Great to Hear has a question for you. If someone told you how your hearing can change your life, wouldn’t you seize the opportunity? That’s why their team is inviting everyone to come in for a free hearing test — no strings attached. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Take care of your hearing — that’s the message from Great to Hear. Why? Because better hearing equals better interaction with family and friends, and an overall happier life. “It’s been a challenging time, and we’re eager to get back to enjoying our relationships,” says Ida Massarella, co-owner of Great to Hear. “The practice of mask-wearing has brought an increased awareness of auditory perception and how it affects good communication.”

Echoing Massarella’s message is Clara Russiello, fellow co-owner. “We strive to make the experience as comfortable as possible for everyone — hearing loss affects all ages and the number of younger people visiting our clinic is increasing.”

Hearing instrument specialist at Great to Hear, Kris Romano, agrees. His message for everyone: turn down the volume. Work life has changed, he adds, especially in the past 18 months. “People have headphones on. They’re listening on their computer in teleconferencing calls and watching videos,” he says. “We weren’t built to be doing that all the time.”

That’s a big issue. But, perhaps the best reason to take up Great to Hear on their offer is simply the correlation between hearing loss and mental health. “Your brain is like a muscle and needs to be exercised” says Massarella. “If people can’t participate in a conversation, then their interaction is limited and may contribute to feelings of social isolation, affecting general mental health and well-being.”

The connection between hearing and mental health is very real. “For instance, listening to an app like Calm before you go to bed, that plays soft sounds with soothing tones, can help you feel relaxed,” says hearing expert Romano. “And, if you’re also missing out on sounds of joy, like birds chirping and different sounds and frequencies of warmth and love, then your overall happiness is in jeopardy,” he adds. “Hearing devices can help people hear and re-connect with their environment, with family, friends, TV — all those things.”

To combat this, the team is committed to preserving and ameliorating hearing and spreading the love in a positive environment. You feel the difference when you walk in the door, where easy conversation, a few jokes, some espresso (and always chocolate) is offered to help people feel comfortable. For Romano, his greatest pride is their commitment to innovative technology and to their clients. “We’re on top of the most advanced devices and testing equipment, but we thrive on giving our customers the absolute best service,” he says. “I like to consider ourselves beacons of this industry.” We all have expectations, especially with health care. But, at Great to Hear, they keep going until every client can hear “even the little everyday sounds that we take for granted,” says Russiello. “And, once that happens, it brings the entire team joy,” she adds. “It’s not just about selling devices — it’s about caring for people and doing our very best to make a positive change because life is too short to miss anything!”

8787 Weston Rd., Unit 7A, Woodbridge, Ont.
905-850-7997
www.GreatToHear.ca