The Hearing Care Centre SPRING 2017 Newsletter

Hearing Care Karen Finch RHAD FSHAA FRSACentre NewsAward Winning | Family Run | Independent | Centres across Suffolk & NorfolkSpring 2017 | Free FaFmoicluy s Loved ones have big role to play in hearing care process (pgs 14-15) Silk | New instant fit, discreet hearing aid (pg 17) Hearing Care Show Success (pg 7) Puppy Power New Centres Win Tickets HCC raises £10k in Hadleigh for Aldeburgh for Hearing Dogs and Ipswich Food Festival (pg 22) (pg 13) (pg 25) hearingcarecentre.co.uk



Welcome... Contact usSpring is definitely here and with the extra Editor: Matthew Cowarddaylight, Obie my little Cockapoo, is very Newsletter Enquiries:pleased to be able to enjoy a walk after his day [email protected] clinic. Obie is enjoying his Thursday visits tothe Ipswich centre and is thrilled that some of The Hearing Care Centre Ltd,you book appointments on an ‘Obie day’, so 11 Upper Brook Street,that you can see him! Ipswich, IP4 1EG Tel: 01473 230330 In the last few months we have been runningat a fast pace, with lots of expansion happening For a full list of our 24 centres,at HCC! In the next few weeks we will open our please see the back page.new dedicated centre in Hadleigh. We’ve alsobeen invited by the GP’s at the Two Rivers Follow UsMedical Centre in Ipswich to hold a newhearing care clinic. In January we also began a Like us at:dedicated earwax removal clinic at Wickham Facebook.com/Market Medical Centre. hearingcarecentre My audiology team have been spending Follow us at:considerable time training on new hearing @hearingcarectrsystems as manufacturers continue to vie fortop place in the hearing technology world. The Watch our videos:launch of rechargeable instruments in late Youtube.com/2016 took the market by storm and we’ve now hearingcarecentredispensed hundreds of these to our patients.The next big technological advancement is with Follow us at:in-the-ear models, which I discuss more later. Instagram.com/ hearingcarectr Statistics show, large numbers of people donothing about their hearing loss! But why? With The Hearing Care Centre | 3the very best hearing systems, combined withmy team’s expertise and caring approach, let’s‘spring’ into action! If you know anyone who isstruggling with their hearing, persuade them tohave a hearing check with us - it could be thebest advice you have ever given!Karen FinchManaging Director & Audiologist

Hearingdecline onthe increase1:6 soon to be 1:5.The number of people in the UK those aged 65 and older will account forexperiencing hearing problems is 23% of the total UK population.expected to rise by 40 per cent by 2035amid a rapidly ageing population. Why does it matter? Untreated hearing loss has been shown In a recent report, the charity Action on to lead to a lower quality of life, includingHearing Loss said the number of people a risk of loneliness and depression,suffering hearing difficulties will rise a loss of confidence and problemsfrom one in six to one in five. The charity communicating with other people. Thishas risen above the parapet and called has a knock-on effect on relationships,for more investment in treatment and work and general happiness. There isresearch into hearing loss. also strong evidence to suggest that mild untreated hearing loss can double the risk The report warned that just £1.11 of developing dementia.per person with hearing loss is spentresearching potential cures, compared Thankfully, this can be easily improvedwith £11.35 for every person with sight loss. when hearing loss is treated with a The data shows that there are now11 million people in the UK with hearingproblems, including profound deafness,which is predicted to rise to 15.6 million intwo decades.Why is it happening?Age-related hearing loss, knownas presbyacusis, is the result of acombination of environmental andgenetic factors and is the single biggestcause of hearing loss. The UK populationis getting older and it is projected that4 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

solution like hearing aids. However, Specialonly 45% of people who need hearing Offeraids actually wear them, and it can takepeople up to ten years before seeking Spring Cleaningtreatment. With hearing loss on theincrease, there is a risk that many more To help keep your hearing aids andpeople will experience a decade of earmoulds clean and free fromnegative effects before seeking help. infection, we recommend using It is important that people get Phonak Cleansing Tissues (25 in atreatment for hearing loss as soon as they box). For a limited time only thesecan. Raising awareness about hearing loss are available for HALF PRICE!means that more people will be aware oftheir options and will get treated earlier. How to order:This will mean they can have a much Call: 01473 230330higher quality of life, and make positivechoices about how they want to live. Online: www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk/offers In person: Visit our Ipswich practice or speak to your audiologist at your next appointment Were £6.60 NOW £3.30 Terms: Offer valid until 20th May 2017. Battery club discount is not applicable with this offer. Postage and packaging rates may apply. Offer limited to 2 boxes per customer. Tissues are all individually wrapped.

