Kia ora and welcome to the February Edition of Hobsonville Hearing's Newsletter! 🔊👂🏼🦻🏽

As a month of beautiful weather (and Summer) comes to a close, we're thrilled to bring you the latest updates from our clinic. In this edition you'll hear from our patient spotlight star Jane McGowan and learn about hearing awareness month this coming March and how we can work to change our mindset about hearing loss and tinnitus.

Several shorter weeks have meant we are booking well into March, so please book in NOW if you're hoping to get an appointment soon. We have had new technology launch this year from Starkey, Beltone, Signia, Phonak and Oticon, so if you have been waiting for new tech to try, now is the time to action that hearing loss.

Tomorrow, Friday 1st March, both Abby and Phoebe will be out of the clinic. Abby is attending an Audiological Society Meeting and Phoebe is headed to New Plymouth to see Matchbox Twenty play. Thankfully, we will have lovely Laura on reception from 8:30 - 4:30pm to tend to your calls and bookings.

See you in March where we are excited to share something completely new!

Tell us about yourself (interest, work, anything interesting, etc.)

I'm 84 and I've got three sons. I've been on my own since I was 72. I've sold my home in Albany and now live in a retirement village called Waterford in Hobsonville - I love it. I have a lovely villa with a garden - what more could you wish for? I have 6 granddaughters and a new great-grandson.

I have hundreds of hobbies; I used to bowl, I enjoy mahjong, reading and playing the ukulele. I play cards twice a week. I've done years of U3A, and before that, I was in Probus - I used to write the newsletter for Probus for about 8 years.

Tell us about your hearing loss and when you first noticed it:

I've been aware of it for a while - perhaps that's why I pulled out of certain clubs and didn't do them anymore. But having come to Waterford, I play cards twice a week and I noticed that I couldn't hear what the table was saying. I would catch up with somebody next to me who was wearing a hearing aid who could tell me. So I've just lived with it. It didn't worry me that much, but I was losing my balance but had no idea [my hearing] would have any effect.

Prior to getting hearing aids, how did your hearing loss impact your life?

Well, cards, particularly. Recently we had a meeting [down at the village] with management; I didn't hear much of that. I was lip-reading the speaker, but I didn't think I was missing anything, so it never prompted me to do anything. I'm surrounded by people with hearing aids and the other day my friend of 92 called across to another lady who quickly [tapped her ear] and was able to answer. So I've realised now the secret is hearing aids.

At what point did you realise you needed to do something about your hearing?

Well, I think that was the point; when I watched somebody control their own hearing with somebody else, how easy they all found it. Many men have left theirs on the bathroom sink or somewhere because they can't be bothered but it just depends. I wanted to get hearing aids when I realised I was missing things.

Did you do any research about hearing solutions before coming to Hobsonville Hearing?

No, because we get enough [advertisements] coming up on the television that it began to annoy me rather than interest me. So it was my interest to hear people around the table. I think I found [Hobsonville Hearing] myself; I may have applied either online or on road maps or whatever it would be through something on the phone that I found, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

"They are my treasures. I'd recommend them to anybody. I feel proud of myself, it's a change of life to be treasured absolutely."

Tell us about your hearing aid journey and how it has impacted your day-to-day life:

It has changed my life. I'm hearing funny little noises inside the lodge that I didn't know; I hear every tweet and dink in the building and it's an adventure. It is the one thing that I am so pleased that I did. When choosing the hearing aids (with the pricing), I went for what I needed, which was group situations and it has changed my life.

I've said to one of my sons that when I pass on, treasure my hearing aids - they may work for you; you need to try and pursue it - don't just flip them off. My mother wore hearing aids and I just tossed them off. [I have told my family] to hang on to them and get involved; could you need hearing aids? They are my treasures. I'd recommend them to anybody. I feel proud of myself, it's a change of life to be treasured absolutely.

March in New Zealand marks Hearing Awareness Month, dedicated to shedding light on hearing health and advocating for the 880,000+ New Zealanders who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Throughout March, organisations across the country unite to observe Hearing Awareness Month. Numerous opportunities exist for individuals to actively participate in various activitiesevents, and campaigns designed to raise awareness about hearing health and associated concerns. It offers individuals and organisations the chance to champion education, early detection, and the treatment of hearing impairments.

Notably, March 3rd is observed worldwide as World Hearing Day. The theme for this year revolves around 'Changing mindsets: Let's make ear and hearing care a reality for all!'.

The goal is to raise awareness and promote understanding about the impact of hearing loss and the importance of early detection and intervention. Whether on an individual or community level, your participation can contribute to the global effort to make ear and hearing care accessible for all.