March is Hearing Awareness Month, so now may be a good time to get you or your loved ones hearing checked out.
People of all ages can be affected by hearing loss – if you suspect yourself or someone you know may not be hearing as well as they should be, Tracy Henderson at Life Unlimited in Invercargill can help.
Hearing loss is invisible and often does not arouse public sympathy.
However, it can have a devastating impact on a person’s home, work and social life, leading to social isolation and difficulty in carrying out everyday activities that involve communication.
Anyone affected by hearing loss may benefit from seeing Tracy, a qualified hearing therapist with Life Unlimited, who is based in the Hearing Association Rooms in Leet Street, Invercargill.
Whether you are starting from the beginning, which would involve a screening test to see how your hearing is, or further on in your journey and have hearing aids but are still struggling, Tracy can help.
The service is Ministry of Health funded and is free to New Zealand citizens and residents aged 16 years and over.
A hearing therapist works with you, considers your circumstances, your life and the way you live it.
Solutions could include referral to another health professional, sessions to help you improve your communication skills or use of your hearing aids, tinnitus management, communication strategies, speech reading including lip reading, auditory training including exercises to improve listening skills and auditory memory, and assistive devices.
