• Holly joined by hearing aid user and model Georgia Meacham to challenge hearing loss stigma

• Research shows a third of people put off booking a test as they felt embarrassed about the idea of wearing a hearing aid (33%)

• 23% said that living with untreated hearing loss negatively affected their mental health

• New hearing tech range most sophisticated yet with world’s first AI chip for sound processing

TV personality and influencer, Holly Hagan-Blyth, shared her story of living with hearing loss at an exclusive event in London last night (Wednesday), and called on others not to feel stigmatised and to embrace life with hearing aids.

Holly – who puts her hearing loss down to spending too much time in noisy nightclubs when she was younger - attended the event to launch Boots Hearingcare’s new Infinio hearing aid range. Earlier this year, Holly revealed her eight-year struggle with hearing loss on Instagram and said she found it embarrassing asking people to repeat themselves and not always being able to decipher conversations.

After being fitted with her new hearing devices, Holly said: “I can actually hear the birds chirping for the first time in years, I feel like I’ve missed out on so much. I’d honestly just advise people to not put it off for as long as I did.”

Model, actress and hearing aid wearer, Georgia Meacham, was also in attendance as she and Holly joined Boots Hearingcare on its mission to challenge outdated stigmas around the use of hearing aids and show the world what living with hearing loss really looks like.

The new hearing aid range is driven by cutting-edge technology and includes the world’s first dedicated AI chip for sound processing inside a hearing aid. These devices allow users to navigate louder environments without increased listening effort, separate unwanted noise to deliver clear speech, and help to catch conversations from any angle.

Despite the advancements in hearing tech, many people still shy away from getting their hearing tested and often use coping mechanisms instead of taking action.

Research from Boots Hearingcare shows that :

• A third of hearing aid users said they didn’t take action initially as they felt embarrassed about the idea of wearing a hearing aid (33%).

• More than half (55%) of those who said they missed social events as a result of not being able to hear said it was because it made them feel anxious.

• Almost a quarter of respondents (23%) said that living with an untreated hearing loss negatively affected their mental health, while the same number of people said they became isolated and withdrawn.

• Having the TV louder and guessing what was being said were the most popular coping mechanisms, with half of respondents claiming they had relied on them the most before having their hearing loss treated (49%).

• When asked what sounds they loved being reconnected with the most since being fitted with hearing aids, two thirds (67%) said it was being able to chat with friends and family more easily.

Experts at Boots Hearingcare always encourage people to book a test as soon as they start to notice a change in their hearing. This reduces the mental and physical health risks of living with an untreated hearing loss as this can help to protect what hearing they have left Early signs include asking people to repeat themselves, turning up the volume on the TV, difficulty following conversations in noisy environments and a constant feeling that others are mumbling.

Oliver Sudborough, Commercial Manager at Boots Hearingcare and Infinio hearing aid wearer said: “I was born with mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss and have been wearing hearing aids for 32 years. Living amongst constant noise with two children under three and a dog, I have often struggled to keep up with conversations, and sadly missed key moments like hearing my son say ‘dada’ for the first time.

“Since being fitted with the advanced Audéo Sphere Infinio hearing aids, the impact has been life changing.

The technology reduces those background noises while enhancing speech clarity from all directions without sounding artificial so I never miss those all-important moments.”

If you’re struggling with a hearing condition, visit your GP or an audiologist for more information. If you are aged over 50, you can book your free hearing test at www.bootshearingcare.com.

ENDS

If you are interested in attending the event or for interview opportunities, please get in touch via the details below.

Press office enquiries:

Lauren Oakley: lauren@wearetwelve.co.uk / 07752256209

Lisa Russell: lisa@wearetwelve.co.uk / 07930316604

About Boots Hearingcare

Boots Hearingcare is the most trusted hearing care brand in the UK, providing expert hearing care for thousands of people every week. With approximately one in six people unnecessarily enduring hearing loss at some point during their life, Boots Hearingcare is on a mission to get everyone hearing better by providing an easy pathway that enables its customers to reclaim their connection with the world around them. It all begins with a free hearing test and with its large range of products in varying styles and prices, you couldn’t be in better hands.

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