5 Signs Your Child May Be Experiencing Hearing Difficulties

The development of hearing in a child is essential for learning, playing, and developing social skills. For example, the early stages of auditory and oral communication begins with a child imitating the sounds around them.

Even at later stages of development, a young child is still dependent upon the interpretation of speech and language for their development. Hearing loss that is left undetected or untreated can have damaging effects on a child’s development, delaying valuable speech and language development, bringing about social problems, and introducing academic difficulties.

There are many signs that your child may be experiencing hearing difficulties and it is important to know what those are. Here are just five of those signs, examples of what to watch for in pre-adolescent children. If you suspect that your child may be experiencing hearing loss or may require hearing aids, it is important to contact an audiologist service to schedule a hearing test.

#1 The Volume of the TV is Too High

If your child insists that the television be turned up exceptionally high, this might be an indication that your child cannot hear the television at normal volume levels. Alternatively, this could simply mean that your child prefers louder auditory stimulation. If you notice this development presents itself abruptly or if it’s a fairly new development, you may want to schedule a hearing test with your local audiologist.

#2 Your Child’s Hearing Fluctuates

It is not uncommon for a child’s hearing to fluctuate on a day to day basis. This could be either due to some form of conductive obstruction in the external ear canal (such as wax, beads, etc.) or behind the tympanic membrane (such as fluid, congestion, an ear infection, etc.). It is important that if you are seeing your child display symptoms of fluctuating hearing to seek a hearing test immediately.

#3 Your Child Speaks Exceptionally Loud

If your child has begun to speak at a louder volume, this might be evident of a more serious problem. If he/she cannot hear other sounds at age appropriate levels, they may also not be able to hear their own voice as well as they should.

#4 Speech or Language Delays and Concerns

Some children experience difficulties developing speech and language skills. This can be attributed to any number of different causes, hearing loss being merely one of them. If your child is experiencing delays in speech and language development, consider ruling out the possibility of hearing loss by scheduling a hearing test.

#5 Regular Headaches and Ear Aches

If your child is experiencing regular headaches and ear aches, you should see the family physician who will be able to give more information on whether hearing loss is a possibility. Typically a physician will want to make an appointment with an audiologist and schedule a hearing test for your child. The percentage of the under-18 population affected by hearing loss is approximately 2 in every 100 kids. Many of the children affected experience symptoms such as headaches and ear aches, and similar challenges.

The most effective treatment of hearing loss in children is early intervention. The majority of hearing loss conditions can be helped via modern technology and methods. Through early detection, one will also be able to maximize a child’s hearing, reverse the effects of hearing loss, mitigate the damage, and/or begin a recommended form of treatment.

If any of these symptoms exist or you have any concerns regarding your child’s hearing, schedule a hearing test with an audiologist. While hearing testing is no longer covered by OHIP, most insurance companies include audiology testing as an insured benefit.

Too cute not to share

We thought this was just too cute not to share it with all of you. Brielle gives us all a biology lesson – starting with one of the most important parts: your ear.

You Bought Your Hearing Aid Where?

In today’s world, people shop online all the time. It’s so convenient, it should be illegal. You can buy anything from designer shoes to the most lavish holiday in Hawaii. All you need is a credit card and an “Add to Cart” button. Not all things should be bought online though. As convenient as online shopping is, some things you need to buy from the source and in person, or pay the price of “buyer beware”.

Take hearing aids for example. Such delicate equipment should never be bought from an online store, no matter how attractive a deal may sound. Your ear may not be a life sustaining part of you, but you don’t need both of your kidneys either, and we would all agree that buying one of those online would be a grave lapse in judgement.

Hearing aids are complex, sensitive devices. They require experienced professionals to calibrate and program specifically to a patient’s unique needs. Many hearing aids purchased online are from the United States. These products would need to travel great distances to your door and that fact alone would make repairing a damaged device difficult and in some cases, impossible. Not only are there online scams out there waiting to take your money, there are other less obvious ways of getting a raw deal online. Some large retailers, often get last year’s model and sell it at a discount. What’s more, they configure the hearing aids so that no one else can adjust the settings. If that isn’t a reason not to buy your hearing aids online then what is?

