Testimonials

“Praise is compassionate, understanding, patient, cheerful, diligent, and always a pleasure to work with.” 

Having been confronted with deteriorating hearing for several years, I have had the good fortune to benefit from the audiological services of Praise Chow, now at Elevate Hearing in Vancouver. Praise has always been attentive to my specific issues, adept at testing my hearing and finding the appropriate hearing aids and programming them acutely to my meet my requirements. She always seems very knowledgeable regarding the latest technology. Praise is compassionate, understanding, patient, cheerful, diligent, and always a pleasure to work with. I am glad to see her open her own bright new clinic and look forward to receiving her assistance in the future.

Gabor Maté, M.D., Author & Speaker

“…Charles has been among the very best. He is a person who has combined an unparalleled personal standard of professional knowledge with tremendous listening skills, empathy for the client, and good humour.” 

Over the long course of my hearing needs I have been assisted by many audiologists. I've had no particularly bad experiences, but Charles has been among the very best. He is a person who has combined an unparalleled personal standard of professional knowledge with tremendous listening skills, empathy for the client, and good humour. He will advise you exactly on what you need or do not need, what to expect, and how to get you there. He will then help you see it through. Many times Charles walked the extra mile with me, for instance to obtain resources to assist me in costs, keep me apprised of the latest technology that might help me, and respond to my emergency needs. If you visit him you will quickly discover what I did, that your needs are his first concern.

P. Myers

“Cherry on the cake is both their wonderful receptionist Stacey and the new beautifully designed office. I highly recommend both Praise and Charles and Elevate Hearing; you will be very well served!” 

I started seeing Praise Chow and Charles Fontaine soon after I developed literally an “overnight” hearing loss in 2013. Full disclosure I am a retired family physician. I mention this because I truly believe this makes me an excellent judge of care.

Over the years I’ve seen both of them and I have benefitted tremendously from their expertise. Honestly, I don’t know where I would be without their guidance. Having to make the transition from hearing normally to being a person that is now “hard of hearing” - requiring hearing aids in both ears - has been a huge challenge. And it’s not just hearing aids, per se, or even the use of the Bluetooth with my iPhone and my TV, but also the many resources Praise and Charles have spoken about. They are also very up-to-date with all the technology! Because I took a course on how to live with hearing loss, I know that it’s best to wear my hearing all day, every day.

Cherry on the cake is both their wonderful receptionist Stacey and the new beautifully designed office.
I highly recommend both Praise and Charles and Elevate Hearing; you will be very well served!

Dr. Joan Robillard, retired Family Physician

“When I learned that Praise had started her own hearing clinic with a colleague, I immediately followed her — just as I would have if any other trusted and familiar medical practitioner made such a move.” 

For many of us who have suffered hearing loss, there is a process of acceptance that runs alongside seeking help to cope with what is inevitably a life-changing event.

For guiding me through this journey and always offering me the best technological options along with the most useful practical advice, I cannot thank my long-time audiologist Praise Chow enough.

When I learned that Praise had started her own hearing clinic with a colleague, I immediately followed her — just as I would have if any other trusted and familiar medical practitioner made such a move.

As a reporter who covered the Canucks for The Province for 18 years, I experienced going from denial and then grudging acceptance of the fact that I needed, at first, a single hearing aid and then two more powerful hearing aids to enable me to cover a highly scrutinized sports team where much of the information was gleaned from media scrums in noisy dressing rooms.

I still remember vividly interviewing an outspoken star player at Canucks training camp in 2008 and realizing after listening to the recording afterwards that I’d mis-heard some of his responses.

A potentially great story was missed — because of my hearing loss.
This led me back to Praise, my audiologist since 2004. A test showed the hearing loss had decreased. This meant switching to a larger, outside-the-ear hearing aid. Not the best look, I thought, for dealing with 20-something millionaires, but, as Praise reminded me, at least I would be able to hear them accurately.

I was diagnosed with hearing loss in my late 40s, in 1999. Initially, it was barely noticeable, but by 2004 I knew I had to do something about it.

With the generous help of Praise Chow over the past 18 years, I did.

Jim Jamieson, retired Sports Journalist

“I am very happy to recommend Charles. He is a very competent audiologist.” 

Charles Fontaine has been my Audiologist for more than 10 years. I have age related hearing loss, and I have been wearing hearing aids since my first diagnosis by him.

I am very happy to recommend Charles. He is a very competent audiologist. But, beyond that, I appreciate that he has taken the trouble to determine what kind of listening is important to me, and has helped guide me through the process of choosing the right hearing aid.