News in Brief:Jason’s month to remember Tinnitus Week supportCongratulations go to HCC’s trainee audi- Tinnitus Awareness Week, (held inologist Jason Curtis, after having a month February) saw our team get involvedhe will never forget! After finding out that in the national campaign ‘Together forhe had passed his first round of exams Tinnitus’. The idea was intended towith flying colours, his first child (Ted) was generate discussion about tinnitus andthen born shortly after. Jason, his wife and raise awareness of the work carriedTed are doing well, but there is no rest for out the British Tinnitus Association.Jason as he has more studying to do in Our team took to social media holdingbetween the nappy changes! banners in support of the cause. For more information on the campaign visit www.takeontinnitus.co.ukDenise celebrates 60th birthdayHappy Birthday to Denise Atkinson, our longest serving employee who has recentlyturned 60. To her displeasure, the office was colourfully decorated with lots ofbanners, balloons and photos of Denise through the years. Denise, who is Karen’sAuntie, has worked for the company in our Customer Care team since 1999.Easter bunny visits deaf childrenThirteen lucky children at Westgate Community PrimarySchool, in Bury St Edmunds, have received a specialvisit from HCC’s Easter Bunny, as he helped KarenFinch hand out chocolate Easter eggs. The children, who are either deaf or have severhearing impairment, took part in a special Easterdrawing competition. Their designs have been madeinto a colourful window display at our Ipswich practice.The huge smile on their faces says it all!6 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

Our Hearing Care &Survey Tinnitus ShowSays In early April, The Hearing Care CentreBack in December 2016 we sent held its inaugural Hearing Care andthousands of you a copy of our Tinnitus Show, which was attended byCustomer Satisfaction Survey, over 120 people. Attendees travelledasking you to provide feedback from all over the region to attend theon all aspects of The Hearing Care event which took place in Kesgrave, nearCentre. We were inundated with Ipswich. We were honoured to havereplies, the highest number we’ve guest speakers Professor David Baguley,ever had. Thank you, we are very one of the world’s leading experts ongrateful for your support. The feed- tinnitus and local ENT consultant, Mrback provides us an opportunity Mahmoud Salam. Our very own Karento work towards meeting all your Finch also gave a presentation coveringexpectations in the future. all aspects of hearing and possible solutions to the problem. Although the results of the surveyare still being analysed, we are The show, which was kindly sponsoreddelighted that initial reports show by Sivantos UK, also played host to anvery positive results indeed. Overall exhibition of local support organisations,97% of our patients said they were hearing loss and tinnitus charities,very satisfied with the level of care hearing aid manufacturers and more.they have received from us and89% said that they were likely or The Hearing Care Centre | 7very likely to recommend us to afriend or family member. Over half the respondents saidthat they chose The Hearing CareCentre to be their provider ofchoice because of what makes usstand out from our competitors;local clinics, independentcompany, unlimited after-care,winners of multiple awards, familyrun and Karen’s reputation.



MumbledSpeech onTVAt a recent team meeting, our Ear Syringingaudiologists decided that the biggest Expansionarea for concern regarding clarityof hearing, is with the TV. And it In the past 12-18 months we have seen anisn’t just those with hearing loss who exponential growth in the demand for ourstruggle! More recently complaints earwax removal service, which has seen ushave been made about a number of employ our very own dedicated Ear Carepopular TV programmes including Practitioner, Sarah Nichols.SS-GB, Happy Valley and Jamaica Inn)where viewers strain to hear the Sarah currently offers a clinic in Ipswich,beginnings and ends of dialogue because every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday andthe actors voices are mumbled. Thursday using both ear irrigation and microsuction techniques. Karen Finch was invited as a guestonto Mark Murphy’s BBC Radio Suffolk From April 2017, Sarah will also be triallingbreakfast show recently to discuss Saturday appointments in Ipswich. Thisthe issue and as suspected the topic will then allow patients who work or haveprompted lots of discussion. other responsibilities during the week, to access this service at the weekend. There are many theories as to why the The first two clinics are on Saturday 29thproblem exists including problematic April and Saturday 10th June 2017.speakers on TVs, louder backgroundmusic and effects and just simply actors We are also pleased to announce thatnot speaking distinctly enough. we are now offering a dedicated ear syringing clinic at the GP surgery in We’d be interested to hear your thoughts Wickham Market. We were personally invited by the surgery to offer theirand experiences. Write or email to us patients the choice between private and NHS. Our Wickham Market clinic isusing the contact details on page 3. held on the third Monday of each month and is booked directly through us. Call 01473 230330 to book an ear clearance appointment. The Hearing Care Centre | 9

