Lobe Magazine - volume 14, numéro 3, 2021 (EN)

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Volume 14, number 3, 2021

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What Is Presbycusis?

Adolescent and Hearing-Impaired Hearing Solutions for School

Marie-Josée Taillefer’s Column

INTERVIEW

Émily Bégin She’s All Ears!

Listening to Grow Closer

Proud Quebec Company

Let’s Listen to Each Other!

Over the past year, we’ve all been deprived of human contact with most of our loved ones for an unprecedented amount of time. As you know, family has always been a central part of my life. This lockdown has forced all of us to rethink the ways we keep in touch with the people who are part of our daily lives.

How do we keep our family together despite the distance?

How do we keep our precious proximity?

This edition offers tips and strategies for dealing with these fundamental issues by looking at the family through the lens of listening and communication. In addition, we share the first signs of hearing loss in a loved one of any age and recommend several tools to help with everyday understanding.

I firmly believe that every family member needs to be listened to, heard, and understood. By taking the time to improve our discussions, create moments, and seize opportunities, we open the door to invaluable exchanges.

Happy reading!

Marie-Josée Taillefer Ambassador of Lobe clinics and of hearing health

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Table of Contents 04 06

She’s All Ears!

Émily Bégin’s Interview Listening to Grow Closer

Marie-Josée Taillefer’s Column

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3, 2021 Editor Marie-Andrée Gagné

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Hearing Solutions for School

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What Is Presbycusis?

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Listen up!

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Adolescent and Hearing-Impaired

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For Harmonious Interactions with our Loved Ones

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Your Smartphone and your Hearing Aids

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Taking Care of our Family!

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Building a Positive Environment for Effective Interactions

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Seeing the Signs of Hearing Loss in a Child

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A Mobile App for Caregivers

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Why Choose a Bi-Generational Home?

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Winning Strategies for Better Communication

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The 21st “Les Saveurs du Théâtre” Evening

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Réseau FADOQ: Leisure Activities... and Much More!

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Reinventing School

Printed in Canada

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Let’s Keep our Good Social Habits

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What’s New in the Lobe Clinics?

All trademarks are the property of Lobe Santé auditive inc./Bulletin produced

by Publications Lobe.

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Addresses of the Lobe Clinics

Graphic designer Roxanne Blondeau Printing house Imprimerie Solisco inc.

Rights and responsibilities Any translation, reproduction or adaptation of texts, illustrations and photos in this work, for any reason whatsoever, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission from the editor.

The opinions expressed in articles published

by Publications Lobe are the responsibility of the author.

Legal deposit ISSN 1913-0287 Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, Montréal Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa Publications Lobe 725, boulevard Lebourgneuf, suite 303 Québec (Québec) G2J 0C4 Tel.: 418 877-7222 Fax: 581 814-6260 Email: courrier@lobe.ca lobe.ca

The typographical recommendations for visually-impaired persons from Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec have been taken into consideration during the production of this magazine.

Did You know?

Congenital deafness is caused by a recessive gene. This means that parents with normal hearing can carry the gene for deafness and pass it on to their children.

On average, four to six out of every 1,000 babies are born with some degree of hearing loss in one or both ears.

Reference: - Les problèmes d’audition. (n.d.). Naître et grandir, website and magazine. https://naitreetgrandir.com/fr/sante/ bg-naitre-grandir-audition-probleme-surdite/ [in French only]

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An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

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Émily Bégin She’s All Ears!

Émily Bégin is part of a large and wonderful blended family. She hosts a reality show that highlights the importance of listening, and she is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is based on hearing. Charismatic and generous, she took the time to answer a few questions.

PHOTO: ALEXIS GONÇALVES

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How important is hearing in your daily life?

My four-year-old son Théodore is in a crucial phase of his language development. We are working hard to teach him to speak well. Also, the tone of his voice is beautiful when we sing nursery rhymes. Sometimes we’ll listen to music, and he’ll be humming it the next day. He really has a musical ear, and it’s adorable!

Do you experience noise issues with such a large family?

Not at all. In my family, we are people who talk loudly and laugh loudly. We even put on music at the same time.

However, I frequently ask the kids to turn down the volume on the TV or tablet when they’re watching a movie.

