ONTARIO – A hearing clinic serving clients in North Central Ohio has relocated to a brand-new location.

Beltone Audiology & Hearing Care Center has moved from its offices in the lower level of Ohio Eye Associates in Mansfield to a new building at 2186 W. Fourth Street after outgrowing its previous location, according to JoBeth Finnegan.

“Our practice got too big, and we were out of space,” said Finnegan, a licensed hearing instrument specialist with Beltone.  “The space is just huge compared to where we were.  It’s just a lot more comfortable and we can see more patients in a day.”

The Ontario center, Finnegan said, specializes in the Beltone brand of hearing aids, a leader in the industry for nearly 90 years.  “We were one of the first hearing aids to ever come out.  I feel like we’re the Kleenex of tissues as far as hearing aids go.”

Beltone Hearing’s top priority, Finnegan said, is to help patients with their journey to better hearing.  Evaluations are conducted in a fully insulated “whisper room” or testing booth, she said, and patients are also counseled on how to wear their devices.

The 2,000-square-foot center, like other Beltone locations nationwide, offers several different styles of hearing aids, including behind-the-ear and receiver-in-the-ear models.  They also feature wireless connectivity and are easily adjustable.

Research shows that one in five Americans over the age of 12 suffers from hearing loss, but many put off getting help.  If left untreated though it can lead to depression, anxiety, fatigue, and other health concerns, especially in adults over 50.

Beltone Hearing Center also has technicians to service, program, and clean other brands of hearing aids, Finnegan said.  Ear wax removal is another important service they provide for patients, she said.

Finnegan, who grew up outside of Bucyrus, graduated from Colonel Crawford High School and went on to earn a speech and hearing degree from The Ohio State University with a minor in geriatrics.  She has been with Beltone for 12 years.

The new office, she said, is staffed with familiar faces – a plus for area residents.  “We’re there for them and there’s somebody they know to take care of them.  We have some relationship with everybody in the office.”

The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached by calling 419-774-3413.