COVID-19 Update

We are open for diagnostic hearing assessments by appointment Monday to Thursday 9:00AM to 4:00PM & Friday 9:00AM to1:00PM.

Curbside hearing aid service available during the above hours.

Please call ahead for curbside pick-up.

2020 & 2021 Holiday Hours

Schneiker Audiology Holiday Hours

We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

If you are in need of supplies or a repair we will be checking our office phone 519-491-6671 and our website.

Thursday, December 24         Closed
Friday, December 25              Closed
Monday, December 28           9am to 12pm
Wednesday, December 30      9am to 12pm
Thursday, December 31         Closed
Friday, January 1                    Closed

Now Hear This! One of Sarnia’s Top Health Care Providers is Expanding

The following was provided by The Sarnia Journal.

“You need your hearing checked.”

For the third time that night, I’d asked my wife to turn up the volume on the TV. My wife is a lot smarter than I am. Maybe she’s right, I thought.

After all, I love my dentist, and see her at least twice a year. I’m visually impaired, and see my eye surgeon every three months. So why have I never had my hearing checked?

A little research to determine Sarnia’s most caring hearing specialist (they’re called audiologists) led me to the delightful family team of Doctor of Audiology Kathleen and Hearing Instrument Specialist Carl Schneiker at 3-1403 Michigan Avenue.

Schneiker Audiology Services (SAS), unlike many businesses in Sarnia crippled by the coronavirus pandemic, has flourished – so much so, that they’ve just welcomed 30-year-old Dr. of Audiology Johnathan Dirks to their team. Johnathan, born and raised in Courtright and Mooretown, left a practice in Fort Lauderdale to join SAS.

As a man in my 70s, I recognize the concept of “old-world service.” That style of caring, attentive and personalized service is abundantly apparent at Schneiker Audiology. You feel like these people really want to help you. Their customary one-hour appointments provide the time to do so.

I really like these people, I thought. But Johnathan Dirks told me some startling facts about hearing loss that I never knew. For example, hearing loss is the third most serious health care issue in Ontario after diabetes and cancer.

Over half of the population over age 40 and two- thirds of Ontarians over 60 suffer hearing loss. It is also the province’s most common work-re- lated injury; especially in Sarnia. Schneiker works with a large number of Chemical Valley patients and WSIB trade union claimants – even helping many afflicted workers with their claims.

Old-world service indeed. As a visually-impaired person, I know that, given the daunting choice, most people would choose to live blind rather than deaf. Who would choose to live without music, or gifted oratory, or the sound of a loved-one’s voice?

No – hearing loss is not something to ignore. “We were very lucky to get John,” Kathleen Schneiker told me about the new addition to her family team. “He came just at the right time.”

Johnathan Dirks told me that, in joining SAS, one thing really surprised him. “In Florida,” he told me, “Most people won’t drive more that five minutes to see a hearing specialist.” But so loyal are SAS clients, and so delighted are they by the level of personalized care, that they come from as far away as Hamilton to use their services.

Old-world service is still highly valued in Sarnia.

Click here to view the article.

Services in Covid times

The following was provided by First Monday.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how most of us go about our daily activities. Quarantine and social distancing have been stressful for most, and will continue for some time.

At Schneiker Audiology Services, they are taking extra steps to make sure their practice is safe for their team and patients. Person to person contact has been put on hold temporarily, and measures have been implemented to repair and reprogram hearing aids, sell batteries and accessories. Patients wait in their car and then pick up their sanitized products.

“This is a challenging time for everyone. We look forward to once again assisting our patients to the same level of service they have become accustomed to at Schneiker Audiology,” says Kathleen Schneiker.

Their house are offered Monday through Friday, 9:00 – 12:00 temporarily. They can also be contacted through their website www.schneikeraudiology.com or by telephone 519-491-6676.

To read the full article, visit First Monday’s website.

Sarnia vets to attend Juno Beach ceremony

The following was written by Troy Shantz at The Sarnia Journal.

Two Sarnia veterans are returning to France this week, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.

Joe Edwardson, 95 and Roy Hare, 94, each participated in the historic raid and subsequent campaign across Northern France. They’re scheduled to attend the June 6 ceremonies at Juno beach, where some 15,000 Canadian troops landed in 1944.

Edwardson chatted with fellow soldiers of the Regina Rifles as their landing craft was battered by rough seas that morning. They were among thousands of Allied troops that trained for months in the English country-side in anticipation for that day, he said.

