Blog

Insurance consultant explaining Medicare options to senior client at office desk with documents and tablet

<figure id="figure-giuxcpyievmuc0rjn3"><iframe id="giuxcpyievmuc0rjn3" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YSKpxtVYI0w" class="w-full bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://youtu.be/YSKpxtVYI0w" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YSKpxtVYI0w" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><p>Most people I see have no idea what they're entitled to. They assume hearing aids are entirely out of pocket, or they had funding once and think that was the end of it.</p><p>Two programs cover a lot of people in this valley, and both of them renew.</p><h3>What Veterans Affairs Canada covers</h3><p>Hearing aids fall under VAC's Audio Services program, POC 3.</p><p>The policy says the department "will normally replace only one hearing aid per ear in a four-year period." So it isn't a one-time benefit. It comes around again.</p><p>Eligibility isn't automatic and VAC makes that decision, not me. It depends on your service and on your hearing loss meeting their criteria. You need an audiogram completed by a registered audiologist, a physician, an ENT, or a hearing instrument practitioner.</p><p>Early replacement inside the four years can be authorised in some cases, such as when your hearing has changed significantly or a repair doesn't make financial sense.</p><h3>What BC Income Assistance covers</h3><p>If you're on income or disability assistance in BC, hearing instruments are covered as a health supplement.</p><p>The ministry covers up to $2,000 per aid, along with a year's supply of batteries and a one-time replacement allowance of $300 per aid.</p><p>The replacement period is three years, provided replacement is more economical than repair and the aids weren't damaged through misuse.</p><p>Like VAC, it needs an assessment from a registered audiologist or a hearing instrument practitioner.</p><h3>How to know whether you have funding available</h3><p>The simple version: count back.</p><p>Veteran, aids four years old or more? Worth checking.</p><p>On Income Assistance, aids three years old or more? Worth checking.</p><p>Not sure how old they are? Bring them to me and I can usually tell from the device itself.</p><p>You don't need to work out your own eligibility before you call. That's the part people get stuck on, and it's the part I do.</p><h3>What I actually do with the paperwork</h3><p>I handle the VAC and Income Assistance submissions directly. You don't fill in forms, chase approvals or sit on hold.</p><p>What happens on my end is a full diagnostic hearing test, the paperwork, and then the fitting once it's approved. On fitting day I do real-ear verification, which measures what the hearing aid is actually doing inside your ear rather than trusting the manufacturer's default settings.</p><p>Then repairs and follow-up as long as you have them.</p><h3>Where I work</h3><p>I'm Joe Wadden, a Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioner. I've been in the trade for thirty years.</p><p>There's no clinic and no waiting room. I come to you, and the whole appointment happens at your kitchen table, across West Kelowna, Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland and Penticton.</p><p>If it's been more than four years since your last set and you served, or more than three on Income Assistance, it costs you nothing to find out whether there's funding waiting.</p><p><br></p>

Veterans Affairs and Income Assistance Hearing Aid Funding in BC

<figure id="figure-qgnzvc0zpmts3g1ir" class=""><iframe id="qgnzvc0zpmts3g1ir" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZgXh_PUi9Zc" class="w-full bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://youtu.be/ZgXh_PUi9Zc" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZgXh_PUi9Zc" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><p>Road noise, the engine, the tires, and someone talking from the back seat where you cannot see their face. The car is one of the hardest places there is to follow a conversation.</p><p>More than one patient has told me the car is where they first realised something had changed.</p><p>If that sounds familiar, a hearing test will tell you what is going on. I come to your home, anywhere in the Okanagan Valley.</p>

Why Is It So Hard To Hear In The Car?