From Army to Audiologist You would be forgiven for thinking that a career change from a BritishArmy soldier to becoming an audiologist was slightly alternative. However, that’s the story of Hearing Care Centre’s newest audiologist Ian Rushton.Ian joined the Army back in 1982, where noise protection to avoid any furtherhis first regiment was The Kings Own Royal loss to his hearing.Border Regiment, an infantry regimentwhich mostly recruited from Lancashire Whilst serving Ian had regular hearingand Cumbria. assessments and with his hearing loss becoming so prominent he was After 7 years there he was transferred prescribed a pair of NHS contractto the Army Air Corps where he stayed hearing aids.to a further 17 years, being stationed allaround the World, including The Falklands, “I found them uncomfortable and ofGermany, Cyprus, Canada and Bosnia. little use for my noise-induced hearing loss, so they were soon relegated to It was during this period where Ian a drawer and didn’t get used again! Itstarted to notice a decline in his hearing. wasn’t until my wife got so frustrated by having to repeat things all the time that “In my first few years in the army there she ‘suggested’ I visit The Hearing Carewasn’t the same insistence on noise Centre, where she had previously beenprotection during training and operations, for her own hearing” said Ian.as there is now” said Ian. “The infantrytraining involved the use of many types In 2012 Ian made his first visit to Theof weapons, from small arms up to Hearing Care Centre’s Ipswich practiceanti-tank missiles, all of which I fired on where after he had told his story, themany occasions and not always using company decided to use its communityear protection! On operations ear fund to help purchase twoprotection wasn’t even considered state-of-the-art hearingand on occasions I was caught up in aids for him. “The wholesustained and very noisy situations which experience at Thedid take its toll on my ears”. Hearing Care Centre took me a back. Not In his latter army years Ian worked only was I superclosely with turbine engines on the impressed withhelicopters and learnt lessons from the the service andpast by choosing to wear enhanced10 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

“I find it very rewarding “ in some form of hearing care but thought to work with my patients that at the age of 51 I would be too old to and their families to find make such a huge career change! But I a solution to improve the sent an email to Michael Shade who had quality of their lives prescribed my hearing aids in 2012 asking for any information on audiology and tothe way I was looked after, but I was able to my delight he told me that The Hearinghear things I had missed out on for so long.” Care Centre was recruiting for a new trainee audiologist and I should apply. As Little did Ian know at the time of those they say the rest is history!”visits, that this was to be the start of hisjourney to becoming an audiologist! So, having been on both sides of the consulting room, Ian can now empathise “After retiring from the army in 2006 better than most about how it feels toI went to work as a private security experience and live with hearing loss.contractor in the Middle East, where I wasagain caught up in many hostile incidents “As a hearing aid wearer myself I wantall detrimental to my hearing.” to be able to help others with hearing loss. I too went through a cycle of denial, After 9 years of this Ian decided it was frustration, curiosity, understanding andtime to come home to stay and began then finally acceptance about my hearinggiving some serious thought as to his next loss. I know what it’s like going throughcareer step. these feelings and I find it very rewarding to work with my patients and their families “Since I’d first met the team at The to find a solution to improve the quality ofHearing Care Centre I’d always had at the their lives.”back of my mind that I’d quite like to train The Hearing Care Centre | 11



