Elizabeth Wilkes can provide the following services and training, please contact her for further information Patients are only seen with a recent audiogram performed by an accredited audiologist or audiometrist. *note

1. Initial Assessment. My service always involves a thorough standardised case history including the assessment of the patient’s hearing difficulties within the family, in employment, socially, environmentally and psychologically through the use of questionnaires. The hearing mechanism and the patient’s audiogram are explained in ways tailored to individual needs, thereby providing a good understanding of their hearing loss.

2. Sudden Deafness. Patients are encouraged to be seen urgently. It cannot be emphasised enough how devastated people who are suddenly deafened may be. The sooner they see someone who understands and can offer practical assistance to help them to gain touch with the world the better. Patients and their families are involved in intensive services until they feel more confident to cope. Exposure to other deafened people may also be helpful.

3. Vibro-tactile aid training may be offered to profoundly or suddenly deafened people.

4. Communication Training involves the in depth discussion of hearing tactics for both the hard of hearing or deafened person and their families and/or friends. The patient learns about the strategies involved in managing a hearing loss, utilising residual hearing, if present, so that the person is able to manipulate circumstances to their better advantage. This also involves potential acoustic and lighting improvements.

5. Auditory Training may be offered to patients needing to acquire skills in speech discrimination in simulated background sound.

6. Assertiveness Training and/or Confidence building may also be provided as required. Training involves miniworkshop activities relating to real life situations.

7. Hearing Loss Counselling enables patients to identify their difficulties. As in bereavement, a hearing loss may involve the process of grief, denial and anger before final acceptance. It is important for people to have support.

8. Programmes of wear for hearing aids. Hearing Aid Orientation may involve programmes of wear for those people experiencing difficulties in wearing their hearing aids. This can be especially useful for people with learning difficulties or the very elderly involving the training of carers to assist in hearing aid care and usage. Other hearing aid difficulties may also be sorted out relating to unrealistic expectation or simple difficulties not addressed during fittings.

9. Noise Induced hearing Loss involving an explanation of the hearing mechanism and the damage to the hair cells in illustrated form. This gives the patient a clear understanding of their condition. Ear protection and where to buy it is also discussed.

10. Environmental Aids. Assessment involves assessing the individual's needs both in the home and in the workplace. Information is provided on where listening and alerting devices can be obtained and what might be most suitable. Some equipment is available for demonstration, information on telephones

11. One to one Lipreading is available for those people who may have difficulty going to lipreading classes and very real problems communicating because of their hearing loss. Classes involve lipreading theory as well as practise and homework is provided. The courses are ‘tailor-made’ to the patient’s ability and needs. Young people who are too embarrassed to go to a formal class may benefit. Some elderly people need intensive support and encouragement to provide motivation. People in employment may find it difficult to attend a normal lipreading class and/or may find individual classes more convenient. Classes usually last for one hour each and involve six to eight sessions. Small groups of up to 4 people would be considered. Family members attending with patients are accepted free of charge and will be expected to participate. further information on lipreading

12 Pre and Post-operative Counselling can be offered to patients undergoing surgery that might affect their hearing or have already undergone surgery that has affected their hearing. An understanding of an operation and the possible effects can tone down possible adverse effects considerably and puts the patient in touch with potential support as required. For patients who have already had operations, such as acoustic neuroma, it may be possible to offer counselling, auditory training and communication training in addition to advice on environmental aids.

13 Relaxation and Stress management can be provided for both tinnitus and Hearing Therapy patients as needed.

14. Pre and Post-operative Cochlear^TM Implant training may benefit intending implantees to gain information about the process thus helping patients to form realistic expectations. Some Cochlear^TM implantees may benefit from additional training over and above that which is normally offered.
People who have been tested and found to be unsuitable for Cochlear^TM Implant can be provided with effective counselling and practical assistance. It is so important that these patients receive immediate assistance and support in the hope of alleviating potential depression.

15. Menieres Disease patients are given counselling, support and advice. They can be given help with their balance and hearing difficulties and they are put in touch with the Menieres Association. Special relaxation classes are often beneficial.

16. Obscure Auditory Dysfunction patients are given advice, counselling and practical assistance.

17. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy tailored to the patient according to the Jastroboff/Hazell model. further information on Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

18. Deafness Awareness. Training can be provided for families, teachers, the medical profession, businesses, organisations etc. as required. Deafness Awareness involves the discussion of deaf issues, differences and culture alongside communication strategies for communicating with all levels of deafness. Deafness Awareness is provided on request and is modified to suit the audience. Tapes and videos may also be used as well as offering people the opportunity to experience some of the difficulties themselves in a workshop setting. Many employers should be thinking of the improvement this knowledge would give to their employees in dealings with their clients particularly in the light of the high statistics of people with a hearing loss i.e. one in five Australians experience some degree of hearing loss.. further information on Deafness Awareness