Telecare Article

Can you hear me at home?

Our world is changing. Services in many industries are becoming quicker and more accessible online than ever before. The hearing aid world is no different; some hearing aids available at Hearing Matters can connect to an app which allows a professional to conduct a basic hearing test and make adjustments to the settings of the hearing aids from their clinic whilst the patient is wearing them at home or at work. It is even possible to detect if a patient has fallen whilst wearing the hearing aids; a notification is immediately sent to a pre-selected next of kin. This remote access service provides obvious benefits to people who are less able or too busy to attend an appointment in a clinic.

To compliment this, at Hearing Matters we are aware of the importance of a personalised aftercare service where sometimes there is no substitute for seeing a person face to face. This could be to examine inside someone’s ears, to perform wax removal, or to explain to someone how to use their hearing aids.

This is why at Hearing Matters we offer a blended approach. We ask you to attend our clinic, for your initial consultation, and also during the free trial period whilst you adapt to your new hearing aids. Following that, you can have the best of both worlds; you can attend our clinic when it is appropriate, and you can have support at home or at work as needed.

Your Hearing Matters. Let us test it and improve it, your way.

For a free hearing test and a free trial of the latest hearing aid technology, or if you require ear wax removal, please contact

Mrs Samantha Fairchild MSc at Hearing Matters (Maidstone) Ltd.

Tel: 01732 443655 Email: [email protected] Website: www.hearingmattersltd.co.uk

Does that mask affect your hearing?

Pardon? Have you noticed it is harder to hear someone clearly when they wear a mask? If “Yes” then read on.

At Hearing Matters we know how much a hearing loss can impact upon quality of life and we are passionate about helping people to improve their hearing.

There are two main reasons why it might be harder to hear someone wearing a mask. Firstly, the mask physically blocks some of the sound. Our speech consists of a range of different frequencies along a spectrum. Some of the higher frequencies are absorbed by a mask. A lot of detail in the clarity of speech comes from these high frequency sounds. This can make speech seem muffled.

Furthermore, facial expressions often convey meaning in communication. Thousands of minute changes in our facial expression are interpreted subconsciously. Often, someone with a hearing loss relies more on these facial cues. Wearing a mask blocks some of these cues.

Modern hearing aids available at Hearing Matters have significantly improved hearing for people in these situations. The latest hearing aid technology, when fitted accurately to an individual prescription, can enhance the details in speech that are muffled by a mask. This means, if you have a hearing loss, whether it be mild, moderate or severe, you can experience clearer hearing and can communicate more easily with our hearing aids.

For a free hearing test and a free demonstration of the latest hearing aid technology, or if you require ear wax removal, please contact

Mrs Samantha Fairchild MSc at Hearing Matters (Maidstone) Ltd.

Tel: 01732 443655 Email: [email protected] Website: www.hearingmattersltd.co.uk

Please note, we do not intend to debate the necessity of mask wearing; we aim to highlight a potential difficultly and offer assistance to improve communication whilst wearing masks.