Helpful Hours
Helpful Hours is a free service available for anyone with hearing loss, their families and friends.
We are launching this new service with a webinar called ‘How to get the most from your audiology appointment’ which is running throughout autumn and will offer help and advice for attending your first or returning visit to see an audiologist.
Read on to find out more about how this service and how you can book your free place.
What is a Helpful Hour?
As the name suggests, Helpful Hours are 60-minute sessions that offer information and guidance on important hearing loss topics.
Each session will include up to five segments to allow for several aspects of the topic to be covered. There will also be time for questions and answers at the end.
Following the webinar you will also be provided with a series of information sheets which cover the main topics covered, additional information and links to resources. This means you won’t have to concentrate on taking notes during the session – we’ve done it for you!
How do they work?
A Helpful Hour is held online or in-person such as Hearing Loss Community Days or Hearing Information Days.
They can also be booked as an online session which are presented as a Microsoft webinar and last approximately one hour.
The first session
The first bookable session is called ‘How to get the most from your audiology appointment’. This Helpful Hour is designed and presented by our peer support volunteers, who all have lived or have professional experience of hearing loss.
Arguably one of the most important relationships you will have for managing your hearing is with your audiologist. So, if you would like to find out about a range of tips, techniques and tactics to boost your confidence, this Helpful Hour is a great place to start.
The five segments are:
- Preparing for your appointment – Approaching the appointment with the right mindset can make all the difference.
- Planning your appointment – Simple strategies to keep the appointment on track for you and your audiologist.
- What to expect – Navigate the language and procedure of a hearing test
- Choices to make – Your hearing aids, additional devices and technology
- Post appointment – What’s next, what to expect and what to accept.
If one or more of these segments is an area you would like a helping hand with, then book a place on this free service on a date that suits you.
If you’d like more information before booking on, do contact us.
When do they take place?
Online
We are hosting Helpful Hours on the following dates and times (GMT) in 2023 via our online platform. Each session will be the same content: ‘How to get the most from your audiology appointment’.
| Date | Time | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 13 October | 11-12pm | Register |
| Friday 27 October | 6-7pm | Register |
| Friday 17 November | 2-3pm | Register |
| Wednesday 6 December | 11-12pm | Register |
If you are interested in attending one of our Helpful Hours, please register your attendance using one of the links above.
In-person
Our next Helpful Hours is taking place at our Hearing Information Day in Saunderton on 29 September. The session is included as part of your event booking. If you would like to attend a Hearing Information Day, please book your FREE place. Each session will be the same content: ‘How to get the most from your audiology appointment’
Are they accessible?
Our Helpful Hours online are presented as a Microsoft webinar. We encourage you to access our webinars using a desktop computer or a laptop for full access to all webinar functions.
Our online sessions include live captions for you to follow throughout the presentation. Your host will explain how to access these. If you require an alternative form of communication support (e.g. British Sign Language) please contact us before completing the registration process.
At our in-person sessions we will normally provide communication support such as a hearing loop and speech to text reporting.