Emma Russell

Wet, wet, summer!

2012-02-14T10:07:00.002-11:00

Well, I do recall the Met Service promising in October that we were in for a long, hot, Indian Summer. While it never eventuated, I guess it gave us something to look forward to!

This summer we've had Mithila with us. Mithilia has completed her first year of her Master of Audiology degree (at the University of Auckland), and is about to start her final year. Mithila sat in on client appointments, and contributed (under supervision) where her skills allowed. We loved having Mithila with us, and wish her well in the final stretch of her Masters Degree - writing the Thesis!

We are just putting together the final parts of our Autumn Newsletter, and aim to have that out at the beginning of March. We have an interesting competition in it, so keep your eyes out for it!

All Black Victory!

2011-10-26T14:27:00.003-11:00

Well, it certainly is a relief that the All Blacks have pulled off the promised victory. With that under our belts, and the weather on the improve, I reckon that most people are feeling pretty positive at the moment.

Unbelievably, Christmas decorations are starting to appear in stores (not our clinics though!), and people thoughts are turning to the summer. We are planning on fitting some events in between now and Christmas. If you don't already receive our newsletter, subscribe here, so that you don't miss out on any special offers!

http://russellhearing.co.nz/pages/subscription_newsletter.html

Hearing Aid Repairs

2011-08-18T18:35:00.002-11:00

This month we delivered our seminars 'how to get the most out of your hearing'. While the Onehunga talk had a small attendance, our talk held at the Auckland Botanic Gardens had a bumper crowd. The feedback we received from those of you who attended was that it was a very enjoyable and informative session. We hope to deliver another talk in the next few months.

And here is an excerpt from our recent newsletter:

Some of you may have seen the June edition of the Consumer Magazine which contained an article concerning the repair of hearing aids. In this particular case the in-the-ear hearing aids had been regularly used and an extensive repair was required after the aids had been used for 28.7 months. The end-user contacted the Consumer Magazine, as she was dissatisfied about the need for, and the cost of, the repair.

Without taking into consideration the information provided to them from experts in the field, the Consumer Magazine has formed the opinion that when clinicians state that hearing aids last 5-6 years, then the instruments should not require servicing or repair during that period of time. They have made an assumption that hearing aids are comparable to other electronic devices (such as a TV), which is clearly incorrect.

As we have concerns that this article may cause wearers to have unrealistic expectations of service requirements within the life span of their hearing aids, we thought we should give you what we think is a fair impression:

Like any electronic device, hearing instruments require regular maintenance, service and sometimes repair. But, unlike most electronic devices, a hearing aid operates in an environment of moisture and wax!

When hearing aids are purchased, they have a manufacturer’s warranty of two years. This covers the replacement of any parts that are faulty, but does not cover repairs due to moisture damage (eg wax or sweat which can damage the components), or misuse (eg dropping a hearing aid, or leaving it in a hot environment like a windowsill).

Some styles of hearing aids require more repairs over their lifetime than others. Behind-the-ear hearing aids, where all of the hearing aid components sit behind the ear, generally require less repairs than other styles.

The good news is that if you care well for your hearing instrument, regularly clean it, and use an appropriate drying regime, your hearing aid is likely to require less repairs over its lifespan. We think that you should expect to have your hearing aid serviced or repaired approximately every two years.

The costs for repairs depend upon the part (or parts) involved, and can vary significantly between manufacturers. As a rough guide, you might expect that a typical repair on a single hearing aid may cost between $70 and $250. We typically get a quote for any repair, and communicate this with you, before we authorise the manufacturer to go ahead. Unlike some clinics, Russell Hearing does not charge a mark-up on any repair, though we charge $19.50 to cover our management of the repair, communication with the manufacturer and client, and courier of the item.

Please get in contact with us if you feel that your hearing aid needs a repair.

Winter is Here

2011-05-01T17:35:00.002-11:00

Well, the winter has definitely arrived on our doorstep. No more denying it's in the future!

We have had a strange few months with these ACC changes kicking in. It will take a while both for us, and our clients, to get used to how these changes will affect us.

