News and Stories

With adults typically waiting many years to get their hearing checked after noticing an issue, it’s little surprise that having a hearing test is a daunting prospect for many. However, with research increasingly pointing to deteriorating hearing in later life being linked to other health conditions, social isolation and even mental decline, adding a regular hearing check to your to-do list may make a lasting difference for your quality of life – now, and in the future. What can I expect from a hearing assessment at Hear and Say? Hear and Say offers comprehensive hearing tests and ...

After our glimpse into the world of audiology in our “From the Desk of…” series, we sat down with another member of Hear and Say’s Audiology team, Pirasha Maru, to find out more about her role.  1.What does a typical workday look like for you as a Hear and Say audiologist? I have up to five face-to-face appointments in a day, with clients aged anywhere from newborn through to adults. Clients might be coming in for a diagnostic hearing assessment, or they may already wear a hearing device that needed to be programmed. After the appointment, I consolidate the results and ...

As a registered nurse and midwife, Kath Corcoran is aware of how important it is to look after her health – including a fluctuating hearing loss that had frustrated her for years. “Taking steps to retain your functional hearing capacity is so important, however my specific hearing loss was not a linear progression from ‘hearing’ to ‘not hearing’,” said Kath, who was diagnosed with an inner ear condition known as Ménière’s disease in 2007, and had been wearing hearing aids for the past year with varying success. “For me, I have periods of hearing fluctuations which ...

The melodic song of birds in the trees – it’s something many of us take for granted, but not so for 75-year-old grandfather, Trevor. Having acquired hearing aids through Hear and Say’s Adult Hearing program late last year, Trevor said that he had been overjoyed to find a return to many everyday sounds. “I had noticed that I was missing out interacting with friends and family, especially the grandkids. It was embarrassing at times, getting the wrong slant on conversations, and I often had to rely on others for interpretation,” said Trevor. “I had previously had a ...

It is with heartfelt gratitude that Hear and Say farewells Paul Laxon OAM in his role as Board Chair at the end of this month, following more than a decade of inspiring leadership. From the Brisbane centre’s move from its outgrown quarters in Auchenflower into the state-of-the-art Ashgrove facilities; to overseeing governance and accreditation during the National Disability Insurance Scheme transition, Paul has been instrumental in steering Hear and Say through rapid growth and change. Chris McCarthy, who was appointed as the first Hear and Say Chief Executive Officer eight years ...

An iconic Queensland institution, Suncorp Stadium has long been associated with the roar of a sports match or the thunderous cheer of a music crowd. Alongside that though, Suncorp Stadium also makes big noise for children with hearing loss. From the Former Origin Greats (FOGS) beneficiary lunches where it all began, to the renowned annual Suncorp Stadium Charity Golf Day, to the fun of 50-50 Charity Raffles, the links forged between Hear and Say and Suncorp Stadium are many and varied. Suncorp Stadium’s General Manager, Alan Graham said their team had been proud to have Hear and Say as ...

Asking your child to be focused throughout an entire listening and spoken language lesson can be a challenge, and telepractice lessons, which are increasingly becoming part of the ‘new norm’, have their own unique distractions. Hear and Say’s Occupational Therapist, Leisa Chapman, shares some insights and tips for helping children to be calm, settled and focussed during their telepractice lesson. Tip 1: The Surrounding Environment An ideal learning environment is a familiar, uncluttered and well-ventilated space that doesn’t have distracting background noise. It is great to ...

With schools opening their doors once again after the coronavirus-induced hiatus, 12-year-old Sarah has an exciting piece of technology to bring back to the classroom. After being diagnosed with a permanent hearing loss in her left ear last year, Sarah recently underwent cochlear implant surgery – and amidst the stringent conditions of a global pandemic, had her implant switched onto sound at the Hear and Say Brisbane centre. “Due to coronavirus my implant surgery had been on and off several times which was disappointing, so when I was finally able to have the surgery I was really ...

This edition took a bird’s eye view of Clinical Manager – Audiology Julie Decker’s hearing booth desk and gained insight into Hear and Say’s Audiology program. Julie joined us in 2019 and brings a wealth of experience from nearly 30 years as a cochlear implant audiologist. She began her career in Sydney working with Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) and The Shepherd Centre. She joined Hear and Say after working for Cochlear Ltd for 14 years, most recently as the Clinical Manager for Australia/New Zealand. Through this role she gained invaluable insights into the ...