Community events are fun and give you healthy social interactions. Whether you want to attend music events or volunteer for a social cause, hearing well can help you become a bigger part of your local community.
Create Better Conversations
When you don’t hear conversations due to background noise, it can be unpleasant for everyone involved. Misunderstandings can occur, or you might find yourself continuously asking people to repeat themselves.
Hearing well allows conversations to flow when you’re interacting with your community members. This effortless back-and-forth helps build relationships and create better conversations.
Be More Engaged
Sometimes people can misinterpret your lack of response as being standoffish or rude because you are ignoring them. They often don’t realise that you honestly didn’t hear them.
When hearing well, you can avoid common misunderstandings when you are out in your community. As a result, you’ll be more engaged and present around others.
Have the Energy to Go Out
The Hearing Journal released a study that found a relationship between how well you hear and symptoms of depression. The inability to hear well can increase feelings of depression that lead to not wanting to socialize, do activities, or leave the house.
You can also improve your mood and find the energy to become a bigger part of your local community by improving your hearing.
Improve Your Confidence
Knowing you can hear car horns or informational messages in public locations can improve your sense of safety and confidence when venturing outdoors. Additionally, hearing well supports your balance and reduces any risk of falls when you are out and about at local events.
Be Open to New Things
Group activities can be more rewarding when you hear well since you can easily socialise with others. You won’t have to worry about feeling isolated during activities.
As a result, it can be easier to try new things and feel involved when you know you’ll have others there experiencing it with you.
Being part of your local community is a rewarding experience. Wondering if you’ll be able to hear conversations at events or announcers at sports games shouldn’t be something that prevents you from experiencing the joys of community involvement. Instead, allow yourself to show up confidently and engage with others.
We are here to support you in participating in your local community; book an appointment with our friendly team at one of our clinics today, for more information on hearing well, a hearing test or ear wax removal.
A new hearing care service is now available in Wombourne.
Following the success of our hearing and ear care practice at Hear in Hagley which opened a little over 2 years ago, we are proud to offer the same excellent service to the people of Wombourne and the surrounding area.
We opened our brand new bespoke audiology and ear care practice, Hear in Wombourne to help care for more clients and their ears.
As a family run, independent business, mother and daughter – Jo and Sophie lead the teams in our clinics offering the very best audiology services using the latest equipment and technology.
Our desire is to provide a quality hearing care service where clients can feel comfortable to discuss their hearing issues with our highly qualified audiologists and ear care professionals. We want to help you hear and feel better and just make better hearing simple.
Our professional ear wax removal service, using the latest equipment, is proving particularly popular in our clinics. If you would like to book an appointment please call and we will have your ears cleared in no time. The very latest in hearing aid technology is available at all our centres and the accessibility (parking) at all locations is easy and stress free.
Our clinical team has expanded with Marie and Wyll joining Jo, Sophie and Julia to offer hearing care in our clinics, 6 days a week. Marie is an experienced Audiologist and Wyll is a qualified Hearingcare Assistant.
Client coordinators Diane and Cath have been joined by Karen and Linda who now look after our lovely clients at Hear in Wombourne! We want you, our customers, to be sure of receiving the very best in customer service. The number of client reviews and recommendations we receive reassure us that we are doing a great job.
It’s full steam ahead for our team with the hearing health of our clients at Hear in Hagley and Hear in Wombourne firmly in our hearts.
Why not book an appointment and start your journey to better hearing with us.
Every new year is a feather in our cap. But as the saying goes, it’s not living as much as it is how we live if we want to live our best, healthy-as-possible lives. That means taking care of every part of our body, even our ears.
Here are some top tips for hearing well in the 2022.
Get a Hearing Test
It’s best to get your hearing checked for even the most minor changes. But you don’t need to go in for a hearing exam every year. Follow these rules of thumb:
● Every five years, if you’re 18-45 years old.
● Every three years, if you’re 45-60 years old.
● Every two years, if you’re 61+ years old.
If you start noticing a change in your hearing, see an audiologist as soon as possible.
Tune-Up Your Hearing Aids
Annual visits to your hearing care provider are a good chance for some hearing aid detailing. Your audiologist should professionally clean them for you the same day or within a couple of days if they need repairs. Ask us for more information if you have any questions about your existing hearing aids, our team will be happy to help.
Establish Healthy Habits
Eat foods high in Omega 3 fats, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and folic acid, all of which help to protect your inner ear. Try to cut out smoking from your daily routine as well. Studies show nicotine increases your chances of hearing changes by at least 70%.