Russell Hearing at Greenwoods Corner has had about six weeks now with a damaged canopy (a truck-driver thought he could fit his truck under it, but it turned out that the canopy was too low!). It has meant that we have had scaffolding and builders around for the past few weeks. We are almost fixed now though. The canopy is complete, and we await our new signage.

Russell Hearing at Manurewa is about to undergo a bit of a transformation too - or at least the building we are in is going to. The landlord has decided to replace all of the windows on the west side (our side!) of the building. I believe the building was built in the 1960's, so I reckon those windows have done well!

And, it wouldn't be fair to leave Botany out! Russell Hearing at Botany has been informed that parts of the Town Centre have been declared leaky! There will be some building work going on in the months to come, but our landlord has assured us that it won't be too disruptive.

So, let's hope it's plain sailing after all this building work!

Spring Competition

2010-10-21T11:11:00.002-11:00

I love spring. I love the change in the weather, I love the spring flowers, I love the promise of Summer.

I also love competitions! We have a great competition which we have in each clinic at the moment: Unitron is giving away a Smart Alert system, and all you have to do is fill in an entry form! To find out all about the Smart Alert system, check out this page on our website:

http://russellhearing.co.nz/pages/smart_alert.html

Entries close 30 November. Good luck!

ACC fight continues

2010-06-30T12:51:00.003-11:00

I have just returned from a lovely two week holiday, but already, it's back onto the fight for the rights of those who have hearing loss that should be covered by ACC. This website here is interesting and informative.

http://www.abandonedbyacc.co.nz/

I especially like the Q&A section.

On a more delightful note, Emma Towns had her baby yesterday, a daughter she has called Lauren.

ACC proposes reducing cover to hearing loss claimants

2010-06-02T12:16:00.002-11:00

As you are probably aware, ACC is looking at making quite radical changes to how they interpret and implement compensation for those with hearing loss. They have now revealed how they wish to change the legislation, and have offered impacted parties (including people who have a hearing loss covered by ACC) to provide feedback on a consultation document.

The changes that they are looking at would affect to both existing hearing loss claims, and new. The changes that you might feel concerned about include:

· ACC is suggesting that if your hearing loss is partially from an ageing process, and partially from noise exposure, that they will only pay their portion of your compensation. The issues we think need to be considered are:

o Will this limit access to compensation for those who are unable to pay their portion? Is this discriminatory to those of a lower socioeconomic status?

o Does ACC have an accurate method for separating out the different causes of hearing loss?

o If a person had a hearing loss from ageing alone, would they need hearing aids? Or is it the portion of hearing loss that comes from their work environment that tips the scales, and causes intervention to become necessary?

o As a claimant gets older, ACC have decided that their responsibility will decrease (they mean that this person would have a hearing loss anyway), so the proportion of hearing loss that ACC covers will decrease as a person ages. Is this appropriate? Or discriminatory to the older person even?

· ACC previously provided the hearing aids and services that the audiologist recommended, based upon the claimants needs. With the new proposal, ACC will make capped contributions to hearing aids (even if a client has very high hearing needs), and services. For example:

o ACC will only pay up to $2,000 (wholesale) for a hearing aid, even if it can be demonstrated that the client clearly requires hearing aids with better technology.

o ACC will only consider replacing a hearing aid once it is six years old, even if it no longer continues to meet the claimants needs.

o ACC will only pay up to $200 for a repair on a hearing aid. And if the hearing aid breaks down again within two years, they won’t pay for a further repair, that cost will fall to the claimant.

o Audiologists recommend annual review of hearing and hearing aids for all people who wear hearing aids. ACC have made no recommendations about whether they will pay for this annual review – it appears that they will contribute to this once every six years.

o With the reduced quality of products, and services, is the claimant going to be as satisfied with their hearing aids (and compensated for their hearing loss)? And if not, has ACC wasted money in delivering a sub-standard compensation?

In summary, ACC won’t pay for the delivery of the same level of products or services we currently provide to our ACC claimants. We feel the services we provide to both our ACC claimants, and our self-paying clients is very high, but if these changes go ahead, it appears that ACC claimants will receive a lesser access to our services than our other clients. And ACC will prohibit their claimants from purchasing additional services themselves, should they wish to.