Hadleigh HighStreet OpeningFor the past 15 years we have loved by Karen Finch herself and will trade underworking alongside our GP partners the name of ‘Health By Design’. Over theoffering a private hearing care clinic from next 12 months we will develop a one stopthe Health Centre in Hadleigh. We are shop for private healthcare.privileged to have enjoyed such growthand demand for our service throughout Our resident audiologist Michael Shadethis period. So much so, that we have will look forward to welcoming you to thedecided to spread our wings and create new centre in a few weeks’ time and heour very own dedicated centre right in the asks for me to convey to you that there willheart of Hadleigh. also be a regular ear wax removal clinic. Our brand new practice at 14 High We will be inviting all of our HadleighStreet will not only look after our award patients to a launch event nearer thewinning hearing care service but it will time and we very much look forward toalso look after other private healthcare showing you around.providers too. E.g. Chiropody, Counselling,Physiotherapy, Chiropractors to namebut a few. These will be carefully chosenNew LocalClinic in IpswichOn the East side of Ipswich, last July saw importantly though, our patients will bethe opening of a brand new £6 million able to benefit from free onsite parking.medical centre named the Two Rivers.We are proud to say that the resident GPs The proposed launch date as we go tohave personally invited The Hearing Care press is May 2017 and further details will beCentre to open a private hearing care announced on our website in due course.clinic at this amazing new facility. With light and airy clinic rooms, adedicated private provider’s entranceand waiting area, as well as accessiblefacilities, we felt our patients would enjoyvisiting us here for appointments. Most The Hearing Care Centre | 13

By Hearing CareCentre Audiologist,Melvyn HoweThe Hearing Care Centre prides itself as Taking abeing a truly family business, but these Familydays that means more than a company Centredwhere the owner and some of the Approachteam are from the same family. It alsomeans more than treating our patients partners on equal terms as we assess,as if they were family – although we will plan, and prescribe hearing solutions. Italways try and do that. is why we positively encourage everyone to bring their spouse, close relative or What we practice is known as family- friend to the first consultation. It is atcentred care, a strategy well-known and the start of the appointment we explainused by other healthcare professionals. that the opinions of the hearing aidWe do this because we know that the wearer and of the family are needed andfamily plays a central role in the health of why we begin the process by ensuringpeople who are troubled with hearing loss. the patient and their family perceive the situation in the same way, and are both It isn’t just fanciful thinking either. open to help from our audiologist. WeStudies have shown the numerous have the same goal – to improve hearingadvantages of this approach, primarily and gain a better quality of life.because family-centred care is basedon the recognition that hearing loss does We may talk about the changes innot only affect those who have it, butalso those around them. As a result, we seek to involve thefamily closely in the care process. Ourown experience also tells us that thepatient and his or her family don’t alwayshave the same perception about theirhearing loss and its importance. Whenwe take this into account and apply a fewrecommendations in the discussions, allthose involved can benefit. So family-centred care is why we seethe patient and those closest to them as14 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

lifestyle, constraints in joint activities acceptance that their hearing aids are justand communication difficulties, but one of the tools which will allow them toalso an emotional burden related to the communicate better in the coming days,hearing loss of others. These negative weeks and months.psychosocial consequences alsoaffect the perception of hearing loss by If key family members have beenthe family and what they expect from involved in the process from the start,hearing solutions. they will have understood that they need to be part of this rehabilitation As our regular patients will already maybe even changing the way theyunderstand, fitting hearing aids is only the communicate to make it easier forstart of the process of resolving hearing their loved one to understand. Butdifficulties; it marks the beginning of a most of all they should be a sourceperiod of rehabilitation where the patient of encouragement to help the userbecomes accustomed to the new sounds achieve the best from the new lifestylethey are able to hear and, sometimes, opportunities better hearing presents. The Hearing Care Centre | 15

