Saturday 28 June 2008

Health Insurance contributions to Hearing Aid costs

Did you know that LEEDS HOSPITAL FUND (part of the SimplyHealth Group) will give you £400 - £740 towards the cost of your private hearing aids?

And Sovereign Health will give you between £100 and £400!
and the old Wakefield Hospital Group, a princely £40
Please check your health plan now if you're looking to buy hearing aids.

Thursday 19 June 2008

A collection of useful links

Visit the Saga Website: http://www.saga.co.uk/
Visit the Fifty Plus Website: http://www.fiftyplus.co.uk/
Visit the Sesame Access Website: http://www.wheelchairaccess.co.uk/
Visit the Disabled Workers Co-Operative Website: http://www.disabledworkers.org.uk/
Visit the Chums website: http://www.chums.co.uk/
Visit the Modern & Mature Website: http://www.modernandmature.co.uk/
Visit Age Concern Website: http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/
Visit the Over 50 Information Website: http://www.over50.gov.uk/
Visit Help the Aged Website: http://helptheaged.org.uk/
Visit for Mobility products in Spain: http://www.eurocaremobility.com/
Visit for Mercury Products in Southern Spain: http://www.mobilityabroad.com/
Visit the Friends of the elderly Website: http://www.fote.org.uk/
Visit the Sixty Plus Surfers Website: http://www.sixtyplusurfers.co.uk/
Visit the Nursing Home Advice Website: http://www.nhfa.co.uk/
Visit The Royal British Legion Website: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/
Visit the website designed for those over 50: http://www.laterlife.com/
Visit the contact the elderly Website: http://www.contact-the-elderly.org/
Visit The Ramblers Association Website: http://www.ramblers.org.uk/
Visit The Open Country Project Website: http://www.opencountry.org.uk/
Visit The Countryside Access Website: http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/
Visit The Stroke Association Website: http://www.stroke.org.uk/
Visit the Discover Yorkshire Coast Website: http://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/
Visit the Arthrirtis Care Website: http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/
Visit The British Heart Foundation Website: http://www.bhf.org.uk/
Visit the British Polio Society Website: http://www.britishpolio.org.uk/
Visit the Diabetes UK Website: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/
Visit The Limbless Association Website: http://www.limbless-association.org/
Visit The Womens’ Institute Website: http://www.womens-institute.co.uk/
Visit Motability Website: http://www.motability.co.uk/
Visit the Disability Now Website: http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/
Visit the carry on gardening Website: http://www.carryongardening.co.uk/
Visit the Disabled Drivers Motor Club Website: http://www.ddmc.org.uk/
Visit the Disabled Living Foundation Website: http://www.dlf.org.uk/
Visit the Disability Rights Commission Website: http://www.drc-gb.org/
Visit the RADAR Website: http://www.radar.org.uk/
Visit the Dare Foundation Website: http://www.darefoundation.org/
Visit the Therapy Weekly Website: http://www.therapyweekly.co.uk/
Visit the Blue Badge Network Website: http://www.bluebadgenetwork.org/
Visit Accessible tourism in Argentina: http://www.decthird.com/
Visit the Mobility Electronic Repair Services: http://www.pcmobilityservices.com/
Visit Mobens Mobility Spain: http://www.mobility-spain.com/

Wednesday 18 June 2008

How to make a telephone call with NO WHISTLING!

Are you wearing hearing aids?
and Are you still avoiding telephone calls?

If so, something is wrong. One or more of the issues here will apply...

  • You need coaching on how to hold the telephone headset...
  • You need an adapted telephone (cheap and easily available)...like the Geemarc Dallas 10
  • Your hearing aids need recalibrated...
  • Your hearing aids may be ill-fitting...

I can tell you what's needed. Just send me an email

enquiry@hearingchecktoday.co.uk

Smoke alarms for the hard of hearing

Current legislation does not cover smoke alarms that vibrate, yet these could be life-savers.

If you are severely/ profoundly or totally deaf, these smoke alarms can alert you even if you don't hear the siren. Please contact http://www.hearingchecktoday.co.uk/ to discuss your requirements.
Our client in Liverpool called the Fire Service on our advice. 3 firemen called to inspect her house, then a man from the department concerned visited. Within two weeks, this lady's house was made safe, for free.

You may find these links helpful...

http://www.westyorksfire.gov.uk/

http://www.northyorksfire.gov.uk/

How to shop around

Please bear in mind that if you do choose to get two or more quotes for any hearing aid, then you REALLY need to consider these 2 things...

1. The person you deal with: their apparent confidence and ability to deal properly with your requirements, the company's reputation, your rapport with them, the ease of accessibility to getting the job done, and afterwards - the ease of getting problems sorted quickly.

We should all be able to make a reasoned and considered judgement on this matter.


2. Are the products / materials the same / equivalent? are you looking at a like-for-like quote?
There are many hearing aid wearers out there who either ...

  • buy on price only - an obvious mistake, unless it's a purchase that isn't that important.
  • buy the person only (very common with hearing aid sales!).
  • a combination of the above, where the client has not asked enough questions about the product... and ends up with either an inferior item or, worse, an over-priced item...

MAKE SURE YOU GET A LIKE-FOR-LIKE QUOTATION, OTHERWISE YOU MAY MAKE A MISTAKE!

If you want to know how to buy hearing aids, call me on 0800 612 7 812....

Ear wax removal

Diary of a Hearing Aid Audiologist:

I've seen a client today who uses earbuds to 'remove wax'. Upon examining her ears, some wax had been rammed right up against the eardrum and there were visible signs of injury to the ear canal skin surface. This made it unsafe to take ear impressions. PLEASE DO NOT USE EARBUDS IN THE EAR CANAL. Consult your Doctor for safe removal of ear wax.

Thursday 12 June 2008

Alcohol and Hearing

'Alcohol may reduce hearing
The ingestion of alcohol increases auditory thresholds and reduces hearing.

Many factors cause hearing loss. Noise exposure is the number one reason followed by ageing, infections and diseases. Alcohol intake may be added to the list, according to a British study.Alcohol and noise can be detrimental to hearing in combination or separately. The British study aimed to prove that the so-called “cocktail party deafness” is not only caused by the exposure to loud noise. Researchers showed that alcohol intake may be the cause of reduced hearing, at least temporarily.30 healthy adults, aged 20 to 40 years, with no history of hearing disorders participated in the study. Each participant drank a fixed amount of alcohol before their hearing was tested. Researchers found that the more alcohol ingested the worse the hearing. In particular, the hearing of low frequency sounds like the ones in speech were more affected. The study also indicated that older subjects and those with a previous history of heavy drinking were more affected.All participants were found to have a temporary hearing loss, although the authors believe that a regular ingestion of alcohol may lead to permanent hearing loss in the long term.
Further research needed
Researchers stress that further research is needed to understand if alcohol intake plays a crucial role in hearing loss. The reason why drinking deteriorates hearing remained unclear in the study. Researchers believe that alcohol may damage the hearing nerves or may interfere in the brain processing of sounds.' Source www.hear-it.org