But don’t take our word for it – read it for yourself! This is a lengthy document, and there may be more items that concern you, we have tried to point out the main ones for you to consider.

We highly recommend that you read this document, and provide ACC with feedback on how you think it might impact on its claimants (ie, you!). Please view it via the following link:

http://www.dol.govt.nz/consultation/nihl/index.asp

Any feedback you may have on this document needs to be received by ACC by 18^th June.

This is probably a one-off opportunity for you to let ACC understand your point of view. We urge you to take it! And, you can be assured, we will be providing them with our point of view too.

Fundraising for Pindrop

2010-05-17T11:34:00.002-11:00

We had a lovely time in Rotorua for the marathon. The walkers from Russell Hearing were Charmaine Cole, Verushka Pillay and Lisa Wong. And me! Actually, Charmaine jogged the entire 10 km and was our first 10km person home. Well done Charmaine! And, add to that Charmaine raised the most money of all fundraisers - over $1,000.

And, now for the long slog of the winter, with nothing too exciting to look forward to in the short term!

We are still coming to terms with the new funding criteria that the Ministry of Health has imposed. While it has meant significantly less funding for working people, it has opened up some funding for those with multiple disabilities and long term hearing loss. I don't think it has been overall a very beneficial change for those with hearing loss. And, it is unlikely to be the end of the changes either.

Our next newsletter is coming out next month, so we have started work on that. We thought it might be time for another morning tea - so keep your eyes open for it soon!

I've got my walking shoes on

2010-04-08T10:26:00.003-11:00

Well, it's about 3 and a half weeks now until I am walking 10km in the Rotorua Marathon. A group of us from work did it two years ago to raise funds for the Hearing Aid Bank, and this year a group of us are doing it to raise funds for the Pindrop Foundation.

I've started training, and am hoping to beat my time from 2008 (1 hour 28 minutes). I will have to up my training sessions I think!

If you'd like to sponsor me, here is the link to my fundraising site:

http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/EmmaR/

A one week FREE trial

2010-03-24T17:35:00.003-11:00

Well, we're trying to think outside the box to get you what you want. Even if you don't realise that's what you want!

For the next couple of months we are offering a one week trial (no money down, no commitment) of the latest, smallest, neatest hearing aid out (check out the video on our website). And I don't think that's ever been done in Auckland before. Hopefully those people who have been wondering whether a hearing aid will help them will pluck up the courage, and give it a try. And why not!

We have a new receptionist at Greenwoods on a Thursday and Friday, Teena. Please pop in and meet her - she'll be glad you did!

Changes to Hearing Aid Funding

2010-03-08T15:38:00.003-11:00

Over the past couple of weeks some radical changes have been made to the way in which hearing aids are funded. This is extremely concerning as it appears that the processes have been developed unilaterally, and there is a huge degree of uncertainty as to how they will be implemented. Below is the article from the next newsletter (out later this month), that describes how the changes might affect you:

Changes to ACC and Health Funding

In the past two weeks, the government has made significant changes to the funding available to those with noise-induced hearing loss, and to those working people with hearing loss. A brief summary is here, see our website for links for more detailed information.

ACC

ACC plans to provide support only to those people whose hearing loss that is accountable to noise exposure is 6% or more. The new law changes mean that hearing loss below this threshold will not be treated by ACC as an injury.

There is very concerning as there is much evidence that having a hearing loss of less than 6% impacts on the professional and social lives of those affected.

These law changes are very recent, and ACC has not clarified yet how they will handle existing claims. It is possible that even if you have an existing claim, you may not be entitled to support for your hearing loss from ACC in the future.

HEALTH FUNDING

Changes have also been afoot for funding for those who don’t fall under the ACC or War Pensions umbrella.

The government has decided that those who work or study (if over 21), who were previously eligible for a significant portion of their hearing aid funding, will instead will be eligible to receive a $500 subsidy for each hearing aid, every six years. This is a huge reduction in the support that the government is providing to working and studying New Zealanders.

The exception to this is if you are a holder of a Community Services Card, in which case a significant portion of the hearing aids will be funded BUT, your audiologist will only be able to select your hearing instruments from a limited range chosen by the Ministry of Health.