Your ability to hear the world around you is both deeply personal and a vital part of life. There is a big difference between online retail vendors and dedicated health professionals who have made a career of helping people. Independent, full-time, private practices are the best way to finding a hearing aid that is the right fit for you.

To find out more about choosing the right hearing aid, call Schneiker Audiology today.

Celebrating Sound with Spring in Sarnia, ON

No matter how much, or how little, you love the winter it’s hard not to look forward to spring. The earth itself seems to be coming back to life as colours reappear, the air feels warmer and smells fresher, and you can just about taste all the local produce just around the corner. Of all the sensory delights of spring, however, none are greater than the sounds!

The old favourites likely come first to mind when you think of the sounds of spring: the birds returning and bringing their unique songs along with them, kids laughing and playing in the park, the wind rustling through new green leaves, and the sound of rainfall on your roof. When you take a moment to think about these sounds and really just enjoy them for what they are and what they represent you realize what a miracle and what a privilege your hearing truly is. Of course, maybe the most meaningful sounds are the ones more personal to you, and we understand what it means to lose the ability to hear them.

It’s for that reason that, while we celebrate sound itself this spring, we urge you not to miss out in your own lives. Modern hearing aids can work wonders in terms of restoring the ability to take in all the sounds that make your life special and unique. There is a solution for so many going without the gift of sound and we want to share it with you.

If you want to know how Schneiker Audiology can help you get the most out of spring, contact us now to find out. If you are among the many who we have already helped regain their sense of sound, reach out and let us know what spring sound you most appreciate hearing this season. Either way, we look forward to hearing from you.

Schneiker Audiology’s Red Carpet Roundup

2016 has started off with a flurry of activity and some exciting goings on. Our news might not be as glamorous as the red carpets rolled out during Hollywood’s award season but that isn’t really our style anyway. Still, we are thrilled about our involvement in the Sarnia community so far this year and so we thought we’d share a bit about what’s been going on with us and maybe even drop a little teaser about an upcoming event.

First of all, we are proud to have been nominated by the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce for an Outstanding Business Award under Marketing and Promotions. This nomination, while it is by no means the motivating force behind what we do, comes as a nice piece of validation for our approach to operating a business in our community. It proves that if you work with integrity and a real sense of care and responsibility toward your patients, people will notice.

We also want to send out a big thank you to the People’s United Church for hosting an event that we were privileged to be a part of. On February 18th 2016 we held a lecture with one of the world’s leading suppliers of hearing technology, Widex. Vlad Mitreski, our representative from Widex, touched on topics like the signs of hearing loss, the benefits of hearing aids, and emerging technology in the field of Audiology. It was a great opportunity for us to reach out directly to those in Sarnia who benefit most from a message like this and we want to thank, in particular, Warren and Pat Bishop for making it possible.

Finally, we are especially excited to let you know about a unique experience we are planning for the near future. Ten of our existing patients with older hearing aids will be given the opportunity to join us for dinner and a test drive of the premium hearing technology we offer today. It will be the perfect real world setting to offer a taste of what our newer hearing aids can do, even in a difficult environment like a restaurant. We hope it will demonstrate how much these technological advances can improve the quality of our patient’s lives but also reaffirm how dedicated we are to helping connect that technology to those who need it most.

Even with all of this going on, our main focus continues to be on personal, old world service and we are not stopping any time soon. We promise to keep it coming and we’ll provide more updates along the way.

Good Hearing for Successful Aging

Everyone does it and there is nothing we can do to stop it. It is simply a natural part of life. So how can we say that something as inevitable as aging can be done more or less successfully? Growing older while enjoying a high quality of life and maintaining our health and cognition seems successful. That’s fair, maybe even obvious. What’s less obvious is the connection successful aging has with good hearing.