“I don’t think we were all that scared, just plain curious,” said the retired pipefitter. “When the shells started coming in, you knew you were involved.” As the small craft was rocked by nearby explosions and violent waves, the decision was made to unload the soldiers before reaching the beach. As the gate dropped a barrage of machine gunfire immediately killed many of the Regina Rifles, Edwardson said.

Those that made it out were met with deep, frigid waters. Weighed down by 60 pounds of equipment, Edwardson started sinking. He credits his life to an unknown soldier that grabbed him before he disappeared under the waves, he said.

To read the full article, click here.

Workers with hearing loss stymied by hearing aid cuts

The following was written by Troy Shantz at The Sarnia Journal.

Rick Powell suffered his hearing loss while working as a labourer and factory worker. But getting a hearing aid that helps has been difficult since the government, through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, slashed the number of available providers.

Powell, a retiree, had five years of good service from his old hearing aids. But their renewal coincided with the rule change in January, and the new board-approved devices were useless, despite repeated adjustments at the audiologist’s. “I thought, I can’t wear these,” he said. Powell is one of about 500 WSIB claimants served by Sarnia’s Schneiker Audiology Services whose hearing has been severely impacted by the change.

“I wouldn’t start my mom off with an entry level product,” said owner Kathleen Schneiker, an audiologist with more than 20 years experience. “Somebody like Rick who’s been used to wearing advanced technology deserves to keep up with the same level,” she added.

“They shouldn’t be forced to move backwards in technology, based on the cuts the board is trying to make.” Previously, WSIB claimants were eligible for several thousand hearing aid options from 10 manufacturers and up to $1,000 per aid. That’s been reduced to three manufacturers, 200 types and a $500 cap. Schneiker said hearing loss cannot be corrected with a one-size-fits-all device.

“(Before) I would diagnose them and fit them with what I felt was the best. Now I’m limited to entry level, $500 hearing aids unless I fight.” And fight she has.

To read the full article, click here.

COVID-19 Update

We’re open…
We’re safe…
We’re trustworthy…

No:  We have not closed for one single day during this pandemic

Yes:

  1. This is a difficult time for healthcare professionals, business owners, and consumers.
  2. We are responding carefully to keep you and your loved ones safe.
  3. We will continue to protect ourselves, our staff, our service delivery professionals, and of course, our loyal, dedicated patients.
  4. Our facility is diligent to protect you and provide you with continued extremely clean and sanitized curb side delivery.
  5. Please contact us at schneikeraudiology.com; we monitor our messages hourly. Leave your name, contact information, and concerns you are experiencing.
  6. Please respect the struggles we are all experiencing.

WE ARE HEAR/HERE FOR YOU!!!!!!

Kathleen and Carl

COVID-19 Updates

Dear Patients,

We at Schneiker Audiology are closely monitoring the COVID19 virus. As a result, our hours of operation will be limited. Please reschedule if you have an appointment that isn’t an emergency.

For emergency service or if you are in need of supplies please email:

or call 519-491-6676 as we will be checking the voicemail on a regular basis.

Stay Safe!
Kathleen and Carl

2019-2020 Holiday Hours

  • December 23, 2019 – 9 – 4
  • December 24, 2019 – CLOSED
  • December 25, 2019 – CLOSED MERRY CHRISTMAS
  • December 26, 2019 – CLOSED
  • December 27, 2019 – 9 – 1
  • December 30, 2019 – 9 – 1
  • December 31, 2019 – 9 – 1
  • January 1, 2020 – CLOSED HAPPY NEW YEAR
  • January 2, 2020 – 9 – 4
  • January 3, 2020 – 9 – 1

We at Schneiker Audiology would like to thank you for all your support and wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

COVID-19 Update

We are open for diagnostic hearing assessments by appointment Monday to Thursday 9:00AM to 4:00PM & Friday 9:00AM to1:00PM.

Curbside hearing aid service available during the above hours.

Please call ahead for curbside pick-up.

Preventable Hearing Loss: Give Your Ears a Break

Sarnia is a community of hardworking people who know the value of a good day’s work and some well-earned R&R. With that in mind, we wanted to take a few moments for a word of caution: our minds and muscles are not the only parts of us that need a break now and then. Your ears get stressed out too, and just like the rest of you, they need a chance to rest and recover.

Noise induced hearing loss is the only truly preventable form. Especially in our area of heavy industry, we might be tempted to think that noise induced hearing loss is strictly a workplace problem, and of course, we should all be concerned with safety on the job. Following safety guidelines and always wearing our PPE will mitigate much of the potential for traumatic hearing loss.