The good news is that if you have a hearing loss from childhood, sudden onset severe hearing loss in adulthood, a dual disability, or you are aged up to 21 and are studying, then you will be eligible for the larger funding option, but again the hearing instrument selection will be limited.

Everybody else will now be eligible for a Government Subsidy of $500, but it will only be available every six years, not every five years as previously.

At this stage it is our understanding that those people who have an AccessAble application approved, and are awaiting funding, will still be eligible under the old system.

The audiologists at Russell Hearing have grave concerns about the methods used by ACC to determine whether someone should be entitled to cover, and about the number of people who will now be excluded from receiving significant contributions to the cost of their hearing aids. Please be assured that the New Zealand Audiological Society, the National Foundation for the Deaf, and the Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association are working together to bring their views to the attention of ACC and Ministry of Health in the hope that this will help to create a better solution for hearing impaired New Zealanders.

Happy New Year

2010-02-08T18:09:00.002-11:00

I'm really hoping that this is going to be a much more predictable year! Our Greenwoods Clinic has been up-and-running for over a year now, Botany has successfully transitioned to its new site, and Manurewa... we might have some surprises in store later on in the year. So, perhaps I should say, let's hope the next six months are a bit more predictable!

We are lucky enough to be one of the first clinics in the country to be launching an exciting new Unitron product in March. It is something very new and different to other hearing instruments on the market, and at our Open Days in March we look forward to loaning it to those of you who are interested in taking it for a test drive.

We have two new staff who are starting in April, and will introduce them in our next newsletter. And, we're starting to get our thinking caps on for some more activities and outings, since last years ones were so enjoyable to those who were involved.

On a personal note, my family is moving house at the end of this month, after a long period of renting, so we can't wait to have our own little piece of New Zealand again. Keep your eyes peeled - we're going to post some images of this exciting new Unitron product on our website in the next week!

Christmas Break

2009-12-20T14:55:00.003-11:00

We at Russell Hearing are all looking forward to the Christmas break, and hoping that we'll get some of that consistently warm weather that has so far been so elusive this year. Personally, I've almost finished shopping for the family, and am getting myself prepared for some serious relaxing and reading this break. Now I just have to hope that the typical gifts (novels) are forthcoming!

I'm really excited about next year. 2010 was really busy with the new clinic at Botany, and some adjustments we had to make with our computer software, it's been tough! So I'm looking forward to building on what we have done in 2009, and just making 2010 better for our staff and our clients.

I hope you all have a safe and happy break.

Botany going on and on!

2009-11-24T12:39:00.002-11:00

Thanks to all of those (I believe there were around 50!) who joined us yesterday for afternoon tea and a grand tour of the new premises. Unfortunately the tour wasn't as grand as planned, since the new clinic was incomplete. The builder assures me that we will be open on Monday - the delays have been completely beyond his control.

Please pop in to our new location if you're in the town centre from next week, and Charmaine will be thrilled to show you through. Updates continue to be posted on our website - so take a look: www.russellhearing.co.nz.

Botany.... again!

2009-11-10T14:27:00.003-11:00

Sorry to keep going on about it, but from my point of view, it's very time consuming, so I don't have much else to talk about! The building is all going to plan, so we're still (unbelievably) expecting to be open on 24th November.

At the moment the framing is all going up, and I expect when I'm there tomorrow I might see some gib on the walls and ceilings. I thought that I might post an image of what the shop will look like when it's finished - then you know where we're heading!

Latest Photos

2009-11-05T12:28:00.002-11:00

Lisa took this photo yesterday of the progress at Botany. In the photo you will see a curved bit of wood on the floor. This is the beginning of a curved wall that separates the reception from the second clinical room. It's hard to believe that this will be a fully-functioning shop on Tuesday 24th isn't it!

Botany New Shop

2009-11-03T16:20:00.005-11:00

It's a day for photos! The pictures aren't great, as I only had my phone on me, but above I have taken photos of the new clinic space, the waiting room, and the outside of the shop (ie the hoarding!). You will see that a bit of imagination is required!