We have commented before on the link between hearing loss and conditions like depression, social isolation and even dementia. Since some 30% of people over the age of 65 and up to 90% of people over the age of 85 suffer from some form of hearing loss, it stands to reason that your hearing has a direct bearing on your ability to age successfully.

In late 2015, good news came from a study by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research that found a similar relationship between hearing aids and quality of life. The study examined three groups of people in the same age group: those without hearing loss, those with hearing loss employing hearing aids, and those with unaided hearing loss. In line with previous studies, the group with unaided hearing loss had significantly greater instances of cognitive decline. The good news, however, is that the group employing hearing aids experienced instances of cognitive decline at the same level as the group without any hearing loss at all.

What’s the meaning behind these findings? Evidence is mounting that hearing aids reduce the severity of cognitive decline in elderly individuals with hearing loss. In other words, hearing aids have a real and positive effect on cognitive function over time by restoring the ability to communicate effectively, promoting social and leisure activities, and maintaining quality of life. It can be said with confidence that proactive and quality treatment of hearing loss is a key ingredient to successful aging.

Schneiker Audiology is dedicated providing exactly the kind of care that is proving more and more important to the overall health and wellness of our patients. If you or a loved one could be experiencing the early signs of hearing loss, don’t wait! Call us today for a consultation.

Making Every Day a Family Day

Each year February 15th is set aside as a day dedicated to family life. Adults and kids can leave school and work behind and be free to enjoy some quality time with their loved ones. This year, Family Day has come and gone but it has left us reflecting on the importance of family in our modern world.

Going about our day to day lives, with work, school, and entertainment all thrown together, our schedules are full, even chaotic at times. Amidst all that chaos, the family can be a stabilizing influence for all of us. The little traditions and rituals we have amongst ourselves have a value unique to the people that created them, so that simple activities like preparing and enjoying a meal together or some lively conversation are refreshing and comforting unlike anything else.

Family Day isn’t the only time of year we enjoy these things, but it’s a good reminder of how important they are to us throughout the rest of the year. And it affords us another opportunity as well. It gives us a chance to pause and consider the families around us and their challenges and triumphs and maybe even how similar they are to our own.

At Schneiker Audiology we realize we have a role to play in the larger family that makes up our community. That means being good, active citizens. On a personal level it also means doing our part to help our patients participate in their family traditions in a meaningful way, rather than merely spectating across the gap that untreated hearing loss creates.

Schneiker Audiology wishes you many happy family days throughout 2016. If there is any role we can play in making that happen for you, so much the better. Stop by any time and let us know how we can help.

Schneiker Audiology’s Sarnia Winter Survival Guide

Winter continues to grind on in Southern Ontario and so naturally we keep our patients in mind as we all work through the cold and dark and try to make the most of our winter months. Winter can be great, but it comes with its own set of challenges too, particularly for our elderly family members. With that in mind, here are some tips to surviving the season by staying active and warm.

Staying active in the winter can be a real challenge. It’s cold outside and more difficult to get from one place to another. In spite of the challenges, there are things we can do to get our blood flowing and our muscles active.

  • Home workout videos can get you active at your own comfort level, in your private home.
  • Yoga works great too – even beginner level stretches can work wonders for cold, tired muscles.
  • If you can get there, malls provide a bright, warm forum for a long healthy walk.

Feeling warmth is also important, and there are a number of ways to make sure we keep our bodies and minds in optimal health.

  • Diet. Maybe the fruits and veggies of summer have gone, but there are still healthy options out there. A hot bowl of oatmeal and maple syrup can warm you up and brighten your day. Root vegetables like carrots, beets, potatoes and onions are still plentiful and have loads of nutrients.
  • Physical Warmth. Blankets, warm cups of tea, hot water bottles or heating pads can all work wonders to keep the cold out of our bones. Turning your ceiling fan on low in a clockwise direction will circulate warm air back down to you and not out the roof of your house.
  • The warmth of loved ones. There is nothing like the voice of a friend or relative to pick up your spirits. No one should miss out on this because they can’t hear well over a conventional phone. Schneiker Audiology has high tech phones that will keep you connected to those that matter most to you.