Brush Up On Hearing Management
Learn about changes in hearing and what’s available to you for hearing aids. Possible signs of hearing changes include turning up your TV or radio volume, feeling that others are always talking too softly, tinnitus (buzzing or ringing that only you can hear), missing your morning alarm and struggling with hearing phone conversations. Knowing what technology is available may help you find the perfect solution to ease some of these changes. We can advise you on this, you do not need to worry.
Proactively Protect Your Hearing
Be conscious of noise levels and keep a pair of disposable earplugs in your purse or pocket. When listening to music or podcasts, keep the volume lower than 60%, and don’t leave your earbuds in for too long. If you have to shout to talk to someone, take the conversation somewhere quieter. Wear a scarf and earmuffs in cold weather. Remember that you protect your hearing the most when you are proactive.
Wrapping Up
Arm yourself with knowledge, the proper devices you need to hear well, good habits, and safety measures, and you’ll be hearing into the new year without a hitch! Please contact Jo, Sophie and the team by visiting our website
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This year has passed all too quickly. As the restrictions begin to ease it’s a great time feel positive for 2022, looking ahead to happy times spent with colleagues, family and friends. Now you wouldn’t want to miss anything would you?
Did you know that something as simple as listening to music can have a positive effect on our energy levels, mood and mindset? What a great way to enhance our quality of life. Just by listening to music we can reduce stress, boost those chemicals in the brain that make us feel good!
HOW HAPPY ARE YOUR EARS?
When did your ears last have an MOT? At Hear in Hagley and Hear in Wombourne we can give your ears a service and get you ready for the New Year.
We offer FREE ear healthchecks to check your ears are wax free and hearing well. We can even show you the inside of your ears using a video otoscope! A short test will confirm how well you are hearing and if all is well then your ears are set to go into 2022!
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY HEARING ISN’T SO GOOD?
If your hearing is below par we offer you to a FULL HEARING ASSESSMENT. This allows us time to carry a thorough test and discuss the results with you. We may need to refer you to your GP or possibly recommend a hearing solution to improve your hearing. We’ll discuss the options, let you try some hearing aids in clinic, involving you in the process from start to finish. No obligation, we are here to offer help and great advice and look after you.
Our clinics have state of the art equipment and comfortable, relaxed surroundings. Our Audiologists are highly trained, experienced and just want to help you hear and feel better.
Jo, Sophie and the teams at Hear in Hagley and Hear in Wombourne look forward to meeting you and give you happy ears for the New Years!
Why not call us today and arrange your appointment?
Just like you would a car, you need to bring your ears in for inspection! Except, maybe don’t see the mechanic—see an Audiologist from Hear in Hagley or Hear in Wombourne.
We recommend a regular health check of your ears particularly if you are over the age of 55.
But if my hearing is fine, why go to the trouble of seeing an Audiologist?
Be Proactive with an Ear Health check
First of all, a hearing test is no trouble and if you visit one of our clinics it’s FREE OF CHARGE!!
With regular checks, your Audiologist can detect early changes in your hearing. These changes could be due to an illness, a build-up of wax, or exposure to loud noises at work, through headphones, or from an accident.
Hearing Aid Service Check
If you have hearing aids from us, we offer FREE aftercare for the life of your hearing aids. Our Audiologist will want to make sure that you’re hearing aids, ears and hearing are kept in tip top condition.
If you have had your hearing aids from elsewhere, we offer a free MOT of your hearing aids where you also have the chance to ask us about your hearing aids, or hearing in general, in complete confidence.
Take the Extra Step
Our health and wellbeing is worth the extra effort. Why not a add a hearing test to your ‘to do ‘list?
We are family run, independent hearing and ear care specialists. We offer a range of services including hearing tests, ear wax removal and noise protection in all of our clinics so please do not be afraid to ask us for advice.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to hear well and stay part of the conversation in 2022?
Let us help you to hear better for longer – call us today.
We have had the following update from Hearing Dogs, read about Rico here!
In our previous update, we told you all about Rico, our hearing dog and his accident. It was a very difficult time for everyone, in which Rico’s welfare was the most important thing. The team only started gently resuming his training when his vet said he was perfectly fine to do so, but thanks to the incredible efforts of volunteers Ian and Erica, trainer Megan, our dedicated welfare team and everyone involved in his recovery, Rico is back on his feet!
Then…
Just before his accident, Rico had been doing really well. Puppy Training Instructor Megan tells us how well: “He had passed his Puppy Two Star. This told me that he walked calmly on his lead, could ignore distractions, and played nicely with other dogs and people.”