I'll be back there next week to take photos of the progress, so watch this space!

Fiji Volunteer Work

2009-11-03T15:56:00.003-11:00

I have just received the photos from my recent trip to Fiji. Phonak sends a group of their staff there every three or four months, but because of the political situation it had been 12 months since a group visited. I joined the group as an extra audiologist was required because of the extra workload expected due to the length of time that had passed since the last trip.

We spent a day at the Lautoka Special School, and a day at Nadi Special School. There were five of us there - two audiologists, one hearing aid technician, and two support staff. Between us we saw perhaps 25 children each day and we carried out otoscopy, hearing tests, took ear impressions, fitted new moulds and hearing aids, and serviced hearing aids.

Although it was pretty busy, the work was really rewarding. The children were so thrilled to have their hearing aids sorted out (some had been waiting for their repaired hearing aids for a year, while others had lost theirs in the March floods), and to join in at school and home in a more hearing-oriented way.

A lovely break for me, and I hope I get the opportunity to do it again.

Noisy Restaurants

2009-10-29T09:51:00.004-11:00

I bet that title got your attention! Yes, we all hate them - even those of use with normal hearing. What makes those designers think that we want to be bombarded with noise from the kitchen, from other diners, and from music, while we're trying to enjoy a meal with our friends and family?

We have been recommending this website to our clients.

http://www.acoustics.ac.nz/

If you visit it you will get a list of results from diners findings of the acoustics of many different restaurants and cafes from around New Zealand. The problem you'll discover, is that there are not many rankings - most places have only one. So please join in! Make an excuse to go to your local eatery, but the next day, don't forget to complete and submit your reactions to the acoustic environment. The more places listed, and the more rankings for each place, the better we can all rely on the data, and safely choose a quiet enjoyable environment for that next special occasion.

Next blog I hope to add photos of our new Botany shop as it goes up!

Four weeks and counting

2009-10-14T13:40:00.003-11:00

We are really excited about our new Botany Town Centre premises. I can now reveal that the mystery location is the space that was previously used by diagnostic medlabs. So yes, just across the corridor from where we are now.

The builders are starting on 29 October, so it is going to be tight. We look forward to seeing any of you who can make it to our opening morning tea. Please call Charmaine on 274 1327 if you would like to attend, so that we can cater appropriately.

Hearing Dogs

2009-08-26T11:32:00.004-11:00

Well, we've done it! $600 was raised at the sausage sizzle. It was a bitterly cold day which was a bit tough for the girls on the BBQ, but probably helped sell sausages! I've attached a photo of Dianne and Sarah with their hearing dogs. They braved the cold to attend, to draw more attention to the cause.

Charmaine is onto her next fundraising activity now: a raffle of some delicious Prenzel's treats. Pop into one of our clinics for a photo of the goodies, and to buy a ticket!

Sausage Sizzle!

2009-06-10T19:10:00.002-11:00

We are nearing our goal of raising our first $1,000 for the hearing dogs for deaf people. On 20th June we're having a sausage sizzle at The Warehouse at the Botany Town Centre, and expect to raise the final $500 odd we need! Who would have thought that so many sausages could be consumed by so many people! Although I am unable to be involved myself (lucky me, I'm on holiday for two weeks from Sunday!), I know all the staff are keen to be there, and looking forward to being out and about doing something for positive for other people. Thanks to Charmaine for all the organising! Will post the outcome, once I know!

Mystery Bus Tour

2009-04-27T10:43:00.003-11:00

By all accounts, the mystery bus tour was a success. We only had a mini-bus booked, as we didn't know how popular the event might be. As it turned out, we might have filled a normal bus. But, for the ten people involved (8 clients and 2 staff), the smaller numbers made it a more intimate event.

They headed off in the morning, up the northern motorway, and through the new tunnels. While the toll was being paid there was a leg stretch and barley sugars for all. Then back into the mini-bus, and off to Puhoi. A tour of the cheese factory was followed by lunch at the Puhoi Pub, and a leisurely trip home.

So, that's another $80 raised for the hearing dogs for deaf people! Thanks to Charmaine and Debbie for organising it, and all those clients who participated. Pictures to follow.

