Photo Karen Graham.
Stephen Ward and Judy Keith bring diverse skills to their audiology practice where they help clients improve their hearing health.
Audiologist Judy Keith and her partner Stephen Ward operate two EarSense locations where they help their customers keep connected by supporting their hearing health.
The original location is in East City, and last fall they opened a location at 999 Landsdowne St. West at the Parkway. Both are easily accessible from their home base in Mount Pleasant and offer full-service audiology and hearing aid solutions. Their approach to hearing health is built on state of the art technology and a commitment to care for customers from infants to the elderly.
The Judy and Stephen have been business partners for a decade, but approached their careers from very different directions. Judy started on the medical side, addressing communicative disorders. These are impairments in the ability to send, receive or process that may present as hearing, language or speech issues. She brings 30 years of experience in clinics and at the PRHC to her customers.
Stephen began his professional career as an engineer and worked in the development of medical devices in the U.S. He added a certification as a Hearing Instrument Specialist to his credentials and has brought a technological sophistication to his clients for the past sixteen years. He is happy to be back in the area, having
Approximately one third of older adults suffer from hearing loss, and the incidence increases with age. Among the causes are congenital issues, chronic ear infections, aging and repeated exposure to loud noise. The implications of hearing loss on the quality of life are profound and extensive, and include social isolation, balance issues and even increased risk of dementia.
Clients at EarSense begin their journey with a hearing test designed to identify and diagnose auditory issues. While the solution often includes a device, at EarSense the focus is on client care which is a journey of sorts.
Technology has improved hearing aids, which are small electronic devices that fit around and inside the ear cavity and amplify sound. They consist of microphones, computer chips and a battery- usually rechargeable, as well as a speaker. Sophisticated versions can be linked via Bluetooth and can automatically dampen background noise while amplifying voices – even a specific voice- so the individual hears the sounds they want to hear. Fittings are ongoing, as weight fluctuations can alter the way a device sits in the ear. Customers are encouraged to come back as often as they require to fine tune their devices at no additional charge. EarSense staff also offer counselling, tinnitus therapy, ear wax removal, custom ear protection and assistive listening devices for use with televisions, telephones and alarms.
Both professionals spend time at each location, where they are committed to helping clients stay connected to the world by providing comprehensive hearing services that improve their quality of life.
For more information visit www.earsense.ca. KG