However, the workplace is not the only area where potentially damaging noise levels exist. Any noises above 85 decibels will cause damage if the exposure is long enough. Some examples of common noises that exceed 85 decibels are heavy traffic, loud music (either with headphones or in the confined space of a car), movies, passing motorcycles, and power tools. Since many of our hobbies may include some of these sources of noise, we need to be careful about our ears during leisure time as well.

The key here is remembering that it is not simply the volume of the noise that counts, but also the frequency and duration of the noise. For example, let’s say you come home from an eight hour work day in which proper care limited your noise exposure to the legal limit of 8 hours at 85 decibels. Then, you turn up some music or blow off steam in the workshop. It’s a great way to relax, but adding extra time to your noise exposure can start damaging your hearing. What’s the takeaway? Give your ears a rest.

We all need to take breaks from the busy, often chaotic, lives we lead. Your ears are no different. So even in your personal activities, pay attention to the noise you are exposing yourself to and consider giving your ears the break they need.

A Super Story: Being Your Child’s Role Model

A good role model – someone you can identify with and look up to – can be a powerful influence in anyone’s life. Finding a role model as an adult might be a bit more difficult, but for kids, inspiration can come from many different places.

That’s exactly what happened for Anthony Smith, a four year old boy who decided he didn’t want to wear his hearing aid anymore because that just wasn’t something that superheroes did. To make sure, his mom emailed Marvel. The response was a picture of Hawkeye, a superhero with hearing loss, and Blue Ear, a specially created superhero whose hearing aid looks just like Anthony’s. You can read the full story here, but the end result is a young boy who’s proud to wear his hearing aid and tell all his friends about Blue Ear.

As touching as this story is, it’s also a good illustration of how a parent or even an audiologist can change a child’s perception of his hearing loss. Hearing aids especially don’t need to be those boring, ugly, beige set ups that adults prefer. They can be colorful, fun, and most importantly, useful.

Superheroes, princesses, athletes, anyone really, can be a role model. None are more important, however, than a young boy or girl’s parents. Here are some other things you can do to help change the perception of your child’s hearing aids:

  • Always have a positive attitude. Sometimes the hearing aids will be a pain. They can (will) get lost, and need cleaning, maintenance, and batteries. Try not to show any frustration you may feel when dealing with the hearing aids, as your child will pick up on it.
  • Divert Attention. Kids tend to want to play with things and may have trouble avoiding the urge to consider their hearing aid a toy. If it feels uncomfortable, few children will be able to resist pulling it off. So especially while they are getting used to a new earpiece, keep their hands and minds occupied on other things.
  • Talk Incessantly. If you are talking to your children they will naturally want to hear you. When they learn they can hear you when their earpiece is in, they’ll want to wear it. It’s a simple, effective way to demonstrate the usefulness of the new device.

We love working with our young patients, and our old fashioned service extends to children three years of age and older. Parents learning to deal with their child’s hearing impairment don’t need to feel overwhelmed. You can find a role model of your own at Schneiker Audiology.

A Look Inside Our Demo Room

Have you ever tried to describe a particularly amazing sunset to someone who wasn’t there, or maybe the taste and texture of the most delicious slice of cheesecake you’ve ever had? You can do it, maybe even well enough to inspire jealousy, but the description is nothing like experience itself.

We have already highlighted some of the incredible technology that we are able to offer our patients and how useful these devices can be in your day to day life. We also know that, much like a slice of cheesecake, trying it out for yourself is the best possible scenario. To that end, we’ve set up a demo room where you can preview your device of choice and learn how to install it in your own home.

Every TV device or accessory offered on our website is connected to a flat screen TV and ready to try. Our amplified phones are connected to outside lines so you can try them out on a real phone call with your own friends or family. We do this because we know nothing compares to a little hands on experience to make sure you are going home with confidence.

Of course, being in our demo room means we get to see the look on your face when you realize how much this will improve your quality of life, and we never get tired of it. Please come in and experience for yourself what Schneiker Audiology can do.

The Huge Success of Sarnia & District Humane Society’s 13th Annual Charity Golf Tournament

FullSizeRender7What an overwhelming success! With the help of participants and the surrounding community the tournament was able to raise almost $10,000. This will be a great help to the Sarnia & District Humane Society which will continue to provide vital services to the animals in our community.

 

 

 

 

A big THANK YOU to all those who helped and came out to support such an amazing cause! 

 

Have you heard what’s new?

At Schneiker Audiology we’re committed to caring for each and every one of our patients like the family we truly consider them to be. That commitment involves making sure we stay up to date with the best equipment technology has to offer, and then bringing that home to you.