It matters to us that our family is happy, content, safe, and well taken care of – at any time of year, but particularly now in the cold of winter. Let’s not just survive these winter months – let’s make them great. Together we can.

Your Community Hearing Clinic in 2016

At Schneiker Audiology we have always been proud to serve our community, and we are as committed as ever to maintaining that presence. There are many hearing clinics to choose from in the Sarnia area, but you come to us because we stand out as the one that goes over and beyond to care for you and yours. That’s why we are staying away from resolutions in 2016: we want to keep doing those same things we’ve built our reputation on in this community. We just think we can do it even better this year.

The motivation for building our clinic the way we have comes from within. All of us truly believe the best way to live and work in a community is to offer complete, genuine, old-fashioned service. It’s what convinces every one of our clients they made the right decision in coming to Schneiker Audiology and it’s what makes us love our work so much.

We want to get to know our patients on a personal level because that’s what is going to help us take care of you the best. We take the time to get to know who you are, what you like and need and what you don’t particularly like either. We visit our patients at private homes or hospital rooms. We do all of this because that’s what you would expect your family to do, and that’s how we think of our patients – as our family.

It’s because of this same commitment to customer service that we can be confident when we say Schneiker Audiology will be Sarnia’s #1 hearing clinic this year. To that end, here are some things to look for in 2016:

  • A new take home portfolio will be available, containing useful information about who we are and what we can do for you. It will also have valuable strategies for coping with hearing loss, helping those experiencing hearing loss, and caring for your hearing equipment.
  • Our website will stay up to date with practical information and news about how the science of audiology is constantly working to make your life or the life of your loved one better.
  • We’ll maintain our community involvement through a number of charitable events and we promise to tell you all about them.

Ultimately, our goal comes down to this: we want to do everything we can, both as professionals and human beings, to bring our families together and draw closer as a community, improving the lives of the people that matter most to us – the Schneiker Audiology family. We know we can do it, and we are looking forward to an excellent 2016!

Loved Ones and Hearing Loss this Holiday Season

For so many of us, this time of year means turning the cold, dark months of winter into the warmest and brightest of the year by congregating with those we love the most. For your loved ones suffering from hearing loss, however, the holiday season can be a minefield of missed conversations, awkward moments and frustrating background noise. Often, it is the very merriment and lively group conversations we’re all enjoying, that causes the largest problem.

Background noise, multiple speakers or people speaking over one another, and indirect conversation can weaken a hearing impaired person’s ability to make sense of all the noise. On the other hand, no one with hearing loss wants to be the cause of subduing the party. So what can you do to make family gatherings more inclusive events? Here are a few tips to make the fun more accessible:

  1. Face the hearing impaired person directly. Allow for good line of sight between you and the listener and speak clearly, slowly, and naturally.
  2. Use your loved one’s name before speaking. Using their name gives them time to focus their attention on what you are about to say.
  3. Limit background noise where possible. Ambient noise makes deciphering sounds infinitely more difficult. Wherever possible, turn off radios or TVs that are not being used.
  4. Try not to repeat the same words. Sometimes, you’ll have to repeat yourself. Instead of using the same words over and over, which can be embarrassing for the one with hearing loss, try to find a different way to say the same thing.

With a little extra effort there is so much you can do to contribute to your family’s enjoyment of the holidays. The greatest gifts you can give to someone with a hearing disability, however, are the tools to enjoy the sounds of their everyday lives. Modern technology coupled with a caring professional can do wonders for many. If you know someone with hearing loss in the Sarnia area, Schneiker Audiology is ready to help. Why not book an appointment today?