Technology UpdateTechnology UpdateOver the next three pages, Karen Finch updates us onthe very latest advancements in hearing aid technology.Silk: Ready toWear outstanding sound quality. They are fully automatic and can also be adapted via aWhen we have busy professional pocket sized remote control or one thatpatients, the audiology team at The fits on your keyring.Hearing Care Centre find there are acouple of worries they appear to have Its high tech ability means that Silkin common. Firstly the need for discrete Primax is compatible with your smarthearing aids which their colleagues are phone. With a free app you can swapless likely to notice. Secondly, when the programs, adjust volume and span of thepatient is deprived of ‘me’ time, they focus. Adjusting the span of sound focusfind taking time out to get a hearing test, is ideal when, e.g. you are in a noisy caféassessment, waiting for the order of just focused to listening to the personcustom aids and then taking more time in front of you. It’s Bluetooth capabilityto visit the audiologist to get fitted all can means you can connect to your smartadd days, if not weeks, to the process. phone, tablet or other device for phone or Skype calls, and streaming music. No Hearing aid manufacturer Sivantos need for extra headphones.are set to change all that with the launchof ‘Silk Primax’, which resolves both of Call us today to find out how youthese problems so you can be in and out,working again in no time at all. can trial the Silk Primax technology.It’s so tiny!The Silk hearing aid is tiny enough to fit rightinside the ear canal, barely visible fromthe outside for all the world to see. Unlikenormal hearing aids that sit in the ear canal,you don’t have to wait for Silk to be custommade. Thanks to their silicone sleeves, ouraudiologist can fit and adjust them to yourpersonal preferences on the spot. Silk hearing aids are packed full ofadvanced features that deliver16 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

Technology UpdatePhonak Titanium: utilizing its adaptive frequency loweringSize is Everything! algorithm that is only applied when the level of hearing loss requires it. SoundTitanium is renowned for strength and quality of mid and low frequencies isdurability - that’s why it’s used to make maintained while high-frequency soundsthings like aircraft, tennis rackets and are made audible.bikes. Hearing aid manufacturer Phonak,have introduced this material to their Asymmetrical hearing loss?manufacturing process and have now For first-time hearing aid users who havereleased Virto B-Titanium, the smallest an asymmetrical hearing loss, it canever Phonak custom hearing aid. sometimes feel uncomfortable having sound amplified to the level required in the The strength of the Titanium (which is weaker hearing ear. Phonak has created15 times stronger than acrylic) makes it an algorithm that takes into accountpossible to build a shell as thin as 0.2 mm, the difference in hearing between eachwhich is 50% thinner than the existing shells ear. The result is it prescribes slightly lessof custom hearing aids. With a thinner shell gain for the worse hearing ear at first fit andand 60% smaller electronic components, the benefit is significantly more comfortPhonak are able to reduce the size of Virto for the new user without compromisingB-Titanium by up to 26% compared to its speech intelligibility.predecessor. Using the increased spaceavailable inside the hearing aid, a largervent can be integrated, reducing occlusionfor more listening comfort.Inside the shell it houses the most The Hearing Care Centre has beeneffective automatic operating system trialling these hearing aids before the official– New AutoSense OS and the adaptive launch and the initial results are fabulous.SoundRecover2 for better soft speech From my own experience the fit is definitelyintelligibility. SoundRecover 2 improves smaller and much lighter, many of you willhigh-frequency speech audibility by know I have tiny ears which really means that tiny ears have a solution at long last! The Hearing Care Centre | 17

Technology UpdateRechargeablesUpdateLast year I was thrilled to get my handson the first rechargeable hearing aids(Phonak Audeo BR) well ahead of theirofficial launch. The small receiver in-the-ear style hearing aid is designed withthe battery compartment completelysealed, which frees patients from the earmould or a slim tube and providescumbersome task of regularly changing enoughpowertocovermoderatetoseverethe batteries. I know many of you find losses. It is also available in 3 performancethis a real struggle. Once fully charged, levels and 9 different colours.(which takes around 3 hours) the system“can last for up to 3 days before charging What do our patients think?again. It also has a 30 minute charging “I was immediately attracted to theoption giving 6 hours of immediate new Phonak Audeo rechargeables. Foruse and in addition there is a power anyone with permanently impaired visionpack, which is easily attached to the “Phonak charger case providing power or arthritic hands or fingers, they will surely “for 7 full charges for 2 hearing aids and become indispensable! The new aidsa compact mini charger, giving users full spare me a good deal of rather fiddlyflexibility. The new technology is also effort at least once a week for each ear. “environmentally friendly, so with patients David Nicholls, Near Lavenham“typically going through around a 100 “I’m so pleased that I went for these hearing aids. The sound quality is superbbatteries per year, that’s a lot less land filland I’m thrilled that I don’t have to botherspace to find! The new Audéo BR rechargeablepremium hearing aids are available in a newdesign with 4 performance levels and 9 with batteries anymore’”colours. All models are IP 68 rated, meaning Anonymous, Ipswichthat they are dust tight and protectedagainst water.New Behind-the-Ear ModelIn March 2017 Phonak released the BoleroB rechargeable behind-the-ear model.This can be used in conjunction with an18 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