With all the other sounds of a house inhabited by two adults and four children, it quickly becomes a cacophony.

I’m also trying to protect their hearing and get them used to watching TV at a reasonable volume. When Théodore was younger, Guillaume (Lemay-Thivierge) and I performed at the theatre. We bought him earmuffs, because the noise level at those shows can be high and harmful to a young child’s hearing.

Do you have any hobbies that require you to protect your hearing?

Come to think of it, I need to protect my hearing when I go skydiving. Skydivers usually wear a helmet and goggles.

I prefer to wear a full-face helmet. I find it less deafening when I’m free falling at 200 km/h. It makes the noise from the wind much less intrusive.

When you sing, do you wear hearing protection?

At the beginning of my career, I only used the speakers on stage. When I started singing professionally with Star Académie in 2003, we wore in-ear monitors. It really changed the way I work. I didn’t have to project my voice as much because I could hear myself much more clearly.

So, the monitors help to protect my voice and improve my singing. They’re essential for me whenever I’m on stage.

What role does listening play in a show like Si on s’aimait?

Are there any hearing problems in your family?

It plays a big part! Listening is the basis of our role in the program. Guillaume and I watch the episodes as you do at home. We don’t have scripts written in advance. The director captures our natural reactions and puts the most interesting clips into the version that will be shown to the audience. We need to pay close attention so that we can make comments that are relevant to what the participants are experiencing. We also need to make sure we follow the sequence of events so that we can discuss what happened with Louise Sigouin, the psychologist. If we weren’t good listeners, it wouldn’t be the same show at all!

There is no hereditary hearing loss in my family. My father is completely deaf in one ear because of a virus.

What are your next projects?

What is it like to communicate with your stepchildren as a stepmother?

It’s going well, they’re really good kids. With Charlie (LemayThivierge), who is 20 years old, I’m more like a big sister. We talk about all kinds of things about life, and I give her advice.

Sometimes her parents even ask me to discuss some of the most delicate subjects with her.

What are your fondest auditory memories?

I immediately think of the evenings at my parents’ cabin.

The moments around the fire are very unifying for us.

We talk, we laugh, we sing, and we play guitar. Some sing well and some sing badly, but we like that!

“ The moments around the fire are very unifying for us. We talk, we laugh, we sing,

The third season of Si on s’aimait is coming in the fall, and we can’t wait. I am also co-director for the new Sunday night show, Chanteurs masqués, hosted by Guillaume. I’m behind the camera and I really like it.

Thank you, dazzling Émily, for this nice interview!

Marie-Andrée Gagné Editor

and we play guitar. Some sing well and some sing badly, but we like that! ”

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Column | Marie-Josée Taillefer

Listening to Grow Closer Family members are linked by all sorts of ties: life partners, parents, grandparents, in-laws, siblings, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins, uncles, aunts. And I think it’s safe to say that they all need to be heard. With some of them, discussion is easy and fluid. With others, starting a conversation and keeping it going can feel like an impossible task.

In either case, it’s important to start discussions with subjects that bring you together.

Seizing Opportunities We can arrange a time with our parents or grandparents to ask them about a past event, such as a corn roast or a weekend at the cabin. ª Did you enjoy the dinner? ª Whom did you talk to? ª Have you seen/heard this?

How do you find the right moment?

How do you find the right words?

It’s also a good time to ask them about their old traditions.

Creating Moments

ª What did you like the most?

Sometimes it’s up to us to create the right moment.

And when you love each other, any reason is good enough to get together. Many traditions are woven into the fabric of a family, like birthdays, holidays, or weekly family dinners. Small rituals are just as meaningful as large celebrations.

Here are some ideas: ª Eat pancakes on weekends ª Watch a movie or TV series together ª Sleep in a room other than your bedroom

(or camp out on the floor!)

ª Did you make corn roasts when you were younger? ª Where did the corn roasts were happening? ª Were the same people there?

Listening is a way of transmitting heritage and values. We should all take the time to listen to the elderly in our family!

They certainly have stories to share that would tell us a lot about our ancestors.

I think that the most profound discussions often strike when we least expect them. Maybe an ordinary conversation will turn into a more intimate moment. It’s not the time to change the subject or postpone the discussion! Listening is also the ability to perceive the emotion behind the words.

