In late December 2019, Catherine received the best Christmas gift of all – she could hear again.
Now the 72-year-old wants to share her journey and encourage others to explore their options when it comes to hearing loss.
Catherine Keenan had the sound processor for her cochlear implant switched on shortly before Christmas, an experience she describes as ‘wonderful’.
“I could hear my grandkids and family again! It was comforting,” she says.
Catherine’s Audiologist at RIDBC Clive Berghofer Centre in Toowoomba, Shannon Culley, agrees that it was an emotional experience. “There was a lot riding on this for Catherine. Socialising had become difficult as she couldn’t communicate verbally and as you might imagine, this can be very isolating,” she explains.
f and can get back to my role as Treasurer of our local View Club. I don’t feel so isolated anymore,” she says.
For some people, hearing aids just aren’t enough. “In Catherine’s case, cochlear implants really were the only solution that would enable her to get access to sound and speech,” Shannon explains. Many older Australians don’t explore their options because they think they are “too old”. There are no age restrictions when it comes to cochlear implants, and RIDBC support recipients who range in age from infancy to over 100 years old.
In Australia today, there are around 150,000 adults who could benefit from this life-changing technology. Home to Australia’s largest cochlear implant program, RIDBC provides services for adults and children with hearing loss across the country, including diagnostics, therapy, and cochlear implant services.
Catherine’s message is clear: If you are experiencing hearing loss and having difficulty understanding conversations, act now, so you can get back into life and rediscover the things you love.
This news article was created prior to 22 March 2021 when NextSense was Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC).
