Skip to Content
Skip to Main Menu
Freephone Hearing Aid Advice
0800 567 7621
8am - 8pm, 7 days a week
Book

National Audiology Awareness Month 2024 - Understanding the importance of family centred care

Kimberley Bradshaw - Head of Marketing
Written By:
Kimberley Bradshaw

Head of Customer Content Experience

Paul Harrison Hearing Aid UK Founder & Audiologist
Medically Reviewed By:
Paul Harrison

Audiology Expert

Updated and medically reviewed: 18th September 2024
National Audiology Awareness Month 2024

National Audiology Awareness Month 2024

Discussing the importance of family-centred care in audiology

 

National Audiology Awareness Month 2024, October

National Audiology Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about the importance of hearing health and the field of audiology. Held to encourage proactive steps toward protecting their hearing and promote understanding and support for individuals with hearing impairments.

At Hearing Aid UK, we know how important family is and recognise that they play an integral role in healthcare.  Because of this, we welcome this approach and are proactive enthusiasts of Family Centred Care (FCC).  We know from our own experiences, that having somebody else’s input and presence, can evoke solid and strong decision-making about you and your hearing.

 

Family-centred care and decision-making support reduces stress

Making the right decisions for your hearing is often a daunting task with many variances to consider.  It involves scheduling appointments, receiving and understanding advice, making choices that are right for you, implementing the advice given and maintaining hearing health.  Therefore, family involvement is often crucial. 

 

Family-centred care improves communication

Family and friends can help soften the anxiety, support you with important decisions or help you feel more confident in the process.  They will observe the implications of hearing loss first-hand and with that gain a better understanding.  The good news here is that perceptions of the family and friends can be altered. 

If seen in the past as negative, a more positive approach to hearing loss can be found, with them just simply being there.

 

Family-centred care nurtures positive family interaction

The Family Centred Care approach to healthcare is not new, it has been around for some time but has only recently hit the independent audiology scene.  We are slightly baffled by this, as FCC is only seen as a positive to our audiologists, as it ensures their patient relationships are built with trust and confidence in the service and products provided. 

We know that families, in turn, appreciate the involvement of being included in the process.  However, this service is not often seen in high street hearing centres, as there is little consultation time to commit to each patient.  More speed than patient interaction and tailored care.

 

Family-centred care in the community

We are also so lucky that we have great access to so much information online.  There are various forums and informative websites that can give you access to hearing healthcare and hearing aids.  Many organisations are dedicated to bringing awareness and support to the hearing loss community and their friends and families.

 

Recognising the possibilities of support

Most people discover their hearing loss through family and friend interaction – so why not make them a part of the journey?  It may have been an emotional path that has brought you to see an audiologist.  A hearing problem that has worsened over time and has impacted the whole family. 

Realising that your quality of life has altered is never easy, but together with your family, you can all understand your hearing loss. By developing a strong alliance with your audiologist and motivating each other, you will find the right solution for yourself - through communication and advice.  Do not let your hearing loss get in the way of enjoying being with people that mean the most to you.

 

In conclusion

All our audiologists have always been great advocates for family-centred care and person-centred care.  We believe that building a strong and trusting relationship with our patients, along with their families, is invaluable.  We also know that treating everyone as though every hearing loss is the same will not work. 

We partner with our patients, and we adapt and support them through their own unique hearing loss journey, as all hearing loss is completely different and deserves special focus.

Finding the right hearing aids and hearing healthcare will not just open doors, it will change your life.  With our network of over two hundred independent audiologists nationwide – there is a practice near you that will show you your hearing potential.

Why Choose Us?

  • FREE Hearing Tests
  • Best Hearing Aids and Prices
  • FREE Aftercare for Life
  • FREE Home Visits
  • 200+ Local Audiologists
  • 60 Day Money Back Guarantee
Paul Harrison
Hearing Aid Advisor
Unlike most national retailers we are not owned by any manufacturer, this means we can offer the full choice of all makes and models of hearing aids

National Audiology Awareness Month 2024

We can support you or a loved one locally.  Call us free on 0800 567 7621 for more information on hearing healthcare, hearing aids and how we beneficially include your family and friends either at home or in clinic.

