Key to Hearing awarded "Inspired by Ida" - A benchmark of quality for hearing care
Bournemouth based Key to Hearing have been awarded “Inspired by Ida” clinic status which is a benchmark of quality for hearing care. Read on to find out more.
We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded "Inspired by Ida" status for our clinic (service) which is a benchmark of quality for hearing care.
The status recognises hearing specialists (Keeley) and their staff (Will) who have completed courses in person-centered counselling.
We believe the Person-centered care principles of the Ida Institute "Inspired by Ida" courses are very much aligned to the service we have been providing to our customers since starting Key to Hearing in 2012.
Keeley and I are always looking to learn and improve our service and are grateful to the Ida Institute for providing these courses and rewarding us with "Inspired by Ida" Clinic status.
What is Person-Centred Care?
Ida define person-centered care as “a way of seeing people and their families as experts in their own experience of hearing loss, working alongside the health care provider to determine which solutions and strategies will help them most.”
What to expect
At Key to Hearing we will:
• Talk to you about your individual needs and preferences.
• Invite your partner or other close relatives to be at your appointment.
• Work with you to establish a treatment plan based on your personal lifestyle.
• Provide you with advice for how to manage your hearing in daily life.
Putting what we’ve learnt into practice
We see the status as recognition for the level of care that Keeley provides to our customers on a daily basis and look forward to putting into practice what we've learnt from the courses in the coming months.
You can see the Inspired by Ida - Person Centered Care badge at the bottom of our website and can find out more about the scheme on the Ida Institute website.
Winter Newsletter 2018
Welcome to our latest newsletter. We hope you've had a good start to the new year despite the cold and wet weather. Please enjoy the latest edition and please let us know if you have any questions, feedback or topics you would like us to discuss in future editions.
Best wishes Keeley and Will
Why do colds affect our hearing?
There are a lot of cold and flu viruses currently circulating and if you have been unfortunate enough to catch one you may find that it has affected your hearing.
The cold virus can often cause a build-up of fluid in the middle ear which prevents sounds from efficiently travelling from the eardrum and across the tiny bones in the middle ear through to the cochlea. Sounds may appear muffled and distorted when you are suffering from a cold. The good news is that the fluid should dissipate once your cold is gone.
If you however find that your hearing has not returned to its expected level, please ensure you contact your local GP or us for further advice to ensure that the cold has not caused an ear infection.
Have you had your hearing checked recently?
Have you noticed recent changes in your hearing? At Key to Hearing we always recommend having an annual hearing check-up. This allows us to keep an eye on your current hearing levels and compare them to past results. If there are any marginal differences, we can make sure your hearing aids are adjusted to ensure that your devices are giving you the best hearing possible.
When is the right time to upgrade?
Technology rapidly changes and if your hearing aids are more than four years old you could benefit from trying the latest hearing technology.
Hearing aid manufacturer's generally release a new operating platform every four to five years. On each platform you would normally see two new hearing aid models released. The upgraded second model normally released two-years after the launch of the first. If you are on a previous operating platform and upgrade to a hearing aid on the newest operating platform you should hear a noticeable improvement.
This does not mean that your existing hearing aids are no good. If you look after your hearing aids they can last between seven to 10 years. However, you may find if your hearing aid is six years or older and needs repair the replacement components may no longer be available. We recommend having a service appointment every six to nine months to ensure Keeley can make sure your hearing aids are performing correctly.
At Key to Hearing we have the latest hearing aids available to demonstrate as well as new models to trial. If you’re interested in hearing the difference the latest technology could make to your life, then let Keeley know at your next appointment or contact us to find out more.
Latest in-the-ear hearing aids released
Phonak and Unitron recently released their latest custom in-the-ear hearing aids. The Phonak Virto B is the world’s first hearing aid with Biometric Calibration which Phonak claim results in a 2dB improvement in directionality for better hearing performance. You can learn more about the Phonak Virto B here.
The Unitron Insera uses Unitron’s EarMatch process to optimise directional microphones to help provide you with fantastic speech understanding in conversation. Learn more about the Unitron Insera.
We have already started fitting these products to customers with great results. Please contact us for further details.
Servicing
If you are a Key to Hearing customer we will visit you every six months during your chosen inclusive hearing care period. Thereafter we recommend six to nine monthly appointments. These appointments ensure that we can keep an eye on your ear health and make sure your hearing aids are functioning correctly. We will carry out a hearing check-up if you haven't been tested in the previous 12 months or if you have noticed recent changes to your hearing. At the appointments we will also give you the opportunity to purchase consumables including batteries at a reduced rate.
If you choose not to have a regular appointment, please feel free to contact us at any time to book one at your convenience or to request consumables. Unfortunately, we charge slightly more to mail consumables due to administration, labour and postage costs.
Why are hearing aids expensive?
Want to understand why the purchase of hearing aids is often seen as a costly exercise? Here we explain the reasoning behind the pricing for hearing aids and hearing care.
There is no getting away from the fact that for many purchasing hearing aids is seen as a costly exercise. So why are hearing aids expensive? Hearing aids are commonly marketed as a commodity much like TV’s and laptops but the professional skills that are involved in selecting, fitting and rehabilitating a person who needs a hearing aid are commonly overlooked. This way of marketing is carried out for simplicity for the consumer and is based on the assumption that from the outset a hearing aid provider would expect to give the same level of care to each and every one of their customers. Therefore the differentiation in pricing is often based on the level of technology that is chosen between the consumer and hearing aid dispenser. When purchasing a hearing aid privately it is important to remember that the selecting, fitting and some form of rehabilitative care will usually all be included in this price.
I still don’t understand why costs are high please tell me more?
Hearing aid manufacturers spend millions on research and development as they constantly push the boundaries of hearing aid technology. Despite the technology used in hearing aids being as advanced as that used in laptops, TV’s and smartphones the average hearing aid price is generally more expensive. However, unlike laptops, TV’s and smartphones, hearing aids are not a mass market consumer product. In 2013 hearing aids sales worldwide were approximately 10 million units. Compare this to Apple’s iPhone sales that alone were 150 million units. When hearing technology is more readily accepted by the world’s population (much like spectacles) then due to economies of scale we believe pricing will decrease.
What about the cheap hearing devices I see advertised?
There are some really cheap hearing devices advertised but these are often personal sound amplifiers (PSAPs) which are used to encourage people into a store or to sign up to a database before they are recommended a hearing aid more suitable for their hearing range. Many PSAPs cannot be programmed specifically for your hearing range and will not be available in a custom fitted in-the-ear style. Be aware that many cheaper hearing aids that are available with discounts or two for one offers can be older products that have been superseded.
What should I look for when purchasing a hearing aid?
In our opinion the most important aspect of purchasing a hearing aid is to ensure that you will be receiving a first class service with your product.
At Key to Hearing our prices include your hearing aid/s, our professional skills including hearing aid selection, fitting and programming, our comprehensive two-year aftercare package, a two-year supply of batteries and all of this in the comfort of your own home.
All of these elements ensure that we can maximise your hearing potential and get the best from your hearing aids. We believe it is really important to choose a skilled hearing care professional that you’re comfortable with and with whom you can build a rapport.
We’ll finish with this quote from a Which magazine report last year on purchasing hearing aids privately. “The difference between a good and bad hearing aid outcome is not often the aids themselves – it’s more to do with the fit and service given by the provider”. Bear this quote in mind next time you are looking to purchase hearing devices and make sure you understand what is included in the price.