Agnes talks about the importance of good service from audiology departments

Hi, everybody.

It’s Agnes, from Coatbridge here. And like one or two others with dementia and the Dementia Diaries, I’ve got a bit of [inaudible] issue going on. But, it’s manageable and cope-able; I am myself managing these symptoms.

But what I wanted to talk about just now was that I almost feel that we need to get a collective voice together here at the Dementia Diaries, to do with the audiology and hearing changes that seem to be affecting a few of us – in fact, more than a few.

It was great to hear Carol, in a Dementia Diary, about her appointment with the ENT Unit at the Harvey Hospital with Tinnitus, and getting a definitive diagnosis of hyperclusis, and how she was taken seriously.

And this is so important for our self-esteem. Knowledge is power. I think it goes back to the fourth phase. We become aware of our issues through the symptoms, and we need to know where to take that. It’s great if you keep a diary and we go armed, so that we don’t forget anything once we get to see the appropriate person – which, for our hearing changes, is definitely an ENT specialist.

Carole has got a definitive diagnosis. I would have liked to have seen her being offered rehabilitation to cope with the symptoms and everyday challenges, and there are appropriate people that can help you rehabilitate you with your hearing changes. They’re called different things: in Scotland, I think they’re still being called Hearing…. not ‘Specialists’…. Hearing something…. it will come to me… And Teresa Davies, in Wales: hers is called something else.

So, it’s just getting this all put together, so that we all can have a good outcome: appropriate diagnosis, and then being given the chance and the opportunity – like Teresa was in Wales – to get rehabilitated, to how to cope with it. Wonderful news!

Thanks very much. And thanks to everybody for sharing at Dementia Diaries.

Bye!