The Australian Hearing bus is stopping by Stawell to offer free hearing checks and raise hearing health awareness to residents in the community.
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The mobile hearing service has provided over 40,000 free hearing checks in communities across Australia since the first bus was launched in 2009.
Australian Hearing Horsham manager Ann Bongiorno said it was common for people to be unaware their hearing was diminishing as age-related hearing loss developed gradually over time.
“A hearing check is a quick and easy way to measure the sounds you can and cannot hear,” she said.
“Our team will also be on hand to guide you through what next steps you may have to take in regards to your hearing.”
Visitors to the bus will also find information on a range of common hearing issues.
There will be a display of hearing devices for around the home which included television headsets and alert systems for doorbells.
“Not everyone who is experiencing problems hearing needs a hearing aid,” Ms Bongiorno said.
“Sometimes it is just hearing the television at normal volumes, hearing your doorbell, or hearing your friends on the phone that is the problem.”
Ms Bongiorno said the buses traveled across the country to not only visit busy city centres but also smaller regional towns. “At these smaller regional towns it would be slightly more difficult for people to get their hearing checked,” she said.
“We also take our buses to retirement villages and aged care facilities to make it easier for people to have their hearing checked.
“We provide hearing checks to any person 18-years-old and over and no booking appointment is necessary”. More than 60 per cent of Australians over 60 suffered from a form of hearing loss.”
Stawell Regional Health primary care manager Rhys Duncan said the Hearing Bus offered a fantastic opportunity to residents concerned about their hearing health.
“We are all for initiatives which bring specialist health services to the region,” he said.
“It is a great opportunity for the town and the community and saves people travelling to places such as Ballarat and Melbourne for specialist health treatment.”
The Hearing Bus will be at Stawell from December 6-7 and operate between 9.30am-3.30pm each day.
The bus will be in front of Amcal, 104-106 Main Street.
Ms Bongiorno said Australian Hearing was on a mission to help residents around the nation with free and convenient hearing checks.
“As of January 2016 we had eleven buses travelling across Australia with more buses planned in the near future,” she said.