Bengaluru: In a competitive market place where hearing aid clinics are trying to make profits, the city-based Amber Hearing Solutions aims to provide wholesome treatment options for the underprivileged hearing impaired patients.
It has tied up with a trust in Whitefield and offers free screening, counseling and highly subsidised treatment to the needy patients approaching the trust. “In association with the trust, we provide free or subsidised treatment and counselling for the underprivileged,” said Usha Vijayaraghavan, a co-owner of the clinic.
“The idea of running our setup is not just for profit, but also to create awareness on hearing problems. Most of the people don’t realise that they have a hearing problem till very late. We conduct awareness camps across the city at apartment complexes, offices and hospitals to make people aware of the symptoms. Hearing disability is a neglected area and such awareness programmes are needed,” Ms Vijayaraghavan stressed.
Doctors from Amber Hearing Solutions at a free screening session
Amber Hearing was set up by Shashi Nambiar, a technocrat, who has over three decades of experience in the audio industry. The company does not focus only on providing hearing aids. “We want to create awareness among the people and focus on counseling patients. Our interaction with the patients continues even after the implants. Hearing disability is an issue that cuts across all ages. Sadly, many patients feel isolated and cut themselves off from family gatherings. Our aim was not just treatment but to look at it as a sociological issue,” she said.
The clinic conducts pure tone audiometry (PTA), tympanometry test, speech audiometry and also provides speech and language assessment and therapy to individuals, who complain of different speech and language problems, like stuttering (stammering), voice problems and aphasia (loss of speech and voice following a sudden incident like stroke or head trauma). “We also provide rehabilitative and therapeutic services to children who are fitted with hearing aids. ,” she said.
On an average every month, the clinic treats 2-3 patients, who are sponsored by either corporate houses or individuals. “The cost of hearing aids runs in to several lakhs and sadly, many back out because of these exorbitant costs. We thought it important to get funding for the needy as everyone has the right to a quality life,” she said.
“We approach corporate houses to spread awareness and counsel people. We advise patients on the type of hearing aids they should opt for,” she said.
“We run camps in old age homes, but sadly the success rate is low as they feel there is no one to talk to. Senior citizens in join families seem more open for hearing treatment,” she said.