In all my dealing with Charles, he has been courteous and friendly, and he has addressed any concerns I have had. If you are looking for an Audiologist, you cannot go wrong with Charles Fontaine.

Michael Levy

“I have come to understand how important it is to have audiologists such as Praise and Charles who will take the time to understand each person’s unique needs in order to mitigate the person’s challenges and enhance their life quality.” 

Praise Chow and Charles Fontaine have been my audiologists for over 20 years. They provided me with many years of patient and comprehensive hearing assessments, thorough explanations of solutions for the challenges I faced and always provided the best, targeted range of hearing aid options. I have come to understand how important it is to have audiologists such as Praise and Charles who will take the time to understand each person’s unique needs in order to mitigate the person’s challenges and enhance their life quality. Their professionalism, dedication to service and personality put me at ease and made my experience with using hearing aids much more comfortable. Through work I was involved in with the deaf and hard of hearing community over the years, I learned that Praise and Charles are highly respected within their profession, and with community service providers and the deaf and hard of hearing community. I highly recommend Elevate Hearing and Praise and Charles for all of your hearing needs.

Hunter Duong

“Sorry, what did you say?” A normal refrain when your hearing starts to go. Some people, like I did, want to resist the “temptation” of better hearing by going to Elevate Hearing, or any other place for that matter, to get tested for hearing.

I think the hesitation comes from a couple of things:

1. There could be a stigma attached to hearing aids. In our minds, anyway. 
2. We do not want to be pushed. Many people have probably heard “horror” stories of being forced to buy something that did not fit or they did not like.

Far From the Truth

Nothing is further from the truth when you make the decision to visit Elevate Hearing to “Just talk and ask questions.” Quickly, the folks there put me at ease and I happily agreed to enter the sound booth for the hearing tests. I say tests as there were a number of them spanning about 30 minutes, after which I got a full briefing of the results. 

There it was in “black and white.’ No fooling the computer and sadly, the results confirmed what I already knew, and of course my wife had confirmed many times, that my hearing was no good.

Why Was My Hearing No Good?

I had the fortunate experience of working in sawmills and pulp mills when I was a young pup. We did not have the hearing protection available today and now I suffer.

What Have I Got Now?

I have a fantastic set of hearing aids. The type that hides behind my ears, and no one can even see them. All electronic. They work off an app on my phone and I can take calls with them and use them as my headphones for my tablet. Rechargeable, so no more of changing the batteries.

Getting to the End

What more can I say? Absolutely spot on hearing aid service from the folks at Elevate Hearing. They put my mind at ease and I did not feel like I was in some smoke-filled room being pressured to buy. 

The folks at Elevate Hearing took me through the testing and whole process to make me feel at ease and in the end, I purchased hearing aid because that was the right decision for me

It is amazing to now know what I had been missing by not hearing and I no longer have to say, “what did you say?” My hearing aids from Elevate Hearing are right for me and they can help you too.

 

It is as easy as calling the only audiology and hearing specialist I recommend, Elevate Hearing. Give them a call today. Your family, your friends will say “thank you.” And, you will not have to respond with “Sorry, what did you say?”

Drury, W

I had not felt the need to go to an audiologist. That all changed after taking a long plane flight while suffering from a cold, which resulted in eustatian tube dysfunction plus some changes in hearing that were not resolving with time. My family doctor was at a loss what to advise, and suggested I see an audiologist. I knew immediately that I did not want to attend one of those “free hearing test” places, as I felt their primary purpose was to get you in the door so that they could sell you hearing aids. Instead, I went on-line and found Elevate Hearing. I could see that their examination would be much more comprehensive, and as soon as I made contact with Stacey the receptionist (who assured me that no, they are here to evaluate your needs, not push anything) I knew I had chosen the right place to come.

Charles was everything I could have wanted in a health care professional. I was anxious at the outset, not knowing what to expect, and also distraught that whatever had happened following that flight was just not resolving. He immediately put me at ease with his calm yet friendly mannerisms, and he explained everything both before and after each test. I felt the exam and evaluation was very thorough and comprehensive, and was pleased we were able to reach a differential diagnosis as to what was happening. I had ample opportunity to ask any questions, and I left the office relieved and…best of all…hearing is pretty much normal! I would highly recommend Charles and this audiology practice to anyone, whether you are in need of hearing assistance or just want a baseline assessment to know exactly where you stand

Diane Carruthers