Kia ora all and welcome to our May Newsletter for 2023. We just keep getting busier and busier here and can't wait until we have more clinical space!

In this newsletter, we bring you:

• Our May Spotlight - Jennie Melville - who shares that getting hearing aids "is the best decision I have ever made - my only regret is I didn’t get them sooner."
• An exciting update on our new clinic space
• Our first hearing aid tech review - Oticon Own IIC

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

I am a local and have lived in West Harbour with my husband Peter for the past 37 years. We have 3 daughters and 9 precious grandchildren. Peter and I recently retired after owning our own business for many years and are now enjoying a quieter life, sharing our time between Auckland and the Coromandel where my elderly parents live. I enjoy all crafts, but my passion is Cake Art - I have been involved with the Waitakere Cake Decorators Club for the past 13 years and was President for 5 years. I also love baking and cooking, reading, walks along the beach and chilling out with the grandchildren.

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

I have known I had a degree of hearing loss for many years, it was even suggested I may have been born with it. As I was in denial, I coped as best I could, not realising how much I was actually lip reading until COVID hit and mask-wearing made this impossible. I then started to realise the severity of my hearing loss – but I was still in denial. I didn’t like the thought of having to wear hearing aids.

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

Socially I was struggling, particularly in group situations. I would often not participate in the conversation for fear of saying the wrong thing because I hadn’t heard correctly. I feared answering the telephone and over time I noticed my grandchildren getting frustrated with me as I would constantly ask them to repeat themselves as ‘Nanny can’t hear properly’. I realised that this wasn’t fair on them and everyone else, as I was the one who was struggling and needed to do something about it.

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

After suffering a double ear infection just after Christmas and subsequent blocked ears for 3 months, I booked in to see an ENT specialist who insisted I have a hearing test before my appointment. I was not happy as I didn’t connect my feeling of blocked ears with hearing loss!

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

Fortunately, my sister-in-law in Tauranga had just been fitted with hearing aids and had done all the groundwork comparing different companies, brands and prices, so she was a great help and very supportive. I decided to try Hobsonville Hearing as it was a local business and I liked the fact it was owner-operated. As I felt anxious, personal service was important to me - something you don’t always get with the bigger companies.

It actually took quite a lot of courage just to make the appointment, but from the moment I approached Phoebe at reception, I was made to feel at ease. I remember feeling quite embarrassed when Phoebe, who was wearing a mask, asked me a question and I had to tell her that I was sorry but I hadn’t heard anything she said. To lighten the moment, I said "I guess I’m in the right place!" Abby too was so friendly and professional. After discussing the results of my hearing test and confirming I did need hearing aids, I then became quite excited that I was finally doing something about my hearing loss and I was going to get my confidence back. Abby made the whole process very easy and I couldn’t be more grateful.

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

I have only had my hearing aids for six weeks, but I can honestly say it is the best decision I have ever made - my only regret is I didn’t get them sooner. Already I feel much more confident socially. I now enjoy talking on my mobile and I can hear my grandchildren clearly. I can hear birds singing and lots of new sounds I hadn’t heard for years. My husband is very happy I don’t have to have the TV up so loud anymore. I cannot thank Abby and Phoebe enough for making this whole journey so easy – facing my fear of hearing loss and being the proud owner of hearing aids has absolutely changed my life!

As many of you may know, Hobsonville Hearing will be expanding into our own, much larger space - don't worry, we will still be located in the same building! Our new entrance will be in the main corridor opposite our colleagues at Hobsonville Physiotherapy and Hobsonville Podiatry. We hope to move into the new space before the end of the year.

Phoebe is most excited about having a designated staff room, a workshop for hearing aid repairs and a pink entrance door.

Abby is most excited about more space for friends and whānau to attend appointments with patients, having separate treatment rooms for wax removal and audiology and of course having a staff room to relax over lunch.

Here is a sneak peak of the design plans - building will commence in the coming weeks.

A couple of newsletters back we shared our YouTube channel and our plans to upload regular hearing aid technology reviews. We are excited to share our first tech review is for the Oticon Own IIC - a tiny custom hearing solution. Phoebe put so much work into the animations behind the scenes and is already working on our next one!

Click below to watch our tech review on YouTube and don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

As always, we are here to help you with all of your ear-related needs:

• Visit our website at www.hobsonvillehearing.co.nz
• Email us on [email protected]
• Call us on 09-930-9880

Or visit our clinic during our opening hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5pm.

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