Read Next:

►6 reasons people prefer home visits for their hearing healthcare

►Click here to go to the top of the page

Call 0800 567 7621
- or -
We Can Call You
Request a Callback
A friendly member of our team will call you back.
We Can Call You
Please correct any validation errors.
* Unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy
protected by Badge reCAPTCHA

This article was written by audiology expert Paul Harrison

Meet Paul Harrison, Audiology Expert

Audiology expert at Hearing Aid UK, with over 20 years of audiology experience and a member of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists Council (BSHAA) between 2015 - 2020.

Hearing aids from all manufacturers in one place
Browse Brands

What's included in our hearing aid prices?

Full Hearing Test & Examination by a Registered Audiologist
Fitting and Programming of Hearing Aid(s)
All Aftercare and Fine Tuning for Life
Full Manufacturer's Warranty
60 Day Full Money Back Guarantee

Our specialist service includes:

Free Independent, Impartial Advice
Free Aftercare for Life
Competitive Prices & National Support
60 day Money Back Guarantee - Risk Free
Over 200 Audiologists across the UK

Do not spend hundreds of pounds without getting a second opinion from us.

Please call us on 0800 567 7621

Quote Marks Not only are the prices great, but the service is fantastic! Many thanks to your team.
Jenny Smith - London
Verified Customer
reviews.io logo

Watch our video about our hearing healthcare services below

Other pages you might find useful

Best Hearing Aids 2024
View Best Hearing Aids 2024
Bluetooth Hearing Aids UK 2024
View Bluetooth Hearing Aids UK 2024
Hearing Aid Prices UK 2024
View Hearing Aid Prices UK 2024

Common FAQs when researching hearing aids and hearing loss

Is this the best model for me?

If you are looking at this page then it is likely that an audiologist has suggested that you purchase this particular hearing aid, so is this the best model for you?

In general, any audiologist will always be recommending to you the model that best suits your needs. Here is a useful check list to make sure that is the case.

  • Audiologist level of knowledge. The audiologist you have seen will hopefully have a wide knowledge of all available hearing aids, however some will only be familiar with a small number of brands and therefore may not really be in a position to know which model is the best for you. It is OK to challenge their recommendation and ask them to justify why this particular brand is the one for you.
  • Do research. Read about the hearing aid that was recommended. Does it seem like it will suit your lifestyle? Does it have more or less features than you need? 
  • Be aware of sales targets. Many high street retailers have specific tie-ins to a particular manufacturer/brand. The hearing aid they have suggested may still be the correct one for you, but do your research so that you know why they might have recommended it.

If in doubt, feel free to give us a call. That's what we're here for.

Do I need one hearing aid or two?

If you have a significant hearing loss in both ears, you should be wearing two hearing aids. Here are the audiological reasons why:

Localisation. The brain decodes information from both ears and compares and contrasts them. By analysing the miniscule time delays as well as the difference in loudness of each sound reaching the ears, the person is able to accurately locate a sound source. Simply put, if you have better hearing on one side than the other, you can't accurately tell what direction sounds are coming from.

Less amplification required. A phenomena known as “binaural summation” means that the hearing aids can be set at a lower and more natural volume setting than than if you wore only one hearing aid.

Head shadow effect. High frequencies, the part of your hearing that gives clarity and meaning to speech sounds, cannot bend around your head. Only low frequencies can. Therefore if someone is talking on your unaided side you are likely to hear that they are speaking, but be unable to tell what they have said.

Noise reduction. The brain has it’s own built in noise reduction which is only really effective when it is receiving information from both ears. If only one ear is aided, even with the best hearing aid in the world, it will be difficult for you to hear in background noise as your brain is trying to retain all of the sounds (including background noise) rather than filtering it out.

Sound quality. We are designed to hear in stereo. Only hearing from one side sounds a lot less natural to us.

What are the benefits of rechargeable hearing aids?

For most people, the main benefit of a rechargeable hearing aid is simple convenience. We are used to plugging in our phones and other devices overnight for them to charge up. 

For anybody with poor dexterity or issues with their fingers, having a rechargeable aid makes a huge difference as normal hearing aid batteries are quite small and some people find them fiddly to change.

