Hidden Hearing Ennis’s Caroline Hogan & Brian Hogan
The Hidden Hearing Ennis branch opened its doors four years ago this month and is now recognised as a Centre of Excellence for hearing care in Ireland.
The clinic is run by Caroline Hogan, Senior Hearing Aid Consultant and Clinic Manager. Caroline – who is originally from London but has lived in Ireland for the last 22 years – is highly recognised as a conscientious and caring professional. Her interest in audiology began when her father suffered hearing loss and she saw first-hand the difficulties he experienced. Caroline qualified from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh and has been working in audiology for more than 10 years now.
Hidden Hearing Ennis Atmosphere
Standing proudly at the very top of O’Connell Street overlooking the square, Hidden Hearing Ennis is an incredibly busy clinic, with appointments usually booked up right through the working day, from 9am to 5pm, however it still manages to maintain a peaceful, friendly atmosphere.
Changing the Stigma Surrounding Hearing Loss
For Caroline, what she loves most about her job is the challenge; as she explains, there’s a lot of
psychology involved. “Having a hearing test is exactly the same and just as important as having your eyes or your cholesterol levels tested. Yet, for some reason, many people feel a stigma around it. We meet so many people here who are embarrassed about their hearing problems and fear getting a hearing aid and that is something that we really want to change. We want to educate people on the importance of awareness, of looking after your hearing and we want them to understand the difference that improved hearing can make to their lives. For example, did you know that hearing loss can impact on the entire body and is strongly linked with problems like obesity, diabetes and hypertension? Or did you know that wearing a hearing aid slows down brain decline in older adults?”
Hidden Hearing Ennis Wellness Programme
Hidden Hearing’s Wellness program was derived to educate people on the importance of ear health. It aims to ensure that everyone in the community avails of a free baseline hearing test as a part of their overall health and wellness regime. “It’s vitally important that people understand the importance of treating hearing loss. After all, you can’t get back what you’ve lost but you can get in there early and prevent the problem worsening by fixing the residual hearing. By booking in for an annual hearing test, you can ensure that you monitor the situation and prevent deterioration as you get older,” says Caroline.
Patients Getting Younger & Younger
Interestingly, Caroline points out that the age profile of Hidden Hearing’s clientele is getting younger and younger, as this Wellness Programme makes itself heard around the country. While hearing problems tend to be associated with advancing age, those of younger years are presenting more and more frequently, for a number of reasons – everything from medication (such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy) through to noise exposure (loud concerts, industrial and farm machinery) can damage your hearing. Another significant factor in the lower age profile, she says, is the fact that we, as a society, don’t accept hearing loss anymore; we’re becoming more educated on how to handle it”.
I know all my clients well; they don’t just come in for a test, they come in for a chat too. Also, our business works off referrals quite a lot, so our clientele would refer friends or family members and slowly you start to see these little groups forming. In fact, I actually have four members from one family who all come to me, which I love – I’m like their go-to person for hearing!” Caroline is also greatly involved with the wider local community, travelling around the county and visiting nursing homes and other community care settings to give talks and seminars on the subject of hearing loss and how to deal with it. “Having started out working in the community in Clare, it’s really important to me that I continue that work,” she explains.
What Makes Hidden Hearing Ennis Different
“What makes us different to other hearing aid providers out there is the high standard of our aftercare. We have a resident audiologist in the clinic five days a week, and we have the most advanced technology in the field. We offer a six-monthly check-up for the life of your hearing aids and should you need to have them adjusted or checked at any time, it’s completely free of charge. We also offer free batteries for life”.
“You won’t find that level of aftercare anywhere else.” It is this standard of service that ensures that Caroline’s Ennis clinic remains permanently busy, a fact that she is justifiably proud of. “I love the Clare people and Ennis is a great town. I cannot think of anywhere else I’d rather celebrate four years in business!” On a final note, Caroline urges, “Hidden Hearing is dedicated to looking after your hearing. But don’t wait until a problem presents itself – get your hearing tested now. It’s a free service and it’s there to help you.”
Call Hidden Hearing Ennis on 065 6797027 to book your FREE Hearing Test today. You can also log onto www.hiddenhearing.ie to find out more information or to book your appointment for a free hearing test or ear wax removal.
Hidden Hearing Ennis – Celebrating four years in business, Brian Hogan, Audiological Assistant and Caroline Hogan, Audiologist of Hidden Hearing,