Times Colonist

GN Re Sound’s Assist Hearing Care can adjust your hearing aids wherever you are.

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“Hearing loss is invisible” says Dr. Ted Venema, one of B.C.’s premier audiologis­ts. “People like to believe what they can see, and you can’t see hearing loss.” It’s hard to imagine a silent world, and even more difficult to imagine that scenario slowly growing closer over time. Unfortunat­ely, that is a reality that a large percentage of adults will have to face. Losing your hearing doesn’t happen overnight, and, if caught early enough, there are preventati­ve measures that can be taken. So why do so few adults schedule a hearing test? Dr. Venema estimates that people delay getting a hearing aid for around six years after they actually need one. “Vision loss can hit you at age 10, age 20, age 40” explains Dr. Venema. “But people don’t see that as a big deal. Everybody wears glasses, so it’s not a problem.” Yes, there’s a stigma associated with the large, beige ‘banana’ everyone thinks of when they picture a hearing aid. But the social isolation of not treating hearing loss is far worse than that outdated stigma. “Hearing is our primary sense of communicat­ion” says Dr. Venema. “If you catch hearing loss early enough and take steps to address it, you will see improvemen­ts in your relationsh­ips, your love life, your daily communicat­ion.” “You would be astounded at the technology involved with modernday hearing aids,” says Susan Flynn, one of the field training audiologis­ts at GN Re Sound. “We have recently invented a new method whereby you can control your hearing aid through an app on your smartphone.”

Re Sound LINX 3D is the only device with complete remote fine-tuning capabiliti­es that allows users to stay in touch with their hearing care profession­al wherever they are, receiving hearing care and getting new settings via the cloud without having to schedule and travel for a clinic appointmen­t.

The new Linx 3D is just one of the hearing devices that has revolution­ized the hearing aid industry. Health-care profession­als agree on one thing: don’t let the stigma of wearing a hearing aid deter you from getting your hearing tested. “…if you don’t need a hearing aid, they’re not going to give you one” says Venema. “If you have trouble reading a sign across the street you go get your eyes checked – it’s exactly the same for hearing.” Along with free hearing tests, some companies like Nex Gen Hearing even offer online hearing screening tests. In fact you can even have a video conference from the comfort of your home with a hearing profession­al to discuss the results of your test.

Call 1.877.606.6671 or visit nexgenhear­ing.com for

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