A great example of how technology can improve your quality of life is the Widex line of hearing aids. The Super series has built in FM receivers optimized for use in classrooms and lecture halls. The Clear series offers natural sound in both ears that adjusts automatically to your listening environment. Finally, the Dream series is your solution for the most challenging listening situations: parties, meetings, and conversations in public areas. We love this technology because it allows us to match you up with the device that will make the greatest impact in your life.

When you combine your Widex hearing aids with complementary devices like the Widex Phone-Dex you get added benefits like making traditionally hard to hear phone conversations easy. The phone streams audio directly into both ears so you can listen in crisp stereo quality. The Phone Dex also looks and functions like a regular phone, so the rest of your friends and family can use it without requiring a separate piece of hardware. Imagine not straining to hear your loved ones through an old fashioned phone speaker.

This is just one example. The field of audiology is constantly evolving. As better solutions to hearing loss emerge, we take pride in staying on top of them so you don’t have to. Relax, enjoy your life, and rest assured that we are taking care of you like one of our own with the best our industry has to offer.

Simple and easy: old world service meets new world technology at Schneiker Audiology. Drop by to learn how our cutting edge products can improve your life.

The Four Levels of Hearing Loss

Have you ever wished that people would just stop mumbling, that someone would fix this awful phone you’re using and, by the way – no, the TV is not too loud? Any and all of the above complaints could be normal everyday frustrations. Or they could be signs of gradual hearing loss.

The fact is: hearing loss is rarely sudden. Most often it follows a gradual progression that can be diagnosed and perhaps even halted. The first step, of course, is knowing what the four levels are and what symptoms are associated with each:

Mild

Mild hearing loss is often difficult for us to see in ourselves. One-on-one conversation is usually fine, leading many to believe their hearing is also fine. Background noise or group and telephone conversations, however, make it difficult to catch every word. The voices of women and children may be the most difficult to perceive.

Moderate

Moderate hearing loss is characterized by the frequent need to ask people to repeat words and difficulty keeping up with normal conversation. This may cause frustration or misunderstandings on both sides. The use of hearing aids will alleviate the majority of these symptoms.

Severe

Overcoming severe hearing loss will require the use of hearing aids, as conversation becomes impractical or even impossible without assistance. Some lip reading or even sign language may be employed to further assist.

Profound

Those with profound hearing loss must rely on lipreading and sign language, in conjunction with the use of properly fit hearing and assistive listening devices they may hear only very loud sounds or no sound at all.

Regardless of what level of hearing loss you may find yourself in, protecting your ears is of vital importance. Simple measures like turning down the volume on your music or wearing protective equipment will help, but at Schneiker Audiology Services we understand that everyone’s situation, including yours, is unique. That’s why we’d love to have you come in to discuss your personal circumstances and how we can improve your specific situation.

Book a hearing test today, and discover how our family style service can make a difference in your life.

2015 Breast Cancer Golf Tournament Was a Huge Success

Thanks to all of those who came out for such a great cause.

The tournament was a blast. This year the tournament is thrilled to announce that they raised over $36,500.00! The funds raised during this event will support current lifesaving Breast Cancer research initiatives at the Pamela Greenway-Kohlmeier Translational Breast Cancer Research Unit at London Health Sciences Centre.

New Devices, Old World Service.

The world was quite different many years ago, and some would say it was a better time. It seemed as if people cared for one another a bit more, and there wasn’t so much bad news everywhere you looked. You could keep your front door unlocked without the need to worry, and you knew that when you walked into a store they had your best interests at heart: that’s just the kind of people they were.

My oh my, how times have changed.

Schneiker Audiology Services hasn’t forgotten what it means to provide old world service, as each day we strive to provide you with a truly memorable and caring experience. We don’t just work with the best companies in the industry to provide you with quality devices, we believe in a quality experience as well. We believe in treating our customers how we’d like to be treated, and we put in extra effort to make sure you always feel welcome and never rushed; when you’re at SAS, you’re family.

We aren’t like manufacturer owned clinics because we aren’t trying to sell you any product we can. We stand by the devices we provide, which is why we offer extended warranties on our products; your hearing is important, and you should be able to count on your devices working when you need them most of all.

We’re a local business and we’re proud of that fact. Our community has supported us throughout the years, and it brings us joy to be able to give back, not only through our participation with local charitable organizations, but also through outstanding customer service and care; a community that looks out for one another creates a better place to live, and that’s what old world service is all about. We at Schneiker Audiology Services would like to welcome you to come on in! We provide service like it used to be, and we know you’re going to feel the difference immediately.