What to Expect at Casco Bay Hearing
You Took the First Step. Here Is What Happens Next.
Most people live with hearing changes for years before taking the step to have them evaluated — and that is completely understandable. Hearing loss often changes gradually, and it is easy to adapt, compensate, and tell yourself it is not that bad yet. For many people, the idea of walking into a hearing clinic carries its own set of concerns — about what they might find out, what it might cost, or what it might mean about getting older.
What many people don't realize is that the longer hearing changes go unaddressed, the more the brain adapts to receiving less sound input — and not in a helpful way. Research shows that auditory deprivation over time can affect the brain's ability to process and interpret speech, even after amplification is introduced. The brain operates on a principle of use it or lose it — and the longer the auditory pathways go without adequate stimulation, the harder it becomes to relearn how to interpret sound clearly. Delayed treatment allows auditory deprivation to take root, making future rehabilitation significantly more difficult and the adjustment to amplification more challenging. Early attention to hearing health — even simply understanding where you stand — is genuinely one of the most important things you can do for your long-term wellbeing.
At Casco Bay Hearing, we want you to know that taking this step is genuinely worthwhile — and that we have designed every part of your experience here to feel comfortable, unhurried, and completely without pressure. Whether you are here to understand your hearing better, to explore your options, or simply because someone you trust encouraged you to come — you are in the right place.
Source: National Institutes of Health; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); PMC — Neural Effects of Auditory Deprivation and Restoration
Hearing Loss Is Not Just for Older Adults
One of the most persistent myths about hearing loss is that it is an older person's condition. The reality tells a very different story — and it is one that affects people of every age and background.
According to the CDC, approximately 12% of adults between the ages of 18 and 39 already report difficulty following conversations in background noise. Research from 2023 shows that 17% of teenagers and 19% of people in their 20s show signs of noise-induced hearing loss. Studies show that approximately 10% of Millennials and 17% of Gen Z already have some degree of hearing loss in the United States — driven in large part by prolonged headphone use, music streaming at unsafe volumes, gaming, and regular exposure to loud environments. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 1.35 billion young people globally are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening habits.
At Casco Bay Hearing, we regularly see patients across the full spectrum of ages — from young adults navigating hearing changes for the first time to those in midlife who have been quietly compensating for years. Hearing care is not a one-size-fits-all experience, and neither is the technology.
Modern hearing aids are a far cry from the devices of previous generations. Today's hearing aids are sleek, smart, and designed to fit seamlessly — or boldly — into your life. For patients who want something discreet, today's smallest devices are virtually invisible when worn. For patients who want to make a statement, hearing aids are available in bold colors, metallic finishes, and can be paired with accessories like Deaf Metal jewelry — pieces designed specifically to complement and celebrate hearing technology rather than hide it. Hearing aids can be a reflection of your personality, your style, and your identity.
Connectivity is another area where modern hearing aids have transformed the experience for younger wearers. Direct streaming from smartphones, tablets, televisions, and other devices means your hearing aids work seamlessly with the technology already central to your daily life — for music, calls, podcasts, gaming, and everything in between.
Hearing loss at any age deserves attention, care, and solutions that fit the life you actually live. Whatever your age, whatever your lifestyle — you are welcome here.
Source: CDC; 2023 Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Research; World Health Organization; TruHearing Hearing Loss in the Workplace Survey, 2024
Before Your Appointment
Scheduling
You can schedule your appointment by calling us directly or booking online. We offer extended hours beyond typical clinic schedules to accommodate working individuals and busy lifestyles — so finding a time that works for you should never be a barrier to getting the care you deserve.
Which Appointment Is Right for You?
We offer several ways to get started depending on where you are in your hearing health journey:
Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation & Consultation — Our most common first appointment and the one we recommend for most new patients. This includes a full hearing evaluation conducted for the purpose of understanding your hearing and guiding appropriate hearing care recommendations, a communication needs assessment, and a thorough consultation to review your results and discuss your options together. This appointment is never rushed — we build in plenty of time so you never feel hurried.