5 Signs Your Child May Be Experiencing Hearing Difficulties

The development of hearing in a child is essential for learning, playing, and developing social skills. For example, the early stages of auditory and oral communication begins with a child imitating the sounds around them.

Even at later stages of development, a young child is still dependent upon the interpretation of speech and language for their development. Hearing loss that is left undetected or untreated can have damaging effects on a child’s development, delaying valuable speech and language development, bringing about social problems, and introducing academic difficulties.

There are many signs that your child may be experiencing hearing difficulties and it is important to know what those are. Here are just five of those signs, examples of what to watch for in pre-adolescent children. If you suspect that your child may be experiencing hearing loss or may require hearing aids, it is important to contact an audiologist service to schedule a hearing test.

#1 The Volume of the TV is Too High

If your child insists that the television be turned up exceptionally high, this might be an indication that your child cannot hear the television at normal volume levels. Alternatively, this could simply mean that your child prefers louder auditory stimulation. If you notice this development presents itself abruptly or if it’s a fairly new development, you may want to schedule a hearing test with your local audiologist.

#2 Your Child’s Hearing Fluctuates

It is not uncommon for a child’s hearing to fluctuate on a day to day basis. This could be either due to some form of conductive obstruction in the external ear canal (such as wax, beads, etc.) or behind the tympanic membrane (such as fluid, congestion, an ear infection, etc.). It is important that if you are seeing your child display symptoms of fluctuating hearing to seek a hearing test immediately.

#3 Your Child Speaks Exceptionally Loud

If your child has begun to speak at a louder volume, this might be evident of a more serious problem. If he/she cannot hear other sounds at age appropriate levels, they may also not be able to hear their own voice as well as they should.

#4 Speech or Language Delays and Concerns

Some children experience difficulties developing speech and language skills. This can be attributed to any number of different causes, hearing loss being merely one of them. If your child is experiencing delays in speech and language development, consider ruling out the possibility of hearing loss by scheduling a hearing test.

#5 Regular Headaches and Ear Aches

If your child is experiencing regular headaches and ear aches, you should see the family physician who will be able to give more information on whether hearing loss is a possibility. Typically a physician will want to make an appointment with an audiologist and schedule a hearing test for your child. The percentage of the under-18 population affected by hearing loss is approximately 2 in every 100 kids. Many of the children affected experience symptoms such as headaches and ear aches, and similar challenges.

The most effective treatment of hearing loss in children is early intervention. The majority of hearing loss conditions can be helped via modern technology and methods. Through early detection, one will also be able to maximize a child’s hearing, reverse the effects of hearing loss, mitigate the damage, and/or begin a recommended form of treatment.

If any of these symptoms exist or you have any concerns regarding your child’s hearing, schedule a hearing test with an audiologist. While hearing testing is no longer covered by OHIP, most insurance companies include audiology testing as an insured benefit.

Too cute not to share

We thought this was just too cute not to share it with all of you. Brielle gives us all a biology lesson – starting with one of the most important parts: your ear.

You Bought Your Hearing Aid Where?

In today’s world, people shop online all the time. It’s so convenient, it should be illegal. You can buy anything from designer shoes to the most lavish holiday in Hawaii. All you need is a credit card and an “Add to Cart” button. Not all things should be bought online though. As convenient as online shopping is, some things you need to buy from the source and in person, or pay the price of “buyer beware”.

Take hearing aids for example. Such delicate equipment should never be bought from an online store, no matter how attractive a deal may sound. Your ear may not be a life sustaining part of you, but you don’t need both of your kidneys either, and we would all agree that buying one of those online would be a grave lapse in judgement.

Hearing aids are complex, sensitive devices. They require experienced professionals to calibrate and program specifically to a patient’s unique needs. Many hearing aids purchased online are from the United States. These products would need to travel great distances to your door and that fact alone would make repairing a damaged device difficult and in some cases, impossible. Not only are there online scams out there waiting to take your money, there are other less obvious ways of getting a raw deal online. Some large retailers, often get last year’s model and sell it at a discount. What’s more, they configure the hearing aids so that no one else can adjust the settings. If that isn’t a reason not to buy your hearing aids online then what is?