If you recall, the Puppy Star Awards are the ‘milestones’ Megan uses to assess Rico’s progress. This was such an achievement given the challenges of the pandemic. Megan, Ian and Erica (and Rico!) had come together as a team to figure out ways around lockdowns and social distancing.
Back to Megan: “I used video calls to check in on Rico’s progress and support Ian and Erica. When restrictions eased, we resumed socially distanced puppy classes outside. Rico loved meeting his puppy class pals again!”
…and now
So, how is Team Rico doing now? Ian has the first word: “He is fully back to fitness. If you didn’t know he’d had an accident you wouldn’t have any idea.” Erica continues: “I knew he was going to be OK when, on the advice from Rico’s vet, I took him off his lead for the first time on his favourite walk. He checked out all his favourite spots straight away including the pools of water at tree bases. “We still carry out physio exercises to flex and stretch the leg and joints, and watch over him when he’s jumping or playing energetically with other dogs. But everything seems fine!”
Trainer Megan is also extremely pleased with Rico’s progress. “The accident hasn’t affected his character at all,” she says. “Even through his convalescence, Ian and Erica were able to keep the basic training going. Given that other dogs have also had their training slowed a little because of the pandemic, Rico really isn’t that far behind his peers.
“Right now, we’re going back into town and shops, with Rico in his burgundy ‘I’m learning to be a hearing dog’ coat. He also recently went on his first train trip where he jumped straight on and behaved very well. He’s also starting to learn soundwork.”
Soundwork! That’s the magic skill our dogs have, to recognise sounds and alert deaf people to them. It’s nothing short of amazing that Rico has managed to reach this stage. Back to Megan: “Rico is working on his nose-nudges. This is how he’ll alert a deaf person to sounds. We’re teaching him that, when he hears the portable cooker timer, he should give us a nudge on the thigh with his nose.”
This is testament to how well he’s been looked after. It also says a lot about his character – he’s clearly a very brave soul. As Erica says: “The concentration and commitment we saw from him during his physio exercises is now showing through in his training.”
Next steps
The way forward for Rico is clear: “He’s nearly finished his Puppy Three Star,” Megan tells us. “We’ll continue to work on visiting towns and shops, so that he’s happy anywhere and everywhere his eventual deaf partner will want to go.
“We’ll also continue with his sound work – and we’ll start thinking about matching him with a deaf person.”
Isn’t that incredible? Megan is already thinking ahead to who Rico might be suited for. It’s such a turnaround from your last update. These are exciting times indeed!
It’s great that Rico is still his old self. We loved his old self! We wouldn’t want him any different. Ian sums him up perfectly: “He’s full of energy but always ready for a cuddle, just as he was as a young puppy!” It seems that, with the help of Megan, Ian and Erica, the accident really is a distant memory.
This is through your help too: it’s your support that has enabled Rico to overcome all obstacles in his way. So from all of us, thank you once again for sponsoring Rico!
We are excited to learn more about Rico’s progress and we will share any updates with you on here so you can stay part of his journey. If you have any concerns about your hearing or you are worried about ear wax, please get in touch and we will be happy to support you at one of our clinics. Find out more here.
If you have started to look for hearing aids or already have them, you will know there is a lot of information out there to be found. Some of it reliable, some not. You may have heard stories from your friends or been given information from family members as they have noticed changes to your hearing but still not know where to turn for advice. So we have put together 3 tips when investing in hearing aids to improve your hearing
When you decide to invest in a hearing solution, it is important to find a reliable professional that will make sure that you are not just being ‘sold to’ and will look after you throughout your hearing care journey. It is vital that you get to know and trust your hearing care professional and that they are fully qualified like the Audiologists at Hear in Hagley, Hear in Rubery and Hear in Wombourne.
Here are 3 tips when investing in hearing aids to improve your hearing you need to keep in mind when you go ahead and invest in hearing aids and these are detailed below by one of our experts so that you are better informed and feel happier to move forward with your fantastic hearing journey whilst improving your everyday life.
Be patient.
This is an investment in your hearing health and the future of ‘your ears’ therefore you should take time to make sure that the decision you make is well informed and fits with your reality.
You should not feel pressured into making a decision. Your qualified clinical professionals will advise you on an audiological basis and adapt the technology they recommend based on your lifestyle preferences. We pride ourselves on this in all of our clinics.
Private hearing care professionals will likely choose technology from any one of the six big hearing aid manufacturers and unlike the high street retail chain stores, they are not tied to any of these so can choose whatever is right for the patient sat in front of them.
