My name is Betty Vosters Kemp, I am a Licensed Hearing Healthcare Provider in the State of California. Since 1989, I have owned and operated Avalon Hearing Aid Centers, Inc. in Sacramento, CA, and has served tens of thousands of people. I have a million stories of patients coming in and getting quality hearing care they desperately need.
In 1989, I started educating people in our community about the most misunderstood disability in America…hearing loss. I am committed to taking the stigma out of hearing loss and replacing it with understanding and compassion. That’s why I continue to conduct seminars and classes, large and small as a community service.
Serving people in our community also includes giving the gift of hearing to in-need-folks and taking care of them for years to come. Once a month, someone is selected to receive the gift of hearing and connection. But in December, we hold the Twelve Days of Christmas Hearing Mission where 12 people in our community receive the gift of hope and hearing. The Lions Club now partners with us delivering hope and hearing.
I am a firm believer that WHO you work with is more important than the technology in your ears when it comes to dealing with hearing loss. Far too often busy medical groups, retail stores and insurance companies that dictate where and how you receive hearing care, do not take the time to get to know YOU and your unique hearing loss.
Now, I would like to share a little bit of perspective I’ve learned over the years.
Hearing Loss is a significant obstacle for many relationships, especially partners. It’s a big one and oftentimes a difficult one to discuss. In order to make some clear analogies with my wonderful patients, I often refer to this as the Elephant of Hearing Loss.
Whether you are in a relationship with a partner or spouse, son or daughter, close friend, or coworker, when the Elephant of Hearing Loss moves into your relationship, new challenges start creeping in.
Good communication becomes increasingly challenging. More importantly, the simple and spontaneous ways of connecting with one another start to fade and may even disappear. It might be more accurate to say that the Elephant of Hearing Loss is really the Elephant of Disconnection.
How is the Elephant of Hearing Loss affecting your relationships?
CONNECTING, and Communicating Effectively – When YOU have a hearing loss
PROPERLY fit hearing instruments can improve your ability to hear and understand by enhancing what is left of your hearing. But hearing aids cannot restore your damaged hearing. Therefore, using good coping strategies to fill in gaps in your hearing and listening are important. You can find basic tips online. But to truly CONNECT and communicate effectively requires a deeper dive. Here’s where I asked the people with hearing loss to dive first.
Get HONEST with yourself about your unique hearing loss
You are a one-of-a-kind human being. Everyone’s ability to hear and understand is different. So don’t oversimplify or generalize your hearing problems. Chances are, you will NOT fit into a neat, tidy box labeled “Person with Hearing Loss”. The more you (and your family) can learn about your specific hearing problem, the better for everyone. This will require that you find a compassionate and competent hearing care provider who is willing, and able, to take the time to educate you and your loved ones about your unique hearing needs. So don’t do your hearing loss alone. Involve your family.
CONNECT & Communicate Effectively – When speaking with someone who has hearing loss
When someone you know has a hearing problem, communicating with them can be far more challenging than one might imagine. You figure that they have hearing aids so they should be able to hear you. Sometimes they do and other times, they don’t. It’s unpredictable and therefore, frustrating for both of you. General communication tips can be found online but rarely make a difference. What’s needed is for you to take a deeper dive into what makes true CONNECTION and effective communication possible. Here’s what I asked the partners to consider.
Look within yourself, first
What do you think and how do you feel about your partner’s hearing loss? There is no right or wrong answer to this question. The more honest you are with yourself, the more likely you will be able to shift how you feel and therefore, how you communicate. Most people feel some compassion for their partner but more often than not, find themselves feeling frustrated, resentful, and resigned about their communication and therefore, their relationship.
You may say NEVER MIND or IT WASN’T IMPORTANT when asked to repeat what you just said.
That leaves the person with hearing loss feeling like they are left out and don’t matter. At a time in your life, when you would hope to be more connected, you find yourselves growing apart and even lonely.
I offer LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER with Hearing Loss masterclasses
By participating in one of my LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER with Hearing Loss masterclasses, people commit to changing just one thing in how they interact with one another. I call this ‘Heart Centered Hearing Practices’. But what they really walk away with is the awareness that we, as humans, with and without hearing loss, all want and need to connect.
You might say that participants get to climb up on that Elephant of Hearing Loss and Disconnection, and ride out of the class, together, more connected then when they first came into the class!
Watch for my ONLINE Masterclass
I will be offering an ONLINE masterclass soon for people with hearing loss and their loved ones. So if you want to stop just coping with hearing loss and start connecting more deeply, watch for my class where you learn, practice and commit to Heart Centered Hearing Practices.
In the meantime, I have a dream of 💙 Heart-Centered Hearing Care growing
Growing, like a movement. I dream of a place and many more places…
💙 Where people and their families can come and learn about the impact of hearing loss.
💙 Where people are treated respectfully and tenderly because coming to terms with a hearing problem is a big deal.
💙 Where people listen – listen with their hearts.
💙 Where people speak – speak from their hearts.
💙 Where people feel connected to their hearing care provider.
💙 Where hearing care providers feel connected to their clients.
💙 Where people are so comfortable and so informed that they can powerfully choose the right hearing technology for themselves.
💙 Where long-term relationships work best for both the clients and the hearing care providers. Where relationships matter.
💙 Where people want to come because they leave hearing better and feeling better with each and every appointment.
💙 Where connected hearing and living happen.
💙 Where people know that they matter.
💙 Where heart is put into hearing care.
Are you interested in working with Betty? Avalon Hearing has offices in Sacramento and Fair Oaks, CA and we’ll keep you informed about Betty’s online classes.
Avalon Hearing Aids Center is committed to Heart Centered Hearing Care. We work with people who want to hear better and then, help them hear the best you can for life… your life now, and for years to come! We believe that your hearing care involves so much more than just buying hearing aids.
It starts with an EDUCATIONAL Hearing Test and Consultation. People tell us that it’s the most comprehensive hearing test they’ve ever had, guiding them into making the best decisions about their hearing for themselves and their loved ones.