ª Take an evening stroll ª Share a barbecue dinner or a corn roast ª Organize a murder mystery party

or a Super Bowl viewing

We must remember that the goal of these gatherings is to share good times and make memories together. We need to be flexible if some of your family members are absent. You want the people who are present to really want to be there. If they can’t come, maybe they’ll be there next time!

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Nurturing the Conversation Some tips may help us enrich our discussions.

1. Listen Obviously, the first step is to listen to what the other person is saying and give them your full attention.

2. Ask questions A discussion is not a monologue, so don’t be afraid to pick the right moment to ask a question and really get into the meat of a subject.

3. Go deeper We can add our own experiences or opinions. The person we’re talking to will be able to listen to us, ask us questions, and expand on what we’ve said!

Let’s not forget that the more we talk, the more we have to say. Everyone benefits from listening and being listened to.

Marie-Josée Taillefer Ambassador of Lobe clinics and of hearing health

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Hearing Solutions for School The new school year is always an exciting time, but it can also be a scary time for students. Most children wonder, “Who will my new teacher be? Will my classes be difficult?

Will I do well?”

For a child with a hearing impairment, this anxiety can be amplified by the fear of not understanding the lessons or what the teacher says. They may also be worried about having trouble communicating with their classmates.

It is well known that the noise level in schools can be quite high. In the schoolyard, the cafeteria, the gym, the hallways, and even the classroom, noise levels tend to increase quickly. Many studies have shown that hearing-impaired children need the volume of speech to be higher than the ambient noise to understand well. This is called a positive signal-to-noise ratio.

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

There is another Solution, though: FM Systems!

Frequency modulation (FM) systems consist of a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is a microphone that can be worn by the teacher or placed on a table. The receiver can be connected to the child’s hearing aids or used with headphones. This solution is ideal because the signalto-noise ratio remains positive regardless of the distance between the child and the teacher, even in a noisy environment. The FM system’s microphone picks up speech and transmits it directly to the hearing aids or headphones. This system improves the child’s ability to listen and reduces their stress and fatigue.

It is important to know that if an FM system is recommended, there are several ways to obtain one:

Although they are more difficult to detect, other problems such as auditory processing disorders (APDs) and unilateral (one ear only) hearing loss can also make it harder for children to understand speech in noisy environments.

ª From a rehabilitation centre (fees are covered by the RAMQ for children under six years old and for students who are attending a post-secondary institution and who meet the eligibility criteria)

So, what can we do to improve word understanding for hearing impaired children in school?

ª You can obtain one through the school service centre (for children over six years old)

ª Encourage hearing aid use

ª Parents can purchase an FM system themselves and write it off on their taxes

ª Promote lip reading The teacher and other children can also adopt certain behaviours: ª Face the child with hearing loss always

Do you have concerns about the quality of your child’s hearing? We strongly recommend a hearing assessment. Do not hesitate to make an appointment with an audiologist.

ª Avoid talking to the group over their shoulder ª Reduce the distance between themselves and the child with hearing loss

Dennis Jimenez Audioprosthetist practicing in Pointe-Claire

References: - Lobe. (n.d.). https://www.lobe.ca/en/blog/childrens-hearing-health/ FM-system-classroom - L’utilisation d’un système MF : Bénéfices et limites en milieu scolaire AQEPA. (n.d.). AQEPA. https://aqepa.org/lutilisation-dunsysteme-mf-benefices-et-limites-en-milieu-scolaire/ [in French only]

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What Is Presbycusis?

Presbycusis is like presbyopia, which is a natural decline in the ability to focus on small, nearby objects or on written words. It usually appears between the ages of 40 and 45. Presbycusis is a steady and progressive decline in hearing caused by the natural aging of the ear. Hearing loss can begin as early as age 18, but some people may not notice the effects until they’re in their forties. Unlike presbyopia, which is caused by the aging and hardening of a single organ, presbycusis involves the aging of the entire auditory system and is observed by a hearing loss of high-frequency sounds.

It’s important to note that the ear is very sensitive to damage. As a result, some factors can accelerate the effects of presbycusis.