When you decide to invest in hearing aids, it’s important to remember that this isn’t a quick fix, and for many people it can take a period of weeks or months for your brain to get used to hearing in this new way as it is likely that you have lost your hearing over a substantial period of time. Therefore, be patient with yourself and understand that it will take a while for you to hear sounds the way they are meant to be heard again and of course, we can’t give you new ears but we can improve your quality of listening life through better hearing. We would advise that you get help from Hearing Link Services, a hearing loss charity.
Manage your expectations.
As we have said we cannot give you new ears but we can change the quality of your listening life. Many of our clients comment that doing something about their hearing, finally, was the best thing that they ever did and they don’t understand why they waited so long as it made such a difference.
Investing in your hearing is an important decision. Hearing aids have lots of features that will help you in a range of situations and enhance your life every day.
Your audiology professional can advise you on all of the technology and help you make a decision so please don’t worry that you will make mistake. If your audiological results and lifestyle are taken into account together and you choose the right professional (we hope it’s us!), they will work with you to get you hearing the best you can.
Involve others.
Although you may feel you are on your hearing journey on your own, you are often not. Losing your hearing over time or even suddenly affects others around you as they have to adapt the approach to ensure that you hear them better as communication is so important to our everyday lives.
When you notice changes to your hearing it can be frustrating for others so although this may start discussions or arguments, it is important to work through this with others in your household and your family so that you can all go on the same journey together. Actually, when you involve others, it can be far more progressive and you will hear better faster, feel less stressed and less fatigued.
If you are patient, manage your expectations and involve others we have seen dramatic improvements in our clients and changes to their hearing for the better.
We have everything you need to hear better today so please get in touch for a hearing test or even for a clean and check of your existing hearing aid if you already have them.
Listening to the sounds of nature are part of everyday life for people with good hearing. Every season has different sounds and which ones people choose to hear is down to personal preference.
From our patient feedback we have found that in autumn, patients say that before they had hearing aids they thought the leaves under their feet when they were walking, didn’t crackle anymore. Another common bit of feedback we get is that the birds don’t sing any more or also that people on television mumble a lot.
In Autumn and now we can see more people face to face, hearing small children’s voices and sharing special moments seems to be of a priority with our patients.
Music also plays a key part in seasonal sound variations as outdoor concerts can be very popular to.
It is this research, that has led us to make sure to make sure that we use these to drive our passion to help people here better every single day.
It doesn’t matter which one of our clinics you visit you will get the same service and aftercare from every single member of our team. If you visit our Wombourne Clinic you will see Wendy and Sophie and if you visit Hagley you will see Jo, Cath, Diane or Julia. Sometimes even all of them together!
We are all dedicated and passionate about helping people hear the sounds they thought they would never hear again. To a ‘normal’ hearing person, struggling to hear some sounds may seem trivial but to someone who can’t hear them anymore they can make a huge difference to everyday life. The sounds help to make life a little brighter and more interesting and help us to enjoy both outdoors and indoors, especially with others.
During the autumn you might find yourself starting to wrap up in warmer clothes a little more. If you already wear hearing aids or are thinking of getting some so that you can hear better, we have certain hearing aids that you will find it much easier to wear cosy clothing with especially hats. The hearing aids are often classed as invisible or custom and made to measure.
During the autumn and winter months you might be on a lovely walk one crisp morning and want to hear all of the sounds of nature or the person next to you or your dog. There are lots of very technical features in the hearing aids that we offer that are fully designed to cope with things like wind noise and speech in background noise so that you can fully converse with the people who are around you and stay connected to the world.
If there is a particular sound that you would like to hear better or you are concerned over your hearing, please get in touch as we can help you hear the birds sing again and hear the autumn leaves crackle under your feet.
If you are concerned about your hearing, it is possible that it might just be earwax and we can help you hear better again very quickly. If you have a hearing test and your audiogram shows that you would benefit from hearing aids, we have all of the latest digital technology available, state-of-the-art equipment, light and airy clinics and dedicated parking right outside our doors.
Let us help you enjoy the sound of every season and get you hearing well again so you can maximise your life.
Contact us today to book your ear wax removal appointment or hearing test.
Hearing aids are so far removed from what they used to be and the technology inside them is fantastic now. There are some wonderful cosmetic options where you can match the colours of the hearing aids to your skin and hair colour which make them so much more discreet meaning you can just get on with your day-to-day life.
