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.
Which? customers rate independent providers as best for private hearing care
Which? customers rate independents providers as the best for private hearing care. Find out more from the report here.
Which? Magazine conducted their first hearing-aids satisfaction survey quizzing 1,215 members about their experiences. A third of which bought hearing aids privately. Highlights of the report found: -
1. Levels of long term satisfaction among hearing-aid users are high - 94% of customers who paid to go private are marginally more satisfied versus 86% satisfaction for the NHS.
2. Independent providers were given five-star ratings in all categories and were rated higher than the 4 major high street providers who were ranked in the following order Boots Hearingcare (David Ormerod), Amplifon, Specsavers Hearcare and Hidden Hearing.
3. Many people aren’t sure what they should be paying as many companies do not publish their prices online and it’s therefore difficult to compare as packages don’t always include the same products and services.
4. A fifth of customers felt under pressure to select pricier hearing aids however this pressure was recorded as being less likely felt at independents.
5. Those using a private provider waited just under a week for an appointment whilst those using the NHS waited just under 4 weeks.
6. The average cost of those surveyed paid for their hearing aids was £2,523 but this varied by provider.
Which advised “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”.
What we say
This surveys shows that independents are a great provider for private hearing care and should not be ignored over the high street chains. Independents offer a great service for those who choose the benefits of private hearing care over our wonderful NHS service.
However, it is important to remember that all independents are different and you should always ensure that you understand what you are paying for when investing in hearing solutions and care. Make sure that you feel that you can build a relationship of trust with your dispenser.
To find out more check out the Which? website or click the link to find out about the independent hearing care provided by Key to Hearing.