The list includes: Acoustic trauma (loud music, noisy work environments, exposure to excessive noise) Poisoning by cytotoxic products such as drugs Certain medications (anti-inflammatory drugs, cancer treatments, chemotherapy, antidepressants, antibiotics) Toxic products used at work or present in the environment

Early Symptoms Around age 40, you might start noticing the effects of presbycusis, such as: ² Having trouble understanding conversations in noisy places ² Asking people to repeat themselves ² Turning up the volume on the TV ² Seeking solitude and quiet, or withdrawing from others ² Withdrawing from certain social activities because you feel that people are mumbling or mispronouncing words ² Avoiding noisy parties because you don’t understand all the words or conversations ² Having trouble understanding some people with higher pitch voices, like women and children ² Explaining certain behaviours or misunderstandings by fatigue or inattention ² Focusing on the lips or face of the person you are talking to so you can fully understand what they’re saying High frequency impairment caused by the presbycusis has a major impact on communication, since whistled consonants (S, CH, Z) are voiced at high frequencies. A person may hear the word “trees,” when the speaker actually said, “cheese.”

This phonetic confusion therefore causes a word misunderstanding.

People with presbycusis can hear very well when it comes to noises in their environment like car engines, the refrigerator, or the sound of a ventilation system. All these sounds have low frequencies. The ability to perceive low-pitched sounds is initially unaffected by presbycusis, which gives people a false impression of normal hearing.

You should ideally have your hearing checked as often as you have your eyesight checked.

For more information, make an appointment for a free* hearing health consultation. *Permanent offer. 18 and over.

Roxanne Gravel-Bélair Audioprosthetist practicing in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts

References: - Laurent, V. (2008). L’audition dans le chaos. Éditions Masson.

- Presbycusis. (n.d.). QASLPA | Quebec Association of Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists. https://qaslpa.ca/presbycusis/ - Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (March 20, 2005). Presbycusis – Wikipedia. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbycusis

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Listen up!

Do these statements sound familiar?

Since hearing loss happens gradually, people get used to the change and try to cope with the effects in different ways, like: ² Asking people to repeat themselves ² Turning up the volume on the TV ² Reading lips There are also other signs, such as:

Can you turn up the TV ?

Did you say trees or cheese ?

Everyone mumbles, that 's why I make them repeat themselves!

² Having trouble following group conversations ² No longer hearing certain birds chirping ² Giving incorrect answers to questions Obviously, early diagnosis can reduce future impacts, which is why a hearing assessment is recommended: •

From the age of 50

•

Every two years for people working in a noisy environment

In most cases, loved ones are the first to notice the early signs of hearing loss. So, if these statements remind you of a family member, you should encourage them to make an appointment for a free* hearing health consultation. *Permanent offer. 18 and over.

Jacinthe Poitras

I hear you, but I don't understand!

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Audioprosthetist practicing in Gatineau

Reference: - Lobe. (n.d.-b). Lobe. https://www.lobe.ca/en/treatment/hearing-loss

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Adolescent and Hearing-Impaired A small percentage of the population is born with some degree of hearing loss. In adolescence, a period of selfdiscovery and fulfillment, the young hearing-impaired person tries to be like others, while being different.

How do these Stereotypes Affect Hearing-Impaired Teenagers?

As teens mature, they may struggle to deal with the way others view their condition. At first glance, the fact that hearing loss can go unnoticed may seem like an advantage.

But that’s exactly why hearing people misinterpret some of the behaviours of deaf and hearing-impaired people.

For example, a person with a hearing impairment may answer a question incorrectly or ask the speaker to repeat it several times. An informed speaker will know how to adapt their speech and the way they communicate. Understanding someone’s situation or hearing disability is often all that is needed to break down stereotypes.

Deafness has a considerable impact on all social aspects of life since it affects communication. Although hearing aids are becoming increasingly discreet and aesthetically pleasing, some people still have trouble accepting them.

In general, hearing-impaired people prefer to hide their deafness and avoid situations where it can become apparent.

Accepting Yourself First For teenagers, appearances and interactions with peers are very important. Teens are also building their identity and trying to fit in with their social group. Hearingimpaired teens may have low self-esteem because their hearing aids make them different from others.

The idea of being labelled a person with a disability can lead a teenager to stop wearing their hearing aids.