One downside is that if you forget to charge your hearing aid, then it is a problem that can't be instantly fixed. For most a 30 minute charge will get you at least two or three hours of hearing, but if you are the type of person who is likely to forget to plug them in regularly then you're probably better off with standard batteries.

Rechargeable aids are also a little bit bigger and are only available in behind the ear models.

Finally, just like with a mobile phone, the amount of charge you get on day one is not going to be the same as you get a few years down the line. Be sure to ask what the policy is with the manufacturer warranty when it comes to replacing the battery.

 

Are behind the ear aids better than in the ear aids?

For most people, the answer is yes. But it's never that simple.

The majority of hearing problems affect the high frequencies a lot more than the low ones. Therefore open fitting hearing aids sound a lot more natural and ones that block your ears up can make your own voice sound like you are talking with your head in a bucket. Therefore in-ear aids tend to be less natural.

However the true answer is we can't tell until we have had a look in your ears to assess the size of your ear canal, and until we have tested your hearing to see which frequencies are being affected.

People with wider ear canals tend to have more flexibility, also there are open fitting modular CIC hearing aids now that do not block your ears.

There is also the age old rule to consider, that a hearing aid will not help you if it's sat in the drawer gathering dust. If the only hearing aid you would be happy wearing is one that people can't see, then that's what you should get.

Most people can adapt to any type of hearing aid, as long as they know what to expect. Have an honest conversation with your audiologist as to what your needs are.

What are channels, and how many do I need?

Generally speaking, six or more. Unless it's none at all.

The number of channels a hearing aid has is often a simplistic way an audiologist will use to explain why one hearing aid is better than another, but channels are complex and it is really not that straightforward.

Hearing aids amplify sounds of different frequencies by different amounts. Most people have lost more high frequencies than low and therefore need more amplification in the high frequencies. The range of sounds you hear are split into frequency bands or channels and the hearing aids are set to provide the right amount of hearing at each frequency level.

Less than six channels and this cannot be done with much accuracy, so six is the magic number. However, a six channel aid is typically very basic with few other features and is suitable only for hearing a single speaker in a quiet room. The number of channels is not what you should be looking at, it's more the rest of the technology that comes with them.

As a final note, different manufacturers have different approaches. One method is not necessarily better than any other. For example some manufacturers have as many as 64 channels in their top aids. Most tend to have between 17 and 20. One manufacturer has no channels at all.

Where can I get the hearing aids covered?

Hearing aids are easily lost, misplaced or damaged and typically are one of the most expensive personal possessions an individual can own. We offer hearing aid warranty cover for £80 per year per aid.  Find out more here

How much does the hearing test cost?

All our audiologists use the very latest technology and provide the full range of tests to accurately measure your hearing for free.  Find out about what we offer all our customers here

Do home visits cost extra?

Hearing Aid UK offers all their customers free home visiting services and home visits for hearing aids - Including hearing tests, fittings, maintenance, check-ups and much more in the comfort of your own home and at your convenience.  Find out more information here

How come you're much cheaper than other places?

Here, at Hearing Aid UK, we are dedicated to offering low hearing aid prices. We achieve this by having no head office and low marketing costs.   Our hearing aid prices are amongst the lowest you will find anywhere in the world.

Need advice? Give our hearing aid experts a call for FREE

Ask the Experts

Please correct any validation errors.

Get free independent impartial advice from the experts you can trust. We offer nationwide coverage and huge savings on all our hearing aids.

0800 567 7621
8am - 8pm, 7 days a week
Hearing Aid UK Ltd.
6 Morton Lane
Walkwood
Redditch
Worcestershire
B97 5QA
© Hearing Aid UK Ltd. 2024

Latest Launch

When we refer to a product as 'Latest Launch', we mean it is the latest to be released on the market.

Close

New

When we refer to a product as 'New', we mean that the product is the newest hearing aid model on the market.

Close
Superseded

When we refer to a product as 'Superseded', we mean that there is a newer range available which replaces and improves on this product.

Close

Older Model

When we refer to a product as an 'Older Model', we mean that it is has been superseded by at least two more recent hearing aid ranges.

Close