Consultation with Existing Audiogram — If you have had a hearing evaluation performed elsewhere within the past 12 months, you are welcome to bring that audiogram with you and we can proceed directly to a consultation based on your existing results. A hearing evaluation is considered a valid prescription for hearing care purposes for 12 months — or 6 months with certain insurance plans. If your results are older than that, or if you are unsure, we will recommend a new evaluation to ensure your care is based on current and accurate information.
Consultation Only — No Evaluation Required — Not everyone who comes to Casco Bay Hearing needs a hearing test. If you already have hearing aids and want to discuss your current experience, explore updated options, or simply ask questions — or if you would like to have a conversation about hearing health before committing to any testing — a consultation-only appointment is available. There is no obligation, no pressure, and no test required. Sometimes the most valuable first step is simply a conversation.
Not sure which appointment type is right for you? Just give us a call, or send us an email, and we will help you find the right starting point.
What to Bring
To make the most of your first visit, please bring:
- A photo ID and insurance card, if applicable
- Any previous hearing test results or audiograms you have
- A list of current medications, as some can affect hearing
- A trusted family member or close friend if you would like — having someone you trust present during the consultation can be genuinely helpful and is always encouraged.
Downloadable Forms
To save time at your appointment, you are welcome to download and complete your intake paperwork in advance. The following documents are available here:
Your Privacy & Continuity of Care
Your health information is handled with the utmost confidentiality in full accordance with HIPAA regulations. Our complete Notice of Privacy Practices is available for download above and will also be provided at your first appointment. We take your privacy seriously and are always happy to answer any questions you have about how your information is used and protected.
We also believe that hearing care is most effective when it is part of a broader, coordinated healthcare picture. With your permission, we are happy to communicate with your primary care provider, specialist, or other members of your healthcare team — sharing relevant findings and supporting the kind of whole-person, collaborative care that leads to the best outcomes. You are always in control of what is shared and with whom, and communication with other providers only ever happens with your explicit consent.
Your First Visit — Step by Step
Arrival & Initial Conversation
Your appointment begins with a warm welcome and an unhurried conversation. Before any testing begins, we want to hear from you — about your listening experiences, the situations where communication feels difficult, your daily lifestyle, your concerns, and what brought you in today. This conversation is not a formality. It shapes everything that follows and ensures your care begins with a genuine understanding of you as a whole person — not just a set of test results.
Visual Ear Canal Assessment
Before any hearing testing begins, we take a careful look into your ear canals to check for factors that could affect your hearing or the accuracy of your evaluation — including wax buildup, signs of infection, unusual findings, or anything else that warrants attention. This step is simple, comfortable, and important — and it occasionally reveals findings that are best addressed by a physician or other medical professional before proceeding with hearing care. When that is the case, we refer promptly and appropriately. Depending on what we observe, referrals may be made to your primary care provider or an ear, nose, and throat specialist for evaluation of conditions such as:
- Excessive or impacted wax requiring professional removal
- Signs of ear infection or inflammation
- Drainage or other findings requiring medical assessment
- Any other observations that suggest a physician's evaluation is warranted before proceeding
At Casco Bay Hearing, your overall health always comes first. If something we observe suggests a medical condition that may be correctable — something that could be better addressed by a physician or primary care team rather than hearing technology — we will tell you clearly and refer you to the appropriate provider. Hearing aids are not always the answer, and we will never recommend them when something else may better serve your health.
The Hearing Evaluation
Hearing testing takes place in a sound-treated booth designed to provide a quiet, controlled environment for accurate results. The evaluation is conducted for the purpose of understanding your hearing and guiding appropriate hearing care recommendations — assessing how you hear across different frequencies and listening conditions, including speech-in-noise testing to understand how your hearing performs in the real-world environments that matter most to you. Every step is explained clearly as we go, so you always know what is happening and why. Nothing about the process should feel intimidating — it is straightforward, comfortable, and designed to give us the most complete and accurate picture of your hearing possible. It is worth noting that some findings identified during a hearing evaluation may suggest conditions best evaluated by a physician or other medical professional. When that is the case, we do not hesitate to refer. Your hearing health and your overall health are connected — and we take both seriously.