Hearing Therapy Services

2009-03-11T16:38:00.013-11:00

We are delighted to have Lisa begin providing Hearing Therapy services from this month. Lisa has been studying hard, and is excited to be putting into practice her theoretical knowledge. We do have a few FREE appointment slots with her, so give Debbie a call on 264 0405 and she can secure you an appointment.

This month we are also arranging the mystery bus tour to give our clients an opportunity to socialise with others with hearing loss. The added bonus is that this event will raise money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People - we hope to raise $300 (if 30 people participate), so call Debbie and sign up now!

Happy New Year

2009-01-07T11:52:00.003-11:00

We have had beautiful weather over the Christmas break, although it seems to me that it is perhaps even better now! Oh well, I guess I needed to go back to work at some stage!

Once again, this year I have made resolutions I hope to keep, but probably won't! Top two: getting more organised, and finding more time to do the things I enjoy - eg exercising (this is more compulsory than enjoyable actually) and gardening ... sound familiar? But I certainly feel energised to implement change both at home and at work.

Thanks to those who helped make, helped sell, or purchased, the hand-made cards last year. We raised $300 from this endeavour for the hearing dogs for deaf people. Charmaine and I have been cooking up plans for another fund-raising event: a mystery bus tour. We have some pretty nice ideas for a trip, and will be asking those who join us for a donation, which will also go to the dogs. Our next newsletter will give you all the details we'll reveal!

Hope you are all enjoying the sun, and feeling relaxed. We look forward to catching up with you over the year.

Christmas Almost Upon Us

2008-11-30T23:07:00.003-11:00

We've been flat out getting the Summer Newsletter together. Fingers crossed we'll have it back from the printers on Tuesday, and it will be in your hands by Wednesday (assuming our postal codes are all correct!).

We have found the postal code transition a bit awkward. As a small organisation we don't have access to those clever programs that search your database and fill in the blanks - we've had to update every clients address manually. So any delays and let us know and we'll look into your postal code and check that we correctly entered it!

We will be providing services over the Christmas - New Year period. Leigh will be in one of the clinics for appointments, and Charmaine and Lisa will also be available to help out with making appointments and doing on-site repairs. Hopefully you won't need us for repairs though!

If I don't write again before Christmas, we all wish you a very safe and happy season, and look forward to seeing you in 2009!

Fundraising for Hearing Dogs

2008-11-11T08:55:00.004-11:00

Recently Charmaine organised a morning of card-making to raise funds for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Charmaine did a lot of behind-the-scenes work in the preparation so that things would go smoothly on the day. And thank goodness she did - it seems that this is more time-consuming work than you would imagine!

Thanks to the clients who volunteered their time to make the cards with Charmaine and Katie at the Auckland Botanic Gardens. With all the extra work Charmaine has done with a few faithful friends at home, 100 cards have been completed. So far we only have them on display at our Botany clinic, but will get them to the other clinics soon. We are selling the cards for $5 each - and they're worth every cent! All of the profits ($3 per card) will go to help provide more services for the severely hearing impaired.

Photos to be posted soon - but please come in and see them - and perhaps purchase one or two!

Greenwoods Opening 18th August

2008-08-15T15:45:00.002-11:00

Well, the 18th is drawing near, and we're still putting the finishing touches on the clinic! Today Emma, Leigh and I arranged the furniture (that which we have - waiting room chairs still to come!), and put other bits and pieces in their tentative places. The signs were erected while we were there - luckily the weather report was inaccurate, or it wouldn't have been possible.

So now the next achievement will be to get some new clients to come and utilise our services. At least when it comes to getting the new clinic fitted out there is a clear direction of how to go about it, but building a new community of people who use us for their hearing services is a little harder to achieve. But, perhaps more fun - we'll be out and about in our new local community meeting lots of people. Please feel free to recommend some friends - we have some very good offers on hearing aids until 1 November.

Greenwoods Corner Opening Soon

2008-08-04T16:31:00.003-11:00

Yes, Greenwoods Corner has taken more time and energy than anticipated. I guess that's the way it goes though. We are getting really excited about the opening of our third clinic now - it's less than two weeks away, so we ought to be!