However, without hearing aids, they may be at a greater disadvantage in social interactions. So it’s important for them to accept their condition and struggles. By doing so, they will be more likely to adopt listening and communication strategies* to mitigate the impact of their hearing impairment and explain the situation to those around them. This will help them to develop self-confidence.

The Importance of a Support Network As teenagers develop their identities, they need hearing-impaired role models to inspire them. Because of this, it can be rewarding to arrange a friendly meeting between young hearing-impaired people and adults with hearing loss to provide an example of all they can accomplish. Meeting up with other people their own age who are going through something similar can also help teens feel understood and develop a sense of belonging to a group. Parental contribution is also a significant factor. Their role is to actively participate in implementing adaptive measures to normalize their child’s disability.

Normalizing hearing loss in teenagers is an important issue, as it will ensure their social integration. By addressing stereotypes early on, we can minimize the chances of them persisting into adulthood. By gaining confidence in their abilities, hearing-impaired teens will be ready to forge their own path in the world. *A Communication Strategies for Hearing-Impaired People guide is available at Lobe clinics.

Lou-Ann Leblanc Hearing-Impaired audioprosthetist practicing in Neufchâtel and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré

References:

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

LOBE.CA | © LOBE MAGAZINE 2021

- (n. d.). Papyrus: Université de Montréal Digital Institutional Repository. https://papyrus.bib.umontreal.ca/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1866/5182/ Southall_Kenneth_E_2011_these.pdf?sequence=6&isAllowed=y - Vaincre la stigmatisation de la perte auditive. (n.d.). Audika – Your expert for good hearing, hearing aids and hearing protection. https://www.audika.ch/fr/ blog/2020/das-stigma-des-hoerverlusts-brechen [in French only] - Independence and Autonomy: Building Self-Esteem During Teen Years. (May 28, 2018). Montreal Therapy Centre. https://www.montrealtherapy.com/independence-autonomy-foundation-teen-self-esteem/

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For Harmonious Interactions with our Loved Ones Hearing loss often progresses slowly over time, and it may take a long time before a person decides to seek help.

Familiarizing yourself with the warning signs can help you detect deafness early on. (See article on page 10)

Tips to Facilitate Communication Whether our family member with a hearing loss is a child, an adolescent or an adult, it is essential to adapt our interactions. With or without hearing aid, make sure they hear and understand what you are saying to minimize potential misunderstandings. ª Use body language to demonstrate what you are saying. ª Ask gently whether they heard and understood what you said. ª Favour video calls over phone calls to provide a visual aid. During calls, users can mute the microphones of their hearing aids, if they are compatible with wireless Bluetooth technology to mask surrounding noise and thus facilitate speech audibility.

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

Technological Solutions Family members who wear hearing aids compatible with wireless Bluetooth technology can benefit from accessories to make it easier to understand conversations in their day-to-day lives. Assistive listening devices are intuitive and easy to use.

For example, an external microphone helps the user hear the details of conversations, especially when the ambient noise level is high. The speaker wears the external microphone, which transmits their voice to the hearing aids to improve clarity and speech comprehension. The hearingimpaired person can control and adjust the volume of the microphone. They can also mute the microphones in the hearing aids to cut out background noise that is negatively affecting their understanding.

Some Apple smartphones have technology that works like an external microphone. The Live Listen function transmits sound from the phone’s microphone directly to the hearing aids connected via Bluetooth wireless technology. The wearer simply activates the feature and then hands the phone to the person they are talking to. Their voice will be transmitted directly to the hearing aids, improving communication.

In group situations, like at work or school, some hearing aid wearers opt for a frequency modulation (FM) broadcast solution. This system uses a microphone worn by the speaker which transmits their voice via FM waves. The signal is picked up by one or more receivers that are paired to the hearing aids. Like the external microphone, the purpose of the FM device is to help the user understand a person’s voice in a noisy environment.

Appropriate communication strategies are essential to ensuring smooth communication when a loved one has hearing loss, whether they wear hearing aids or not.

Janic Lauriault Audiologist Technical Support

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Your Smartphone and your Hearing Aids Smartphones offer countless options to make everyday activities easier.

Through built-in settings and downloaded apps, technology can improve the daily lives of people who wear hearing aids or who have tinnitus.