Spring Savings BdIiGsecvOGoeuurE!nrtSsTWhat would you say if we were to offer experience, but what you may notyou top end technology hearing know is that we are also very competitiveinstruments, at the price of the mid- on price.range technology? What if we also toldyou that these instruments were the This spring we’ve put together somevery latest releases from the top three ‘never seen before’ discounts, savingmanufacturers? Sounds good doesn’t it? you £1,480* off the price of selected Phonak, Sivantos and ReSound hearing At The Hearing Care Centre, we are instruments. The number of discountedknown for offering our patients the models we have available is limited sovery best service and hearing care you must be quick to secure yours.Phonak B90-R £S1A,4V80E! Sivantos £S1A,4V80E! ReSound £S1A,4V80E!(Rechargeable) Primax 7 Pure LiNX2 961£2,490 £1,750* £2,490 £1,750* £2,490 £1,750**Per aid *Per aid *Per aidTo discuss these offers further with an audiologist over thephone, or to book a consultation and hearing assessment please call us on 01473 230330 *Terms: In order to obtain the sale price, the hearing aids must be purchased as a pair for the samepatient. Discounted offer only available whilst stocks last. Colour choices may also be limited. Prices are fully inclusive of our aftercare package, 2 year manufacturer warranty and up to 60 day trial period. The Hearing Care Centre | 19



TenderLoving CareWith a little bit of TLC you can prolongthe lifespan of your hearing aids bykeeping them in tip-top condition.Just follow these simple rules… night, allowing moisture inside to dissipate. Use a special drying pot or dehumidifier.1. Ear hygieneAlways be sure to maintain good ear 5. Clean gentlyhygiene. A build-up of wax in your ear Clean your devices with a special earcould play havoc with your hearing aids. cleansing spray, designed especially forIf you need your ears clearing, book an cleaning your hearing devices. Alcohol,appointment with our ear care nurse Sarah. solvents and cleaning agents may damage the devices. In order for your2. Avoid contact with hair spray hearing aids to function properly, theThe fine atomisation of hair spray or devices themselves and the earmouldsmake-up powder may block microphone for behind-the-ear systems must alwaysopenings, and/or the volume and be free of earwax or other deposits.program controls. Remove your hearingaids before using such products.3. Avoid dropping 6. No DIY repairsAvoid dropping your devices on hard Screw drivers and other tools are thesurfaces. When you are inserting or enemies of every hearing aid. If theyremoving your hearing aids, make sure come in contact with the electronics,to do so over a soft surface. irreparable damages may be the result. If there is a problem with your hearing device do not hesitate to contact us.4. Protect from moisture 7. Attend regular Open DaysRemove the hearing aids from your ear We advise all our patients to book in atbefore showering, bathing or swimming least one of our Free Open Day events atbecause moisture can damage the your local clinic. A twice yearly MOT of yourelectronics inside your hearing aids. Do hearing aids by your audiologist will do thenot leave in the bathroom. Depending world of good and identify any problemson the type of device you have, we early doors.recommend opening the battery door at The Hearing Care Centre | 21

‘Paw-some’FundraisingRaises Over£10,000!At the beginning of 2016 we set ourselves that we have been provisionally allocatedthe ambitious target of raising £10,000 a female puppy from a litter of Labradorsfor Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, in just born in the last week.12 months. The aim was to raise enoughmoney to sponsor our second Hearing It is still early days, but the puppiesDog puppy, allowing us the opportunity have their health regularly checked withto name it and follow him or her along its an assessment at 3 and 6 weeks. Onlyjourney to hopefully becoming a fully- when the puppies pass these checks,fledged assistance dog. will it be 100% confirmed that we’ve been allocated our puppy. Throughout the year our staff, patientsand hundreds of members of the public We would have loved to have askedjoined us for a host of brilliant fundraising our readers for help in naming our fouractivities, including quiz nights, murder legged friend, but due to the timing ofmystery evenings, a dog walk with our publication we had to make a quickbreakfast and a delicious pudding club decision. The staff were all involvedevening - just to name a few. and agreed on the name ‘Bella’, as we wished for her name to include a We are delighted to announce that we representation of sound.successfully met our target and raised awhopping £10,375, ending 2016 on a high! We now await further news and cute photos, which of course we will keep “It has been great this year to see you updated with. Regular ‘Pupdates’everyone in the team working together can also be found on our websiteto achieve our target. Thank you to www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk/pupdateseveryone for all your support, whetheryou came to an event, bought a raffleticket, purchased some Christmascards or simply made a donation – it hasall made a difference”, said Karen Finch. As we write this piece Hearing Dogs forDeaf People have been in touch to tell us22 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