Your ability to hear the world around you is both deeply personal and a vital part of life. There is a big difference between online retail vendors and dedicated health professionals who have made a career of helping people. Independent, full-time, private practices are the best way to finding a hearing aid that is the right fit for you.

To find out more about choosing the right hearing aid, call Schneiker Audiology today.

Celebrating Sound with Spring in Sarnia, ON

No matter how much, or how little, you love the winter it’s hard not to look forward to spring. The earth itself seems to be coming back to life as colours reappear, the air feels warmer and smells fresher, and you can just about taste all the local produce just around the corner. Of all the sensory delights of spring, however, none are greater than the sounds!

The old favourites likely come first to mind when you think of the sounds of spring: the birds returning and bringing their unique songs along with them, kids laughing and playing in the park, the wind rustling through new green leaves, and the sound of rainfall on your roof. When you take a moment to think about these sounds and really just enjoy them for what they are and what they represent you realize what a miracle and what a privilege your hearing truly is. Of course, maybe the most meaningful sounds are the ones more personal to you, and we understand what it means to lose the ability to hear them.

It’s for that reason that, while we celebrate sound itself this spring, we urge you not to miss out in your own lives. Modern hearing aids can work wonders in terms of restoring the ability to take in all the sounds that make your life special and unique. There is a solution for so many going without the gift of sound and we want to share it with you.

If you want to know how Schneiker Audiology can help you get the most out of spring, contact us now to find out. If you are among the many who we have already helped regain their sense of sound, reach out and let us know what spring sound you most appreciate hearing this season. Either way, we look forward to hearing from you.

Schneiker Audiology’s Red Carpet Roundup

2016 has started off with a flurry of activity and some exciting goings on. Our news might not be as glamorous as the red carpets rolled out during Hollywood’s award season but that isn’t really our style anyway. Still, we are thrilled about our involvement in the Sarnia community so far this year and so we thought we’d share a bit about what’s been going on with us and maybe even drop a little teaser about an upcoming event.

First of all, we are proud to have been nominated by the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce for an Outstanding Business Award under Marketing and Promotions. This nomination, while it is by no means the motivating force behind what we do, comes as a nice piece of validation for our approach to operating a business in our community. It proves that if you work with integrity and a real sense of care and responsibility toward your patients, people will notice.

We also want to send out a big thank you to the People’s United Church for hosting an event that we were privileged to be a part of. On February 18th 2016 we held a lecture with one of the world’s leading suppliers of hearing technology, Widex. Vlad Mitreski, our representative from Widex, touched on topics like the signs of hearing loss, the benefits of hearing aids, and emerging technology in the field of Audiology. It was a great opportunity for us to reach out directly to those in Sarnia who benefit most from a message like this and we want to thank, in particular, Warren and Pat Bishop for making it possible.

Finally, we are especially excited to let you know about a unique experience we are planning for the near future. Ten of our existing patients with older hearing aids will be given the opportunity to join us for dinner and a test drive of the premium hearing technology we offer today. It will be the perfect real world setting to offer a taste of what our newer hearing aids can do, even in a difficult environment like a restaurant. We hope it will demonstrate how much these technological advances can improve the quality of our patient’s lives but also reaffirm how dedicated we are to helping connect that technology to those who need it most.

Even with all of this going on, our main focus continues to be on personal, old world service and we are not stopping any time soon. We promise to keep it coming and we’ll provide more updates along the way.

Good Hearing for Successful Aging

Everyone does it and there is nothing we can do to stop it. It is simply a natural part of life. So how can we say that something as inevitable as aging can be done more or less successfully? Growing older while enjoying a high quality of life and maintaining our health and cognition seems successful. That’s fair, maybe even obvious. What’s less obvious is the connection successful aging has with good hearing.