Accessibility Functions In the general settings of smartphones, there are accessibility settings that allow people with disabilities to optimize certain functions. You can modify different features related to hearing, visual, or motor needs regardless of the mobile operating system.1,2 For example, some smartphones can receive calls or make you listen to videos directly in your hearing aids.

Also, captioning option can be activated to improve your understanding of the smartphone’s voice content. Other options, such as Live Transcribe and Sound Notifications, allow hearing-impaired people to read the content of a conversation and the surrounding sounds on their phone in real time. You can also receive notifications and light alerts if the doorbell rings or the smoke detector goes off.

Applications The Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store offer several downloadable apps to support hearing-impaired people in their daily lives.

As with the accessibility settings on smartphones, the free version of Ava—Captions for All also provides speech transcription in group settings.

The app can even translate a conversation in a foreign language.

Several hearing aid manufacturers have developed apps to mitigate the effects of tinnitus. For example, the Zen and Relax apps allow you to set up a soothing background sound that you can listen to with your hearing aids, headphones or a Bluetooth speaker. Many apps also contain useful tips for managing and masking tinnitus.

Other manufacturers have developed an application that enables a translation feature. It allows you to hear a conversation translated by the application directly in your hearing aids.

For more information, ask your audioprosthetist about it.

Émilie Goulet Specialized educator practicing in Lévis

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

References: 1. Android accessibility overview—Android Accessibility Help. (n.d.). Google Help. https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6006564?hl=en 2. Accessibility–Hearing–Apple (CA). (n.d.). Apple (CA). https://www.apple.com/ca/accessibility/hearing/

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Taking Care of our Family!

Most of us remember having a family member who was “as deaf as a post” and who often made us repeat ourselves in conversation.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 35% of people aged 65 and over are believed to have some hearing loss.1 Hearing loss is a condition that should not be overlooked, as it can affect families socially and emotionally. All hearing health professionals will recommend that you act quickly for the well-being of the whole family.

Inadequate treatment of hearing loss and limited access to sound information (speech, nature sounds, music) can lead to many other health problems.

Indeed, the brain has to work much harder to understand a conversation in a noisy environment. This extra cognitive effort is detrimental to learning, especially in a noisy environment like a classroom.

In recent years, a range of hearing aids specially designed for children has been launched.

These hearing aids are designed to improve speech understanding in noisy environments. In addition, they improve learning by providing access to a more complete soundscape, while reducing listening effort.5 The priority is to restore the joys of hearing to every family member, young and old.

Hearing loss may heighten the risk of the following: 1 | Social isolation and depression

Charles-Edouard Basile

2 | Balance disorders and fall-related injuries

Director of Business Development and trainer for the adult and pediatric programs

3 | Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease2

Josée Guillemette

Speaking of the family, you should also remember that it is not uncommon for babies to be born with some form of deafness. In fact, it is estimated that 13% of children between the ages of 0 and 18 have slightly reduced hearing.3 Access to sound information is critical for language development, as well as for brain development. Children’s brains are often described as a sponge that soaks up the information around them. Over 80% of what they learn comes from their social environment. Children live, grow, and interact in all kinds of listening situations. To develop their vocabulary, hearing-impaired children need words to be repeated more often than children with normal hearing.4

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Bilingual Audiology Support Specialist

References: 1. (n.d.). WHO | World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/pbd/ deafness/WHO_GE_HL.pdf 2. BrainHearing presentation brochure, page 14 3. Prevalence of Childhood Hearing Loss and Secular Trends: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – PubMed. (n.d.). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/30872125/ 4. Age-related benefits of digital noise reduction for short-term word learning in children with hearing loss – PubMed. (n.d.). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/21646423/ 5. Ng, E., Goverts, T., Kramer, S. and Zekveld, A. Improved speech understanding with less effort in children: An OpenSound NavigatorTM study. White Paper.

2019

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

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Move closer to the person

Building a Positive Environment for Effective Interactions

before talking to them

Face the hearingimpaired person

Interpersonal relationships are as essential to human beings as physical activity. And just like keeping in shape, you need to practice and use the right tools to get meaningful results. Whether someone has hearing loss or excellent hearing, we can all adopt certain communication habits to create more harmonious interactions.

