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The amazing Hearing Loss Champions at Shonfeld SquareEngage | Heathland Village staff interacting with a resident

Heathlands Village

Location: Prestwich – Manchester

Engage has been involved with Heathlands Village since October 2021. They commissioned our package 2 which begins with observations and assessments, leading to an action plan with the management team. This includes implementing new protocols around hearing loss, addressing environmental aspects, training staff, selecting and training Hearing Loss Champions and upskilling their activities team.
A major breakthrough has been the introduction and use of a personal amplifier. Some residents are not comfortable using hearing aids but are very happy to use the amplifier for short periods. This is particularly helpful for people who live with dementia together with hearing loss.

Feedback from team members:

“One of our Activity Team just asked us to order a personal amplifier for a short stay resident who has transferred to us from hospital. This lady had been unable to have a proper conversation with her family for many years. She told the family about the amplifier and demonstrated it for them. They are amazed that they can now have lovely conversations with their mother.”

“I tried the amplifiers with a resident; she communicated very well with her daughter on Zoom/Skype and engaged well. I also tried it with other residents, and it works really well.”

“We have used the amplifier with great effect for one of our residents. She declines to wear her hearing aids as she feels the noise is too much. With the amplifier device we can get it at the right setting and see the joy on her face. This was a delight to the team as we could have a normal conversation. Over the weekend she has been poorly but again with the use of the amplifier it’s been helpful for us to explain to her what is going on and why she feels the ways she does and to reassure her we are there for her. Her son was so impressed that he has ordered a set for her.”
Engage | Alison Lightfoot Image
Heathlands Village’s Quality Assurance and Development Manager, Alison Lightfoot, said, “Engage’s impact was immediate. Staff left the training with a buzz of excitement stating that their eyes were opened to the experiences of residents with hearing loss. As soon as the Amplifier became available, we began to hear how it transformed individual resident’s experiences. Staff members came forward to become Hearing Loss Champions and they have been working enthusiastically to support residents with hearing aids, ensuring that faults are dealt with quickly.

We are all much more aware of the environment and addressing unnecessary noise. For example, following his training, one of the catering staff fixed the wheels of a trolley so that it did not make noise when being wheeled in communal areas. So many little things, that we previously overlooked, have mounted up to become transformative in Heathlands’ approach to hearing loss.”

Alison Lightfoot

Quality Assurance and Development Manager

Location: Prestwich – Manchester

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