Hearing loss –
real stories
Hearing loss – real stories
You might be surprised at the help we can give to people with hearing loss. Find out how some of our customers have improved their lives
And it all started with a free hearing test.
Eamonn’s ready to party again
Hearing loss affects many people, including TV presenter Eamonn Holmes. Eamonn now uses a hearing aid when he feels he needs it and says it has drastically improved the quality of his life: ‘I no longer feel left out of simple things such as drinks in the pub or watching TV.’
Using his hearing aid means he no longer avoids social gatherings and parties, where previously he had struggled to hear conversations. What’s more, his family, often the first to pick up on a loved one’s hearing loss, have noticed a very positive change too.
Pearl’s story
Pearl, 71, is a National Coastwatch volunteer who struggled with her hearing for years before her Specsavers hearing aids helped to change her life.
Pearl’s hearing started to decline in the 90s. She tried hearing aids at the time, but couldn’t get on with them. It wasn’t until she realised her hearing loss was affecting her time with her grandchildren that she decided she needed to get her hearing sorted once and for all.
Now Pearl wears state of the art digital hearing aids and says her hearing is ‘crystal clear’. Being able to hear properly is vital for her job as part of the Coastwatch, where she takes distress calls from boats and radio transmissions.
Jo Whiley on tinnitus
Years of djing and listening to loud music has taken its toll on the hearing of broadcaster Jo Whiley. Here she speaks honestly about her experience with tinnitus, how she copes with it and why she’s now encouraging people to use hearing protection when exposed to loud noise.
Alan’s story
Alan’s hearing was declining slowly with age. At first, he didn’t realise anything was different, but gradually his family started to notice he was turning the volume up very loudly on the TV, and complaining that they were mumbling all the time.
Since he’s had his hearing aids fitted, Alan’s wife Jane doesn’t have to shout during conversations anymore. They can enjoy going out for lunch and chat easily again, and the house is calmer because the TV doesn’t need to be up so loud.
Amanda’s not missing out on anything
After a lifetime in the noisy environments of the theatre, film and television industries, it’s no surprise that actress Amanda Barrie, best known for playing Alma in Coronation Street, has developed hearing problems.
After a trip to Specsavers Audiologists, Amanda was diagnosed with a high-frequency impairment. This means that sounds on some levels are not being picked up, which makes it particularly difficult for Amanda in crowded situations.
Amanda believes people should check their hearing in exactly the same way that they would check their eyesight: ‘It doesn’t mean that you’ve lost your sight when you get glasses and it doesn’t mean that you have gone completely deaf if you get a hearing aid.’
‘When I put my hearing aids in it was astonishing, because I could definitely hear so much better. It makes a big difference when a lot of people are talking, and I realised that in loud spaces, particularly restaurants, you do miss out. I don’t like missing out on anything!’
- Amanda Barrie
The highs and the lows of hearing loss
Keen to break the stigma of wearing hearing aids, choreographer and former Strictly Come Dancing judge, Arlene Phillips is championing the new range of Signia Styletto hearing aids.
Sleek and stylish, the Styletto hearing aids have also opened up a whole world of sound that Arlene hadn’t even realised she was missing.
Now, thanks to the Styletto’s advanced technology, she can hear every pitch and sound when she’s dancing and choreographing music. Plus, she can rely on her hearing aids being discreet when she wears her hair down and stylish when she wants to show off the unique design.