May 2019 Newsletter

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May 2019 Newsletter

The Autumn (May 2019) Newsletter is available now for download.

This Newsletter sees a change in format from those of recent years.

The new format, we hope, will be shorter and easier to digest. The expectation is that this new format will have broader appeal than our patients and stakeholders alone (who remain our most important focus), including the wider public. Some items we regularly feature (and which are more oriented to patient care) are not included here but will still be available in other formats.

The Newsletter will be emailed to those people we hold details for. Anyone we don’t hold an email address for will receive a hard copy by post. We’ll also have a link on our Facebook page.

Enjoy the read!

Southern Cochlear Implant Programme

April 14th

Are you prepared in case of an emergency? Whether it's a natural disaster or a power outage, having the necessary items to maintain your cochlear implants and stay connected can make a big difference in ensuring your safety and well-being.Pindrop have an excellent emergency plan guideline which provides some valuable advice on how to prepare for extreme weather events and the impact it has on our daily lives and routines. In situations like these, having an emergency kit that is specific to your needs can be extremely valuable! Make sure you have enough supplies to last for several days, including a battery-operated or hand-crank radio, extra batteries, first-aid supplies, and any medications you need. And keep important documents and equipment in a secure, easily accessible location: This could include your cochlear implant, charger, and backup batteries.Get prepared with Pindrop's guide here: pindrop.org.nz/tips/how-to-prepare-for-civil-emergencies-as-a-cochlear-implant-user/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Southern Cochlear Implant Programme

April 10th

Tairāwhiti kaumātua Stan Pardoe is an orator and the guardian of his people’s history and stories.He became deaf in his 60s but coped in his iwi’s Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations and as a trustee on farming and seafood boards by learning to lip read English and te reo Māori.Stan relied on notes from his fellow committee members, but admits it was a struggle.Thankfully, his deafness didn’t affect his ability to speak, to communicate, or to be a storyteller as that is the heart of his personality“I’ve always been an extrovert and things never get me down. My two hearing aids had limitations and the cochlear implant was a quantum leap in my hearing,” Stan says.The operation in 2017 changed Stan’s life, and his wife Molly laughs, saying it changed hers too!The key benefit for the couple has been ditching the frustration that was so dominant in their lives, plus that of their whānau and friends. They have four children, twelve mokopuna and two great-grandchildren.Statistically, Māori disproportionately suffer more from hearing loss than other New Zealanders and experience inequities of access to hearing services.Stan and Molly say older Māori men are whakamā/too embarrassed to admit their hearing is failing, or to ask for help, and they’re certainly not proactive about getting a hearing test.The couple lament that this leads to self-imposed isolation and loneliness for many older Māori.Stan is an advocate for hearing tests, let alone cochlear implants, and urges people to persist with their investigations and not be put off at the first hurdle if a diagnosis doesn’t go the way you thought. Perseverance and persistence are key, he says.You can read more of Stan's story in SCIP's commemorative book Hear our stories – Celebrating 20 years. The book can be found via our website at www.scip.co.nz/hear-our-stories, and paper copies of the book are available from the programme at $20 inc GST by emailing: [email protected]. ... See MoreSee Less

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Southern Cochlear Implant Programme

April 7th

Have you ever wondered exactly how cochlear implant surgery works and what’s involved? In the video below, shared by Pindrop, CI surgeon Bill Baber walks us through the process of implanting. Please note, the video contains surgical scenes. ... See MoreSee Less

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