You actually don’t need to know if you need a hearing aid or not before you come in to see us at one of our clinics (Wombourne, Hagley or our Rubery day centre) because your Audiologist will tell you exactly what you need based on your hearing test results. Your hearing care professional will advise you whether you are ready for hearing aids yet or whether you should just have regular hearing checks at this stage. It may also just be impacted ear wax (which we can assist with too!).
Here are some of the things to be aware of that might mean you need to get your hearing tested. The hearing test doesn’t mean you automatically need hearing aids though but if you do, Jo, Sophie and the team have absolutely everything you need to be hearing well again and get on with your daily life.
You say pardon a lot. If you find yourself saying pardon a lot it could be because of an ear wax buildup but it also could be because you are missing the important parts of conversation. For example, with age related hearing loss (presbyacusis), people often lose the high-frequency sounds first because of a audiological phenomenon and called the doormat effect. This means that you can miss the important consonants at the beginning of the words which mean you can’t keep up with the conversation, so it is important to get your hearing checked so we can see if those need our attention in order to get you hearing well again.
You turn the television or radio up a lot, or more than your partner/others in your household. You might have noticed that you used to have the television volume on 25 now it is on 35 keeping in mind that all televisions are different or that your partner has it on a much lower level. You might find yourself straining or feeling tired to hear certain things in the house that you used to hear just fine before. This can be an indicator that it might be a good idea to get your hearing checked with ear care experts like us at Hear in Hagley and Hear in Wombourne.
You find yourself missing parts of the conversation. This one is very common and can be frustrating for other people around you as well as yourself. Missing parts of the conversation can lead to you saying pardon a lot as we have mentioned. This is key to every day communication and connection with others so it is important not to feel left out or that you are on your own with this. Everyone will struggle to hear at some point in their lives for different reasons, so you will find that the people around you will totally understand if you involve them in your hearing journey.
You have started to avoid conversations or meeting others because you know you don’t hear well. Over the years, we have seen a lot of people do this and spend more time on their own or stop their social activities completely where they used to love going out and interacting with others. This is a main driver for us because our role here is to get people living their lives to the full and not holding back on anything because they have hearing that they don’t have to think about on a day-to-day basis.
You have hearing concerns and it has started to affect your mental health. Over time, knowing that you need to do something about your hearing and not taking action can drag you down and make you feel anxious or slightly depressed. It is important to take action before you get to this stage as it can change your personality and your lifestyle and affect others around you. Taking action and getting a simple but in-depth hearing evaluation can be the clearest step forward to knowing all of your options and then you have all of the information in front of you and can try to move forward with your life and get hearing well again.
If you are experiencing any of these concerns or know somebody else who is, please get in touch and take advantage of one of our hearing tests or ear wax removal service. We are very much looking forward to meeting you! (CONTACT LINK)
We are so excited to speak to you this month as we have had so much going on lately! At all of our clinics, we are prioritising our client centred care and make sure that we are staying true to our values by helping people hear better every single day.
Jo, who is the Audiologist and Director here at Hear in Hagley, has been working her socks off to make sure that she can expand the success of Hear in Hagley to other areas geographically, to support other clients who are in great need of life changing hearing care.
You may already know that Jo has always been keen to expand the business over time, to make sure that no one has to settle for inadequate hearing care.
This is the reason for now expanding the suite of clinics we have and opening Hear in Wombourne too, which is now in full operation and run by daughter, Sophie Miller, who has an extremely strong audiology and training background with exactly the same ethos as Jo and the rest of the team.
As if that wasn’t enough, Jo has also invested back into the hearing care profession in general and along with Sophie and another audiology expert, Chris Cartwright, has built a training academy for hearing care professionals to broaden the scope of their professional development.
There are so many people out there who state that they offer earwax removal for clients but some are not qualified (or have had no formal training), they do not have the experience or they do not have the equipment. Through bespoke training, Chris, Sophie and Jo are determined to build a better hearing care profession through delivering professional development that ultimately benefits clients and members of the public who just want to be able to hear better, for longer.
The whole approach of Jo and the team from the beautiful foundation that was created at Hear in Hagley, is destined for success because it is focused on the people that matter, you, their clients.
We will shortly be launching the website for The Audiology Academy, which is also based in a dedicated training room above Hear in Wombourne and we will announce this on here soon for hearing care professionals.
We would love you to come and see our family run clinics and find out more about booking your earwax removal appointment or hearing test.
Please do not worry about hearing well again, Jo and Sophie have everything you need to live your life to the full so please get in touch using the contact details below. If you speak to Cath or Diane at our Hagley clinic, they will be happy to help help you. If you call our Wombourne clinic, you will speak with Sophie or Wendy who very much look forward to your call.
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