Otolaryngologist performing ear examination on patient using otoscope in clinical setting

<figure id="figure-uhr29ri3udmthihzb9"><iframe id="uhr29ri3udmthihzb9" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hCJsH-0ojqM" class="w-full bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen data-url="https://youtu.be/hCJsH-0ojqM" data-corners="default" data-fullWidth="false"></iframe></figure><p>One of the more common things I get called about is hearing that dropped off suddenly. Someone woke up and the world sounded muffled on one side, or the TV needed to go up another five notches over the space of a week. It feels like hearing loss arriving all at once.</p><p>Often it is. Sometimes it is earwax.</p><h3>Earwax is supposed to be there</h3><p>Wax is not a hygiene problem. It protects the ear canal, keeps it from drying out, and slowly works its way outward on its own. Most people never need to do anything about it.</p><p>The trouble starts when it stops migrating out and builds up instead. Narrow or bendy ear canals, hearing aids or earbuds worn daily, and simply getting older all make that more likely. Wax also gets drier and harder with age, which makes it more inclined to sit still.</p><p>Once it presses up against the eardrum or fully blocks the canal, sound stops getting through properly.</p><h3>What points to wax</h3><ul><li>The change came on quickly, over days rather than years</li><li>It is noticeably worse in one ear than the other</li><li>Your ear feels full or plugged</li><li>There is ringing, or your own voice sounds boomy in your head</li><li>You wear hearing aids or earbuds most of the day</li></ul><h3>What points to hearing loss</h3><ul><li>It came on gradually, over years</li><li>Both ears are affected fairly evenly</li><li>Voices sound clear enough in a quiet room but not in a restaurant</li><li>You hear that someone is speaking but cannot make out the words</li><li>Other people noticed before you did</li></ul><p>That last one is worth sitting with. Hearing loss usually arrives slowly enough that you adapt without realizing, which is why family often raises it first.</p><h3>Please do not dig it out</h3><p>Cotton swabs push most of the wax further in and pack down what is left. Ear candling does not work and has burned people. Over-the-counter drops soften wax, which helps sometimes, but they cannot tell you what is actually going on in there.</p><p>If your eardrum has a perforation or tubes, home removal can do real damage.</p><h3>What actually happens at a visit</h3><p>I bring a video otoscope, so we look in the ear together on a screen. That takes about a minute and settles the question immediately.</p><p>If it is wax, I remove it and you hear the difference before I leave. If it is not, we do a full diagnostic hearing test right there at your kitchen table, and you get a straight answer about what is going on and what your options are. No commute, no waiting room.</p><p>Plenty of people book expecting a hearing test and turn out to just need their ears cleaned. That is a good day.</p><h3>Book a visit</h3><p>Valley Mobile Hearing Care brings a fully equipped clinic to your home across Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland and Penticton.</p><p>Call or text 778-215-5261, or visit valleymobilehearing.com.</p><p>Joe Wadden, RHIP</p>

Is It Hearing Loss or Just Earwax?

<figure id="figure-ltrsup2tsmmtdy1qjv" class="selected"><iframe id="ltrsup2tsmmtdy1qjv" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_HdaJdarsSI" class="w-full bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://youtube.com/shorts/_HdaJdarsSI" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_HdaJdarsSI" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><p>"I have ringing in my ears." It's one of the most common things patients tell us — and it's a fair question to follow up with: can hearing aids actually help?</p><p>Here's the short answer, straight from a recent video we posted:</p><p>Good news: many modern hearing aids include built-in tinnitus management technology. By amplifying gentle ambient background sounds and providing sound therapy, they can help take the focus off the ringing and offer real relief.</p><p>It's worth being upfront, though: hearing aids don't eliminate tinnitus. What they can do is mask it or make it less noticeable in daily life. In some cases, results vary from person to person — and the only way to truly know what to expect is to come in and try a set, so we can see what happens in your particular case.</p><p>If ringing in your ears has been bothering you, give us a call — we'll walk through your options together.</p>

Can Hearing Aids Help With Ringing in Your Ears?