Upcoming Charity EventsWalkies by the waterfrontAfter last year’s success ourCharity Dog Walk and Breakfastreturns on Saturday 20th May(9.30am). With the help of ourfriends at Deben Inns we’veorganised a route through thestunning countryside betweenThe Fox at Newbourne and The Maybush at Waldringfield, with a stop for breakfastoverlooking the River Deben. Tickets are £10 and you don’t need a dog to take part! Just the tonic With gin being the in trend at the moment, we’ve teamed up with Suffolk’s own Gin Lord (a connoisseur of all things gin) to hold a tutored master class on Thursday 27th April (7pm) at the Shire Hall in Woodbridge. During the evening, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy five of The Gin Lord’s favourite gins, paired with tonics and a selection of nibbles - all for charity! Tickets are just £20 and you must be over 18 to attend.Let’s get quizzical!Don’t forget our first quiz of 2017returns on Sunday 11th June (7pm).Round up your friends and family for abrilliant evening of brain-teasing trivia atGreshams Social Club in Ipswich. So farwe’ve raised over £18,500 from our quiznights alone. Entry costs £5pp (includingnibbles) and books up very quickly!Teams can consist of 4-6 players. All of our events are being held in aid of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. TO BOOK A TICKET FOR ANY OF OUR EVENTS YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk/news or call 01473 230330. The Hearing Care Centre | 23

In the and 1st June) and Norfolk (28th and 29thCommunity June). Our team in blue will be offering free on-site hearing checks and ear healthHCC partners with Fred Olsen Travel checks, as well as competitions and give-In March we were delighted to join aways. Visit our website to find out whereforces with Ipswich-based travel agency, our stands will be located and downloadFred Olsen Travel and announce a your free refreshments voucher, whichseries of partnership activities that can be redeemed on the day.will take place throughout 2017. Community TV in Eye We will be attending events together, We are proud to have been able to helporganising a joint charity fund-raiser, be a community project in the Suffolk townrunning travel-related content and of Eye, which has seen the installation ofcompetitions within our future news- two TV screens in key locations within theletters and providing deaf awareness town. Our sponsorship money will allowtraining for many of their front line staff. the Eye-to-Eye project to promote localFred Olsen Travel will also be donating groups, activities and events, ensuringmoney to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People that every member of the community isevery time a HCC patient books a fully aware of what’s on offer.holiday with them. Looking for a speaker? HCC Marketing Manager, Matthew Are you a member of a club orCoward said “We are two very well organisation that organises regularestablished local businesses with many speakers for meetings? Karen Finchsimilarities. Working together can only and many of our audiologists love anybring good things and we are excited opportunity to talk about their passion;for what we have in store for this year.” how our hearing works, why we lose it and solutions to improve it. We do notSee us at the County Shows charge, although charitable donationsHCC will once again be out in force at this are welcomed. To discuss further pleaseyear’s county shows in Suffolk (31st May call Nathan Coward on 01473 230 330.24 | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk

Competition WIN 4 tickets to the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival!This festival, which is held on 23rd and 24th September 2017, is a celebration of Suffolk’sthriving food & drink scene. Not only is there an amazing array of local produce fromover 90 producers, but the festival also has 2 cookery masterclass stages hostingvisiting and local chefs. To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, all you have to do is answer thissimple question. Clue: The answer can be found within this newsletter.✂ ✂QUESTION:Entry FormWhere in Suffolk has The Hearing Name:Care Centre recently set up a Tel Number:dedicated ear syringing clinic? Address: How to enter: • Email your answer, name, address and contact number to Postcode: [email protected] Answer: putting ‘Competition’ in the subject. • Alternatively complete the entry form and send to: Competition, 11 Upper Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1EGTerms and conditions: Competition deadline 30th June 2017. One entry per household. Winner will be drawn and notified within 7 days of the closing date. The Hearing Care Centre | 25