Reviewing Your Results
After testing, we sit down together to go through your results in detail. We explain what your results show in plain, everyday language — what they mean for your daily life, your communication, and your overall hearing health. We answer every question you have and take the time to make sure you leave with a clear and complete understanding of where your hearing stands. If your results suggest that the most appropriate next step is a referral to a physician or other medical professional rather than hearing aids — for example, if findings indicate a potentially medically treatable condition — we will discuss that clearly and help connect you with the right provider. Our goal is always to guide you toward the most appropriate care for your individual situation, whatever that looks like. If hearing aids are likely to be beneficial, this is also where we begin discussing your options — always at your pace and always without pressure.
The In-Office Hearing Aid Demonstration
One of the most meaningful parts of a first visit at Casco Bay Hearing is the opportunity to experience hearing aids firsthand — right here in the office, before making any decisions whatsoever. Many people who have never worn hearing aids genuinely cannot imagine what a difference they might make. That is not a criticism — it is simply the nature of gradual hearing change. When you adapt slowly over months and years, you stop noticing what you are missing.
Over the years, one of the most rewarding moments in this work is watching what happens when someone hears clearly for the first time in a long time — right here in the office during a demonstration. There is a moment when something shifts. The body relaxes. The shoulders drop. A slow, quiet breath. The expression softens into something that looks a lot like relief. It happens regularly, and it never gets old. That is the moment when it becomes real — not an abstract promise, but a lived experience happening right now.
That kind of result is not accidental. Achieving it consistently requires both the right technology and the expertise to fit it correctly. A proper hearing aid fitting is as much an art form as it is a science — shaped by years of clinical experience, a genuine understanding of each patient's unique hearing profile, and a commitment to staying current with the latest research, technology, and best practices. At Casco Bay Hearing, continuing education is not just a licensing requirement — it is a professional standard. Jacqueline actively pursues education well beyond what is required to maintain licensure in three states, across a range of clinical areas, because the patients who sit across from her deserve nothing less.
The in-office demonstration gives you real, firsthand information to help you make a truly informed decision about whether hearing aids are right for you and what level of technology actually makes a meaningful difference in your specific listening situations. It is not a sales tool — it is one of the most powerful educational experiences we can offer. Come experience the difference for yourself.
If Hearing Aids Are the Right Next Step
Building Your Treatment Plan
If hearing aids are recommended and you decide to move forward, we build a treatment plan together — selecting the right style, technology level, and manufacturer based on your evaluation results, lifestyle, communication goals, and budget. Every option is explained clearly and honestly. There is never any pressure to decide on the spot, and there is never a recommendation made that goes beyond what your hearing and your life actually call for.
Ordering & Turnaround
Most hearing aids are available within a few days for standard orders. Custom devices — which are made from ear impressions taken in office — typically arrive within approximately two weeks. We will give you a clear timeline at the time of your fitting appointment so you always know what to expect.
Your Fitting Appointment
Fitting appointments are scheduled for a full 60 minutes — because a proper fitting is not something that should be rushed. This is one of the most important appointments in your hearing care journey and we treat it that way. During your fitting we will:
- Walk through how your new hearing aids work, how to care for them, and how to get the most out of them in your daily life
- Perform Real Ear Measurement (REM) verification to ensure your devices are calibrated precisely to your unique ears — not programmed to an average
- Review connectivity, controls, and any accessories or features relevant to your devices
- Address every question you have before you leave
You will not leave your fitting appointment feeling confused or overwhelmed. We make sure of that.
Your 30-Day Adjustment Period
All hearing aids come with a 30-day adjustment period — time to wear your new devices in your real life and experience how they perform in the environments and situations that matter most to you. Adjusting to better hearing is a process, and we stay with you through every step of it.
During your adjustment period, we schedule follow-up visits to fine tune your devices, address any comfort or sound quality concerns, and support your adaptation to better hearing. Appointments during this period are as frequent as you need them to be — we are not satisfied until things feel right.
If at the end of your 30-day period hearing aids are not the right fit for you, we will work with you on next steps. Our goal is your success — not a completed transaction.