Here are some tips on how to set the stage for a productive discussion: ª Stay in the same room as the hearing-impaired person.

This may seem trivial, but it’s essential. ª Face the hearing-impaired person and do not cover your face with your hand or an object. Facial expressions convey a lot of information. Also, it makes lip reading easier. ª Limit background noise. For example, you can turn down the TV or radio, or move away from disruptive noise. The hearing-impaired person will then be able to focus more easily on what’s being said. ª Move closer to the person before talking to them.

The greater the distance, the more the sound will diminish before it reaches the listener’s ears.

Communication is a team effort. If everyone does their part, the result will always be positive!

Estelle Lamonde Specialized educator practicing in Lévis

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Limit

background noise

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Seeing the Signs of Hearing Loss in a Child Some signs of hearing loss are common to everyone, but others are very specific to a particular age group.

You must therefore pay particular attention to the behaviour of your little ones to intervene quickly if necessary.

Please note that it is recommended that you have your child’s hearing checked before making a speech therapy appointment.

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

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Signs of Hearing Loss

Baby Doesn’t react to the auditory environment (e.g. music, parent’s voice, sudden noise) Doesn’t seem to hear you when they can’t see you Exhibits delayed babbling

Young Child Has trouble with pronunciation Has a limited vocabulary Reaches a plateau in language development Has behavioural problems, both at daycare and at home

Types of Deafness and Hearing Assessments Currently, some hospitals offer a hearing screening at birth.

The government recently announced a plan to make this test universal by the end of 2021. If the newborn passes the test, then the presence of moderate or more severe hearing loss can be ruled out. However, a successful hearing screening at birth does not rule out mild hearing loss or progressive hearing loss. Children can also develop some deafness as they grow older.

A hearing impairment can be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. For example, mucoid otitis (also called serous otitis) is a common cause of temporary deafness.

This hearing impairment is considered temporary, because the accumulated fluid behind the eardrum can resolve itself naturally or with a medical treatment.

You can have your child’s hearing assessed, regardless of their age!

Like eye exams, their hearing should be checked a few times during the child’s development and before each school year as a preventive measure.

Is easily distracted in a noisy environment Amélie Forget Audiologist practicing in Sainte-Foy, Lévis, Donnacona, and Beauport

School-Age Child Has trouble concentrating with ambient noise Has behavioural problems, both at school and at home

References: - Unilateral hearing impairment in children – PubMed. (n. d.). PubMed. https://pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6462820/ - Oyler, R. F., Oyler, A. L., & Matkin, N. D. (1988). Unilateral hearing loss: demographics and educational impact. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 19(2), 201–210.

- Hearing screening and diagnostic evaluation of children with unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss – PubMed. (n.d.). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18270176/ - (n. d.). WHO | World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/blindness/ publications/Newborn_and_Infant_Hearing_Screening_Report.pdf?ua=1

Struggles with schoolwork Tends to turn up the volume on the TV Disobeys instructions because they do not understand them Asks others to repeat themselves

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A Mobile App for Caregivers Involving family members, friends, and others in the hearing care process could have a positive impact on the person in question. Specifically, their involvement enriches the hearing-impaired person’s interpersonal relationships, improves their quality of life, and increases their sense of belonging and social participation.

Hearing loss can impact the hearing-impaired person’s quality of life. In fact, about 33% of 65-year-olds have hearing loss that interferes with their daily activities. From the age of 75 onwards, that percentage increases to 50%.1 Social isolation is one of the harmful effects of deafness. Scientific studies have shown a correlation between untreated hearing loss and social isolation.2 In order to encourage the involvement of family caregivers in the process, a mobile application has been developed: Thrive Care. People who wear compatible hearing aids can share useful information about their hearing aid use and physical activity.

The Thrive Care mobile app offers patients and their loved ones many benefits: ª Peace of mind: caregivers can check on the status of their loved one at any time, no matter where they are. ª Awareness of the hearing-impaired relative’s situation: are they wearing their hearing aids every day?

Do their hearing aids charge properly? ª Continued independence: the hearing aid user has the ability to remain independent, knowing that their loved ones can provide support when they need it.

Talk to your audioprosthetist to learn more about this mobile app.