We have commented before on the link between hearing loss and conditions like depression, social isolation and even dementia. Since some 30% of people over the age of 65 and up to 90% of people over the age of 85 suffer from some form of hearing loss, it stands to reason that your hearing has a direct bearing on your ability to age successfully.

In late 2015, good news came from a study by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research that found a similar relationship between hearing aids and quality of life. The study examined three groups of people in the same age group: those without hearing loss, those with hearing loss employing hearing aids, and those with unaided hearing loss. In line with previous studies, the group with unaided hearing loss had significantly greater instances of cognitive decline. The good news, however, is that the group employing hearing aids experienced instances of cognitive decline at the same level as the group without any hearing loss at all.

What’s the meaning behind these findings? Evidence is mounting that hearing aids reduce the severity of cognitive decline in elderly individuals with hearing loss. In other words, hearing aids have a real and positive effect on cognitive function over time by restoring the ability to communicate effectively, promoting social and leisure activities, and maintaining quality of life. It can be said with confidence that proactive and quality treatment of hearing loss is a key ingredient to successful aging.

Schneiker Audiology is dedicated providing exactly the kind of care that is proving more and more important to the overall health and wellness of our patients. If you or a loved one could be experiencing the early signs of hearing loss, don’t wait! Call us today for a consultation.

Making Every Day a Family Day

Each year February 15th is set aside as a day dedicated to family life. Adults and kids can leave school and work behind and be free to enjoy some quality time with their loved ones. This year, Family Day has come and gone but it has left us reflecting on the importance of family in our modern world.

Going about our day to day lives, with work, school, and entertainment all thrown together, our schedules are full, even chaotic at times. Amidst all that chaos, the family can be a stabilizing influence for all of us. The little traditions and rituals we have amongst ourselves have a value unique to the people that created them, so that simple activities like preparing and enjoying a meal together or some lively conversation are refreshing and comforting unlike anything else.

Family Day isn’t the only time of year we enjoy these things, but it’s a good reminder of how important they are to us throughout the rest of the year. And it affords us another opportunity as well. It gives us a chance to pause and consider the families around us and their challenges and triumphs and maybe even how similar they are to our own.

At Schneiker Audiology we realize we have a role to play in the larger family that makes up our community. That means being good, active citizens. On a personal level it also means doing our part to help our patients participate in their family traditions in a meaningful way, rather than merely spectating across the gap that untreated hearing loss creates.

Schneiker Audiology wishes you many happy family days throughout 2016. If there is any role we can play in making that happen for you, so much the better. Stop by any time and let us know how we can help.

Schneiker Audiology’s Sarnia Winter Survival Guide

Winter continues to grind on in Southern Ontario and so naturally we keep our patients in mind as we all work through the cold and dark and try to make the most of our winter months. Winter can be great, but it comes with its own set of challenges too, particularly for our elderly family members. With that in mind, here are some tips to surviving the season by staying active and warm.

Staying active in the winter can be a real challenge. It’s cold outside and more difficult to get from one place to another. In spite of the challenges, there are things we can do to get our blood flowing and our muscles active.

  • Home workout videos can get you active at your own comfort level, in your private home.
  • Yoga works great too – even beginner level stretches can work wonders for cold, tired muscles.
  • If you can get there, malls provide a bright, warm forum for a long healthy walk.

Feeling warmth is also important, and there are a number of ways to make sure we keep our bodies and minds in optimal health.

  • Diet. Maybe the fruits and veggies of summer have gone, but there are still healthy options out there. A hot bowl of oatmeal and maple syrup can warm you up and brighten your day. Root vegetables like carrots, beets, potatoes and onions are still plentiful and have loads of nutrients.
  • Physical Warmth. Blankets, warm cups of tea, hot water bottles or heating pads can all work wonders to keep the cold out of our bones. Turning your ceiling fan on low in a clockwise direction will circulate warm air back down to you and not out the roof of your house.
  • The warmth of loved ones. There is nothing like the voice of a friend or relative to pick up your spirits. No one should miss out on this because they can’t hear well over a conventional phone. Schneiker Audiology has high tech phones that will keep you connected to those that matter most to you.

