Trevor Trott
31st March 2016
Phonak V50 10
“I contacted Robert at Cleckheaton as a result of a poor experience with the audiologist at a well known High Street provider who had made me feel uncomfortable, patronised and who had recommended a pair of what I found out were expensive, out of date hearing aids. My experience with Robert could not be more different. He is warm, friendly and as an elderly deaf person I was grateful for the patience that he showed with my many questions as he carefully explained the options available. As an older deaf person and even with NHS hearing aids I had felt awkward and left out in many social situations because I was finding it more difficult to cope. I had thought that this was just something that I had to accept and learn to live with and would try to handle the many difficult situations that cropped up with good humour. Having to concentrate to try to work out what people were saying was also making me frequently very tired.
After a careful assessment Robert fitted me with the hearing aids that we had chosen and I left the Cleckheaton premises. I was impressed that they were reducing all the distracting and invasive background noises that my previous aids picked up. I immediately felt more comfortable and relaxed. When shopping I no longer have to keep asking people to repeat things as I strain to hear them. Watching television is again a pleasure. I go to an exercise class and I no longer have to keep re-positioning myself to see the instructor to know what is going on as I can now hear her, even with the loud background music playing. I can now also relax and enjoy restaurant and pub meals with friends instead of just sitting there trying to work out what people are saying as the conversation goes back and forth. All of these adjustments to the different situations I find myself in are automatic and very accurate.
When I returned to see Robert for my follow up appointment I reported all these improvements and told him that as far as I was concerned the aids were excellent. I did tell him, though, that the only very minor point I could remark on was a slight buzz on high sounds in very enclosed spaces. He made an adjustment to the aids and even this is now no longer a problem. I have only had my hearing aids for a short while but they have already made a significant contribution to improving my quality of life, in fact in many ways they have given me back my life and the easy interaction that I had with friends and family. It has removed many of the stresses of being deaf.I hope that my experience of the services that Robert offers can encourage others to take advantage of his expertise and the very caring approach he has to anyone whose life is being limited by problems with hearing.
Trevor T