At the moment the shop is all boarded up - but Wednesday 6th (tomorrow!) the new shop entrance will be in place, then, cross fingers, it's just painting, carpet, lights, installation of sound booth, clinic furniture, lighting reception disk... what an exhaustive list! Goodness knows how the builders believe that Kim will be sitting at her new desk on Monday 11th! I have my fingers crossed for them.

I've posted a photo of the building for a before shot. Watch this space for an updated photo! I must go.... advertising to arrange, staff to organise, furniture to buy..... no wonder I'm having trouble sleeping!

From winter to summer!

2008-06-16T10:28:00.002-11:00

The weather is certainly getting a bit more wintery now! In keeping with the season we took the kids ice-skating recently. Now, when I say 'took', that's what I mean. We drove the children over to the paradise rink at Botany, and Logan (some of you may recognise her in this photo; she works at Phonak) and her husband Kevin taught the kids to skate while we watched on from the side. The kids had heaps of fun, and I was surprised how quickly they picked it up.

And now this week we're off to the sun, just for some contrast! Our holiday involves cooking lessons, camel riding and a three day walk. We're really looking forward to doing something active on this trip.

I'll be back at work on 7th July, and am really looking foward to getting back into the clinic. While it's been great getting some of the administrative duties under control, my passion lies in audiology - the clinical part of it! So watch out - I'll be back on board soon!

Rotorua Marathon

2008-05-11T13:16:00.004-11:00

It sounds really impressive doesn't it? I competed in the Rotorua Marathon! Of course, I only did 10 km, and I only walked, but still, I was there with a number on my top! All of us from Russell Hearing went down, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Leigh had been accidentally booked into the 5km run, so that's what she did - and very easily too I might add. The remainer of us did the 10km walk, and Emma Towns is so inspired she's claiming she's going to do a 10km run next! Please help me hold her to it!

And, of course, the fund-raising. Thank you to those of you who contributed by making donations to the hearing aid bank. With all donations totalled (other hearing clinics also participated), $11,000 was raised. It is estimated that this will help 20 people on their way to better hearing, which was the whole point.

I had promised a photo, and here it is!

Fundraising for Hearing Aid Bank

2008-04-29T16:49:00.003-11:00

Hello again. I apologise for not having written sooner. Despite the fact that I've now taken a step back from clinical work (until July only!), so that I can spend some time putting in place systems that will ensure that we provide better services, I still haven't found time to write my blog! Never mind, I'm back now!

We've all been really busy training for our 10km walk in Rotorua, which we do this weekend. Every one of the staff at Russell Hearing Services is participating, which I think is a stirling effort. Between us we've raised over $500 so far, with contributions from our family and friends. It's a really great fund, administered by the NZ Audiological Society. As members of the NZAS we are able to apply for assistance from this fund for our eligible clients, so we greatly look forward to having the bank topped up.

We have open days running next week, on 5 and 6 May, which will see us run off our feet (just as well we've been in training!). It's always exciting demonstrating what the latest hearing aid technology can do, so we get a real buzz out of these days. I'm about to organise another morning tea, but am just trying to finalise what the talk will be on - all suggestions welcome!

I promise to post a blog next week, complete with pictures from our Rotorua walk!

Busy, busy!

2008-03-15T23:38:00.002-11:00

Those of you who have attempted to get appointments recently will realise we are very busy. We have had less time available in the clinc for two reasons; the hearing seminars we gave, and Leigh being on secondment.

The hearing seminars went really well, both those given for current hearing aid wearers, and those presented to people considering hearing aids. As usual, we loved the circulating afterwards, but I probably should have thought of my waistline and eaten less of the scones with jam and cream!

Leigh is spending three weeks at Greenlane Hospital in March so that she can get some experience testing small children. Leigh has reportedly loved the paediatric work, but is looking forward to being back on board in April.

Hope you are all happy and healthy. I'll post again later this month!

Graduation

2008-02-06T11:04:00.000-11:00

My eldest child, Seaton, turned five this week, and 'graduated' from his daycare. We held a party for him on Waitangi day, and he began school today. I think it was more nerve-wracking for me than it was for him! Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll adjust to the new routine.