Audiologist positioning specialized headphones on patient for hearing assessment test overhead view

<figure id="figure-2a7om81guomsupm5ed"><iframe id="2a7om81guomsupm5ed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JhVl0TJj2E8" class="w-full bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhVl0TJj2E8" data-corners="default" data-fullWidth="false"></iframe></figure><p>The Quick Answer</p><p>"People often ask me, 'Joe, what are you actually bringing into my house?' I carry a complete state-of-the-art hearing clinic directly to your kitchen table. That includes a clinical audiometer, advanced fitting equipment, and a digital video otoscope to run a complete diagnostic on your hearing. The best part? We test your hearing in real life, right where you actually listen every day."</p><p>What Equipment Comes to Your Home?</p><p>Transitioning from a traditional clinic to an in-home assessment doesn't mean sacrificing clinical precision. At Valley Mobile Hearing Care, we bring the exact same diagnostic technology found in brick-and-mortar offices across the Okanagan, portably calibrated for mobile care:</p><p>High-Definition Video Otoscope: A specialized micro-camera that lets us look inside your ear canal together on a screen to instantly identify earwax buildup, blockages, or structural issues.<br>Clinical Audiometer: Hospital-grade diagnostic equipment calibrated to map your exact hearing thresholds for tones and speech clarity.<br>Real-Ear Measurement (REM) Tools: Probe-tube microphone systems that ensure your hearing aid prescription is scientifically verified against the unique physical acoustics of your ear canal.<br>Why Kitchen-Table Testing Beats a Soundproof Booth</p><p>In a standard retail hearing center, your hearing is evaluated inside a soundproof box. While this isolates pure tones, it is completely artificial. You don't live in a soundproof booth—you live in a real house with hardwood floors, humming air conditioners, and background chatter.</p><p>By testing and fitting your hearing aids directly at your kitchen table, we calibrate your devices against your actual living environment. Plus, you completely eliminate highway traffic, stressful winter driving, and long waits in crowded waiting rooms.</p><p>Ready for professional hearing care brought straight to your door?</p><p>Book an in-home evaluation with Valley Mobile Hearing Care at valleymobilehearing.com or call us directly at 778-215-5261.</p>

What Actually Happens During a Mobile Hearing Clinic Visit?

Audiologist's hands demonstrating small hearing aid device to patient during personalized consultation in clinical setting

<figure id="figure-j3i6akmldmsup64a4"><iframe id="j3i6akmldmsup64a4" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lDal18Mf-40" class="w-full bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDal18Mf-40" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lDal18Mf-40" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><p>The Quick Answer</p><p>"Will my hearing aids whistle or feel uncomfortable? Not if they're fitted properly. Whistling is</p><p>just acoustic feedback. It happens when sound leaks out past a poor seal and gets reamplified by the microphone. We solve that by choosing the exact right dome or custom mold for your ear canal geometry to create a comfortable, secure seal. Then I run Real-Ear Measurement to make sure the sound stays where it belongs."</p><p>Why Do Hearing Aids Whistle in the First Place?</p><p>That annoying high-pitched squeal is called acoustic feedback. It occurs when sound amplified inside your ear canal leaks back out and gets re-captured by the hearing aid's microphone, creating a continuous sound loop.</p><p>Common causes of feedback include:</p><p>Generic Rubber Domes: Using a standard off-the-shelf dome when your ear anatomy requires a custom-molded fit.<br>Earwax Buildup: Excess cerumen (earwax) blocks sound waves from reaching your eardrum, bouncing the sound directly back out of your ear canal.<br>Improper Insertion: The device isn't seated deeply enough or has shifted out of place.<br>How We Stop Whistling with Real-Ear Measurement (REM)</p><p>Whistling should never be something you just "live with." At Valley Mobile Hearing Care, we eliminate feedback through precise physical and digital matching. We evaluate your unique ear canal geometry, fit custom ear molds when necessary, and perform gold-standard Real-Ear Measurement (REM) probe tube testing.</p><p>REM measures sound pressure millimeters from your eardrum to ensure amplified sound stays inside your ear where it belongs.</p><p>Tired of dealing with squealing or uncomfortable hearing aids?</p><p>Book an in-home evaluation with Valley Mobile Hearing Care at valleymobilehearing.com or call us directly at 778-215-5261.</p>

Will My Hearing Aids Whistle or Feel Uncomfortable?

Valley Mobile Hearing Care