Insuring YourHearing AidsBy Hearing Care either by post or email.Centre Audiologist, Once your claim has beenMichael Shade. accepted, you may find theThere is no easy way to describe the insurance company tries to push yousickening feeling when you realise you have to using a company they have partnereddefinitely lost a hearing aid. As with any small with e.g. Countrywide Hearing. This route isportable items, hearing aids can be lost or designed to significantly undercut providersdamaged accidentally and we encourage like ourselves, saving the insurance companyall of our patients to pop them onto a house money. BUT what isn’t taken into accountcontents or a standalone insurance policy is the service package that goes with thefrom the first day they are in your care. hearing aid. Please note that if you choose this route we will no longer be able to provide If you are one of the unlucky ones who you with aftercare. Many of our patientsmay have to make an insurance claim, have informed their insurers that they doplease let me advise you that our team not wish any other provider to be involvedare here to assist you. Your insurer may with their personal health care. This has leftask for copies of receipts and contracts the insurers revaluating and realising theyfrom your original purchase, or a written cannot enforce the client to use a companyquotation for a replacement hearing other than their choice. So do stand firm ifinstrument. All of which we can supply this situation ever arises for you. Of course, no one ever plans to lose a hearing aid, but accidents do unfortunately happen!Recommend Your FriendsDon’t forget that if you are an existing hearing aid user with The Hearing Care Centreyou will receive £50 if you recommend a friend or family member to us and they thengo on to purchase a hearing system. As an added bonus your friend will also receivetheir initial hearing test appointment, free of charge, saving themselves £20.To make a recommendation, please call us for a form on01473 230330, download one from our websitewww.hearingcarecentre.co.uk/recommendafriendor email [email protected] | www.hearingcarecentre.co.uk



The Hearing Care Centre 11 Upper Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1EG Telephone: 01473 230 330 Freephone: 0800 096 2637Private | Independent | Local | Hearing Aid Audiologists Dereham Hoveton We also Watton Wymondham offer home visits to those less mobile 24 Local Thetford Attleborough Carlton Colvilleclinics across Harleston Beccles Suffolk & Southwold Norfolk Halesworth Bury St. Aldeburgh Edmunds Wickham Market Woodbridge EyeStowmarket Framlingham Needham MarketSudbury Ipswich (2) Hadleigh Felixstowe ALDEBURGH: Aldeburgh Hospital, Park Road ATTLEBOROUGH: Cecil Amey Opticians, Church StreetBECCLES: Beccles & District Hospital, St Mary’s Road BURY ST EDMUNDS: Mount Farm Surgery, Lawson Place CARLTON COLVILLE: Rosedale GP Surgery, Ashburnham Way DEREHAM: Cecil Amey Opticians, Church Street EYE: The Health Centre, Castleton Way FELIXSTOWE: Grove Medical Centre, Grove Road FRAMLINGHAM: The GP Surgery, Pembroke Road HADLEIGH: Health By Design, 14 High Street HALESWORTH: Cecil Amey Opticians, 49 The Thoroughfare HARLESTON: Cecil Amey Opticians, The Thoroughfare HOVETON: Cecil Amey Opticians, Norwich Road IPSWICH: 11 Upper Brook Street (Main practice) IPSWICH: Two Rivers Medical Centre, Woodbridge Road East NEEDHAM MARKET: The Country Practice, Barking Road SOUTHWOLD (REYDON): Sole Bay Health Centre, Teal CloseSTOWMARKET: StowHealth, Violet Hill Road SUDBURY: Sudbury Community Health Centre, Church Field Road THETFORD: Healthy Living Centre, Croxton Road WATTON: Cecil Amey Opticians, 13 High Street WICKHAM MARKET: Wickham Market Medical Centre, Chapel Road WOODBRIDGE: Framfield Medical Centre, Ipswich Road WYMONDHAM: Cecil Amey Opticians, Market Streethearingcarecentre.co.uk