearing Loss Association of America. Across the country,
approximately 48 million Americans suffer from hearing
loss, but only 1 in 5 gets help for that loss. One reason for
this is hearing loss isn’t necessarily deafness. Most with a
but they don’t understand, especially in noisy situations
like parties, family gatherings, and restaurants. Joining
social situations or pretend they understand what is
being said.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has a
hearing problem, have them come see me for a complete
hearing evaluation. It’s free of charge, and it may be life
changing. Simply call me, William Morehouse at
(813) 395-6764 to set an appointment or to learn more about
Affordable Hearing Help. Visit us at 6144 Abbott Station Dr.
in Zephyrhills, across from the YMCA.
ZEPHYRHILLS TODAY | January / February 2019 13