It matters to us that our family is happy, content, safe, and well taken care of – at any time of year, but particularly now in the cold of winter. Let’s not just survive these winter months – let’s make them great. Together we can.

Your Community Hearing Clinic in 2016

At Schneiker Audiology we have always been proud to serve our community, and we are as committed as ever to maintaining that presence. There are many hearing clinics to choose from in the Sarnia area, but you come to us because we stand out as the one that goes over and beyond to care for you and yours. That’s why we are staying away from resolutions in 2016: we want to keep doing those same things we’ve built our reputation on in this community. We just think we can do it even better this year.

The motivation for building our clinic the way we have comes from within. All of us truly believe the best way to live and work in a community is to offer complete, genuine, old-fashioned service. It’s what convinces every one of our clients they made the right decision in coming to Schneiker Audiology and it’s what makes us love our work so much.

We want to get to know our patients on a personal level because that’s what is going to help us take care of you the best. We take the time to get to know who you are, what you like and need and what you don’t particularly like either. We visit our patients at private homes or hospital rooms. We do all of this because that’s what you would expect your family to do, and that’s how we think of our patients – as our family.

It’s because of this same commitment to customer service that we can be confident when we say Schneiker Audiology will be Sarnia’s #1 hearing clinic this year. To that end, here are some things to look for in 2016:

  • A new take home portfolio will be available, containing useful information about who we are and what we can do for you. It will also have valuable strategies for coping with hearing loss, helping those experiencing hearing loss, and caring for your hearing equipment.
  • Our website will stay up to date with practical information and news about how the science of audiology is constantly working to make your life or the life of your loved one better.
  • We’ll maintain our community involvement through a number of charitable events and we promise to tell you all about them.

Ultimately, our goal comes down to this: we want to do everything we can, both as professionals and human beings, to bring our families together and draw closer as a community, improving the lives of the people that matter most to us – the Schneiker Audiology family. We know we can do it, and we are looking forward to an excellent 2016!

Loved Ones and Hearing Loss this Holiday Season

For so many of us, this time of year means turning the cold, dark months of winter into the warmest and brightest of the year by congregating with those we love the most. For your loved ones suffering from hearing loss, however, the holiday season can be a minefield of missed conversations, awkward moments and frustrating background noise. Often, it is the very merriment and lively group conversations we’re all enjoying, that causes the largest problem.

Background noise, multiple speakers or people speaking over one another, and indirect conversation can weaken a hearing impaired person’s ability to make sense of all the noise. On the other hand, no one with hearing loss wants to be the cause of subduing the party. So what can you do to make family gatherings more inclusive events? Here are a few tips to make the fun more accessible:

  1. Face the hearing impaired person directly. Allow for good line of sight between you and the listener and speak clearly, slowly, and naturally.
  2. Use your loved one’s name before speaking. Using their name gives them time to focus their attention on what you are about to say.
  3. Limit background noise where possible. Ambient noise makes deciphering sounds infinitely more difficult. Wherever possible, turn off radios or TVs that are not being used.
  4. Try not to repeat the same words. Sometimes, you’ll have to repeat yourself. Instead of using the same words over and over, which can be embarrassing for the one with hearing loss, try to find a different way to say the same thing.

With a little extra effort there is so much you can do to contribute to your family’s enjoyment of the holidays. The greatest gifts you can give to someone with a hearing disability, however, are the tools to enjoy the sounds of their everyday lives. Modern technology coupled with a caring professional can do wonders for many. If you know someone with hearing loss in the Sarnia area, Schneiker Audiology is ready to help. Why not book an appointment today?