FOCUS ON: Have Your Say This World Hearing Day!
Have Your Say Before 14 March in Our Survey
We're currently reviewing the NHS Adult Hearing Service in Stockport. Have you or your loved ones used NHS Adult Hearing Services in the past 12 months? If so, share your experiences in our survey.
Your feedback makes a huge difference! The more feedback we receive from those who use the service, the better our understanding will be and the more comprehensive we can make our review.
If you prefer to provide feedback offline, we offer alternative options. Please contact us, and we can arrange for a paper copy of the survey to be sent to you or one of our team can fill it out with you over the phone.
0161 974 0753
Thank you so much for helping us make a difference!
The survey closes on Friday, March 14, 2025.
Struggling With Your Hearing?
Hearing loss is common, particularly as you get older. See a GP if you have problems with your hearing. It could be caused by something that can be easily treated.
It's not always easy to tell if you're losing your hearing. Common signs include:
- difficulty hearing other people clearly and misunderstanding what they say, especially in noisy places
- asking people to repeat themselves
- listening to music or watching TV with the volume higher than other people need
- difficulty hearing on the phone
- finding it hard to keep up with a conversation
- feeling tired or stressed from having to concentrate while listening
Sometimes someone else might notice problems with your hearing before you do.
RNID charity offer a 'Check your hearing' tool on their website
Support and Advice is Available
Should you or a loved one need more information and hearing loss, tinnitus, wearing hearing aids, how to manage hearing loss and more, there are various organisations out there.
Stockport Council hearing and vision service
If you’re struggling to get support, contact us. Head to bio for details.
Communicating With People With Hearing Loss
About 12 million adults in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. By 2035, this figure is expected to increase to 14.2 million adults with hearing loss greater than 25 decibels hearing level.
Those with hearing loss often rely on visual cues such as lip reading or facial expressions during a conversation. Being mindful of what you can do to support makes a big difference, ensuring people are included, connected in social situations, can access vital information and participate fully in conversations.
Team member; Michelle, who has hearing loss herself, suggests the following:
☞ Get their full attention
☞ Face the person you’re talking to. If in a group, bring them to the centre and try not to talk over one another
☞ Say the person's name before beginning a conversation. This gives the listener a chance to focus attention and reduces the chance of missing words at the beginning
☞ Speak clearly; naturally and avoid shouting or exaggerating mouth movements. Shouting distorts sound and may make lip reading more difficult.
☞ Avoid covering your mouth or turning away
☞ Reduce background noise; turn the tv down or move to a quieter spot. Smaller spaces tend to be better to avoid voices from carrying.
☞ If someone doesn’t understand you, repeat or phrase it differently
☞ Follow the advice of the person with communication needs
Learning to communicate is a huge part of making people feel seen, heard and involved, whether it’s a loved one, friend, colleague or neighbour.
Learn British Sign Language (BSL)
Did you know that there a number of places that run British Sign Language courses? These can be in person or online.
Wathew House based in Shaw Heath runs courses throughout the year. Visit their website or follow their socials for new courses. Walthew House in Stockport
Signature Deaf runs courses online so you can also start your search there