Ongoing Care — For the Long Term
Hearing care at Casco Bay Hearing does not end after your 30-day adjustment period. Your hearing needs will evolve over time, and your care should evolve with them.
Continued Follow-Up & Service Plans — Regular follow-up visits, fine tuning, adjustments, and routine maintenance are available on a fee-for-service basis or as part of a structured 1-Year or 3-Year Care Plan. We discuss which approach makes the most sense for you as part of your treatment plan conversation — so you always have a clear picture of what your ongoing care looks like and what it includes.
Prescription Updates — Just as an eyeglass prescription can change over time, your hearing prescription can change too. If your hearing shifts in the months or years following your initial fitting, we can perform an updated evaluation and reprogram your hearing aids to reflect your current hearing needs — often extending the useful life of your existing devices without requiring new technology.
Device Maintenance & Support — Routine cleanings, wax guard and dome replacements, professional moisture management with our Redux Pro drying system, in-house repairs, and manufacturer repair coordination are all available as part of your ongoing care — keeping your hearing aids performing at their best for as long as possible.
Care for Patients with Hearing Aids from Other Providers — Whether you are a long-term patient who has been with us for years or someone who purchased hearing aids elsewhere and is simply looking for reliable, high-quality ongoing care — you are always welcome here. We provide support and service for all major hearing aid brands and will always give you the same standard of thorough, personalized attention regardless of where your devices came from.
Real Ear Measurement — The Gold Standard You Deserve
Most providers skip this step. We never do.
One of the most important — and most frequently skipped — steps in a hearing aid fitting is called Real Ear Measurement (REM). At Casco Bay Hearing, REM is performed at every single fitting, without exception. Here's why that matters.
What is Real Ear Measurement?
Real Ear Measurement is a verification process in which a tiny probe microphone is placed in your ear canal alongside your hearing aid. This allows us to measure the actual sound levels being delivered to your eardrum — not what the manufacturer's software predicts, and not what an average ear canal might receive. Because every ear canal is shaped differently, default hearing aid settings frequently miss the mark in ways that aren't immediately obvious to the patient.
REM allows us to fine-tune your hearing aids to your exact hearing prescription, your unique ear anatomy, and your real-world listening needs — with objective, measurable data rather than guesswork.
Why does it matter that so few providers do this?
The numbers are striking. Despite being recognized as a best practice by both the American Academy of Audiology and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, fewer than 30% of hearing care providers perform Real Ear Measurement consistently. Studies show that without REM verification, nearly half of all patients are fit with hearing aids that don't match their prescription — meaning the technology they invested in is never performing the way it should. When REM is used, the results speak for themselves: patients experience significantly better speech understanding, higher satisfaction, and greater long-term success with their hearing aids.
The reason most providers skip REM comes down to time, equipment cost, and training. At Casco Bay Hearing, we believe that time is an investment in your success — and every patient deserves a treatment plan built on evidence, not averages.
When you begin your treatment plan at Casco Bay Hearing, Real Ear Measurement is always included. It's not an add-on. It's our standard.
A Note on the In-Office Demonstration
We mention this earlier in the page, but it bears repeating — because it is one of the things we feel most strongly about.
If you have never worn hearing aids before, or if you have worn them in the past and been disappointed by the experience, please do not form your conclusions before visiting us. Modern hearing technology has advanced dramatically — and the right technology, properly fitted and verified with Real Ear Measurement by someone with deep clinical experience and a genuine commitment to getting it right, performs in a way that genuinely surprises most people who experience it for the first time.
The difference between struggling to hear and hearing clearly is something that has to be experienced to be truly understood. We see it in our patients regularly — that quiet moment of surprise and relief when something they had gradually stopped noticing comes back into focus.
Come experience the difference for yourself.
Ready to Schedule?
Taking the first step is simpler than you might think — and we promise the experience will be nothing like what you might be imagining. We are here to listen, to help, and to make sure you leave with clarity about your hearing, your options, and your path forward.
We offer extended hours to accommodate working individuals and busy schedules. Serving patients throughout Biddeford, Saco, greater Portland, and southern Maine.