Stäfa, Switzerland (16th January 2012) – For Sydney mother Fiona Mann, 38, the most devastating consequence of her hearing loss was her inability to hear her young children at night – naturally, a huge concern for any parent. Traditional hearing aids must be removed before the wearer goes to sleep, meaning Fiona was unable to hear anything, less her children after she retired to bed. “My husband often travels with work and I’m alone with my kids overnight. Taking out my aids before I went to sleep was a worry, especially if a smoke alarm or baby monitor was to go unheard,” says Fiona.
Suffering from hereditary hearing loss for most of her life, Fiona had all but given up finding a hearing aid that provided her with quality, natural hearing – day AND night! That was up until recently, when Lyric landed on Aussie shores – the world’s first ‘invisible’, extended-wear hearing aid.
Hailed ‘the contact lens for your ear’, Lyric, which measures 16mm, is inserted deep inside the ear canal by a hearing health professional and is completely invisible from the outside. Lyric remains in the ear 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be worn for up to four months at a time, allowing users to shower, swim , talk on the phone and, crucially for Fiona and other parents, Lyric users can sleep whilst wearing their hearing aids.
Thanks to Lyric, Fiona’s quality of life has significantly improved, particularly her ability to communicate with her children. “It’s been very frustrating for my family, having to repeat themselves on a daily basis until they would eventually give up trying to get through to me,” says Fiona. “I know how they feel from growing up with my father’s hearing loss. On the plus side – they can be quite cheeky without me knowing!”
Aside from the benefits of using an extended-wear hearing aid, Lyric offers wearers another significant advantage – it’s completely invisible from the outside, meaning no one is any wiser but the wearer! In the past, Fiona had been too embarrassed to wear bulky, visible hearing aids, especially when she was a teenager. “As a self-conscious 18 year old, I was ashamed to highlight a problem that is generally associated with ageing. I preferred to miss out on conversation than to be seen wearing old-fashioned hearing aids,” she says.
“It wasn’t until I turned 27 and my daughter was close to speaking that I decided to bite the bullet. For the past ten years, prior to discovering Lyric, I wore traditional, visible hearing aids,” says Fiona. “People would kindly say ‘they’re barely noticeable’, but I could always tell the moment a new acquaintance noticed them… their eyes darting for a second look.”
Lyric offers a solution to those concerned about the stigma attached to hearing loss and ensures no one ‘sees’ how well a Lyric user can hear. Most importantly, they bring back the wearer’s ability to hear well. “The sound quality is exceptional and speech is much clearer,” says Fiona. “I am hearing many sounds, such as the buttons on my digital watch for the first time, despite the fact I’ve had good quality aids previously.”
Since discovering Lyric, Fiona’s confidence has grown enormously. “I spent years avoiding large dinner parties where there were more than six people involved. There was little point – I was lost during conversation, I couldn’t relax,” says Fiona. “Now, skipping social gatherings or leaving early is a thing of the past! Following a conversation, even if it’s bouncing around within the group is effortless!”
About Phonak
Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, has developed, produced and globally distributed state-of-the-art hearing systems and wireless devices for more than 60 years. The combination of expertise in hearing technology, mastery in acoustics and strong cooperation with hearing care professionals allows Phonak to significantly improve people’s hearing ability and speech understanding and therefore their quality of life.
Phonak offers a complete range of digital hearing instruments, along with complementary wireless communication systems. With a worldwide presence, Phonak drives innovation and sets new industry benchmarks regarding miniaturization and performance.
For more information, please visit www.phonakpro.com and www.phonak.com, or contact our press office.
Phonak – Life is on
We are sensitive to the needs of everyone who depends on our knowledge, ideas and care. And by creatively challenging the limits of technology, we develop innovations that help people hear, understand and experience more of life’s rich soundscapes.
Interact freely. Communicate with confidence. Live without limit. Life is on.
About Phonak
Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, has developed, produced and globally distributed state-of-the-art hearing systems and wireless devices for more than 60 years. The combination of expertise in hearing technology, mastery in acoustics and strong cooperation with hearing care professionals allows Phonak to significantly improve people’s hearing ability and speech understanding and therefore their quality of life.
Phonak offers a complete range of digital hearing instruments, along with complementary wireless communication systems. With a worldwide presence, Phonak drives innovation and sets new industry benchmarks regarding miniaturization and performance.
For more information, please visit www.phonakpro.com and www.phonak.com, or contact our press office.
Phonak – Life is on
We are sensitive to the needs of everyone who depends on our knowledge, ideas and care. And by creatively challenging the limits of technology, we develop innovations that help people hear, understand and experience more of life’s rich soundscapes.
Interact freely. Communicate with confidence. Live without limit. Life is on.
