A HEARING loss expert is urging residents to get their sense back, and their confidence, during deaf awareness week.


Audiology director Paul Whitcomb, 47, believes people need to stop being ashamed of reduced hearing and to take advantage of the technology available to hear properly again.


The manager of Specsavers Hearing Centre, Southchurch Road, Southend has been working there since 2013.


He said: “I discovered I really enjoyed helping people, and found it very satisfying to watch people going from struggling every day to participate in normal life and losing their confidence, to them returning to doing the things they love.”

Echo:
He qualified to sell and fit hearing aids in 2005 after attending a course advertised in the Echo in 2004. 


He said: “I’ve always loved working with people, but I didn’t realise I’d be involved with hearing care until I attended the course.


“It wasn’t something I’d ever considered before, but it’s an incredibly rewarding job.” 


On a daily basis Paul works with a wide range of customers, ranging from those who are aware they are having difficulties with their hearing to those who may be facing some of the most severe hearing loss but are still reluctant to be fitted with hearing aids.


He said: “There seems to be a level of self-conciousness, particularly from men of a certain generation, who are reluctant to get their hearing looked at professionally and instead often give up on the social life they used to enjoy due to increasing feelings of isolation.


“It can be frustrating in a way, because you just want to let as many people as possible know that there can be an easy solution.”


One to benefit is close to home for Paul as it is his own father, 74-year-old Brian Whitcomb, who also works at the centre. 


He said: “Without the encouragement of my wife to get my hearing tested the problem could have become much worse. 


“Being shown just how bad my hearing had gotten was a real shock - you don’t realise what you’ve been missing until suddenly you get some of that capability back.


“The hearing aids were a little bit uncomfortable at first, because you’re exposed to all these sounds you’ve been gradually missing for years.


“After the initial first weeks I can say with confidence they’ve really improved my day-to-day life. 


“Even people with mild hearing loss can start to feel isolated, like a spare part, if they are missing the conversation, or not responding to questions.

"It’s an invisible condition, so there’s the possibility that people can think you’re being rude or you don’t understand - which can be embarrassing. 


“The important thing is that, in many cases, there is something you can do about it.” 


Another person who struggled was Samuel from Basildon who was unemployed for 20 years because employers were unable to accommodate him.


He sought advice from the Royal Association for Deaf People and found a job with support.


He said: “Don’t be downhearted, be confident and determined to succeed. You can do it.”