Thanks to those of you who joined us for our morning tea. Although I wasn't there I have had feedback from the event, and heard that it was very pleasant. I understand that it was a bit hot though! For our next teaching seminars, which we're holding on 28 February, we're going to hold them at the Auckland Botanical Gardens. I think this should be more comfortable! Hopefully those of you who attend the seminars will also stay for tea and scones in the shade of the garden afterwards. We look forward to seeing you then.

Back on Board!

2008-01-20T11:27:00.002-11:00

Well, after a long holiday I'm back at work. We had a great break in Christchurch, where we had a family reunion, followed by a lovely time in the sunny North. Seaton loved playing in the waves on his boogie board, and Elise loved making sand castles. Millar learned to walk over Christmas, so he was thrilled to simply walk up and down the beach (with some high hopes of catching a seagull I might add!). It seems that I didn't take many photos at the beach, so here's an action shot of the kids at the pools at Hagley Park.

We're in the process of putting our next newsletter together now, and hope to have it out next week. We look forward to seeing you in person at our next morning tea (coming up soon!).

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T10:34:00.000-11:00

Happy New Year to all of you. We had a lovely Christmas in Christchurch, where we attended a family reunion. I spent time with my aunts and uncles, and with my cousins. It was great to see some of my cousins whom I hadn't seen for thirty years. It certainly is true that people really don't change that much! We're off to the beach now for a fortnight, and I'm looking forward to seeing if the kids can put their swimming lessons to good use. Seaton is looking forward to going fishing, while the older two (Seaton and Elise) look forward to hunting for pirate treasure. Millar has turned out to be very fond of water, so I think we'll have a hard time keeping him out of the water. I'll post a picture of our summer holiday once we return.

Communication

2007-11-24T12:58:00.000-11:00

In highlighting the importance of communication I thought I'd tell you about a family I met when I worked in the public sector. I saw a young four year old boy where there were concerns over his hearing as he did not speak. What confounded the issue was that one parent spoke Vietnamese while the other spoke Cambodian, so the parents didn't have a first language in common. Luckily both parents spoke some Thai, and used this language for basic communication. They had two other children: a teenager who was intellectually disabled, and was unable to speak, and a twelve year old who spoke only English. So none of the family members could carry out an easy conversation with any other. Unfortunately, the four year old was diagnosed with profound deafness, and immediately support was put in place so that he could learn New Zealand Sign Language. I moved out of that city perhaps six months later, so I'm not sure what happened to that family. I wonder, if NZ Sign Language became their common language. If so, it would have opened the door for communication between five individuals who otherwise had no language in common.

High Performance

2007-11-15T12:08:00.000-11:00

This week I've spent a day on a high performance programme (day two of four), which I'm attending with the intention of improving the business (both its service provision and its growth). Yesterday's session motivated me to generate written policies for all that we do. Tedious yes, but I'm sure that ultimately having everything in black and white will ensure that we can consistently provide excellent service to each of our clients. The first one that I will do is a 'hearing aid selection policy' that I will post on our website once complete. It will be in the form of a promise to our clients of the things you can expect we will consider when we help you choose the right hearing instrument. Friday today, so back to looking after the children.

Family Photos

2007-11-14T20:25:00.000-11:00

I am regularly asked for photos of the kids, and I've been rather remiss at having recent pictures available. Anyone would wonder whether I adored my children or not (I do!). So, to keep you all happy, I'm doing my best to post one of each of the children. (Technology can be scary for audiologists too!)

Something new!

2007-11-14T19:06:00.000-11:00

Hi all. I have decided to start a blog so that our clients can get a feel of the life of an audiologist! I hope to post examples of difficulties our clients may have had with hearing in particular situations, and solutions we have found that have been successful. Anything interesting, unusual, or new I will also inform you of. If you are interested in viewing this site I will encourage the other audiologists to do the same. I hope that it will give you a different insight to our business. That's it for starters. One more thing ... in the next week I am going to post an old school photo of one of the audiologists. Check out our website (www.russellhearing.co.nz) if you're interested in submitting your guess of which audiologist is in the photo, and where they're located!
Emma