Yousra Lamribat Audiologist

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

References: 1. Journée nationale de l’audition : L’OOAQ souhaite plus de sensibilisation sur les impacts de la surdité. (s. d.). OOAQ. https://www.ooaq.qc.ca/decouvrir/actualites/ jna-ooaq-souhaite-plus-sensibilisation-impacts-surdite/ 2. The association between hearing loss and social isolation in older adults - PubMed. (s. d.).

PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24384545/

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Why Choose a Bi-Generational Home?

Have you ever thought about buying a bi-generational home with a family member?

Have you ever considered the benefits?

Did you know?

Hearing loss can cause many people to feel insecure and isolated. Since we can’t hear as well as we used to, our ability to be aware of our surroundings is reduced.

Combatting Isolation A study of people with varying degrees of hearing loss found that a 10 decibels (dB) reduction in hearing could increase the subject’s isolation by 52%.1 Hearing between 0 dB and 20 dB is considered normal. Therefore, a 10 dB loss would result in a hearing loss of 30 dB or more. This significant increase can be explained by the fact that people with hearing impairments tend to withdraw into themselves. They avoid certain activities or withdraw from hobbies when the background noise level is high. The same study showed that this correlation is stronger in women than in men.

Living close to family members helps to break this isolation. Hearing-impaired people may feel embarrassed about the impact their hearing loss has on others, such as having to repeat themselves several times in a single conversation.

A reassuring living environment encourages exchanges and allows the hearingimpaired person to feel comfortable expressing their needs.

Alexandra Cyr

Sense of Security Hearing loss can have an impact on safety-related issues. Being unable to hear sounds like the smoke alarm, a knock on the door, or even the telephone can affect your sense of security. By living in a bi-generational home, you can rely on your loved ones to alert you if need be.

Furthermore, hearing is closely linked to balance. Having family members nearby can be reassuring if you are prone to falls. Some types of hearing aids have a built-in fall detector.

Ask your audioprosthetist about it.

Don’t hesitate to bring it up with your family. And who knows? Maybe you’ll soon be living in a bi-generational home!

An audioprosthetist will need to perform an assessment to determine whether hearing aids will meet your needs.

Audioprosthetist practicing in Longueuil and Saint-Hubert

References: 1. Is Hearing Loss Associated with Poorer Health in Older Adults Who Might Benefit From Hearing Screening? Ear and hearing. (n. d.). LWW. https://journals.lww.com/ear-hearing/ Citation/2016/05000/Is_Hearing_Loss_Associated_with_Poorer_Health_in.20.aspx - Hearing difficulties and feelings of social isolation among Canadians aged 45 or older. (n.d.). Statistics Canada: Canada’s National Statistical Agency/Statistique Canada: Organisme statistique national du Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2016011/article/14671-eng.htm

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Call the

hearing-impaired person by touch

Encourage

their shoulder

the hearing-

impaired person to wear their hearing aids

There are several things you can do to promote harmonious communication: ª Encourage the hearing-impaired person

Winning Strategies for Better Communication The friends and family of hearing-impaired people must be understanding to establish a solid foundation for good communication. If you show acceptance, they will not try to hide their deafness by pretending to understand the conversation when they don’t want to ask you to repeat yourself multiple times. It’s important to remember that social interaction is a team effort, and the cooperation of everyone involved is critical to facilitate the exchange.

The physical and psychological effects of hearing loss are increasingly well understood. However, hearing-impaired people and their families are often unaware of communication strategies. Without these adaptations, the dynamics and mood of the family can be significantly affected.

to wear their hearing aids. It is important that they wear them regularly to get the amplified sound they need to understand.

ª Call the hearing-impaired person by name

or touch their shoulder before you start talking. This way, the person will already be paying attention when you start the conversation.

ª Articulate clearly and speak slowly. ª Rephrase whatever they haven’t understood

by using different words.

Ask your audioprosthetist for a copy of our Communication Strategies for Hearing-Impaired People guide.

Do you have concerns about a relative’s hearing quality?

You can suggest they schedule a free* hearing health consultation. *Permanent offer. 18 and over.

François Lussier Audioprosthetist practicing in Sherbrooke

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

References: - (n. d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2899895/pdf/ckp176.pdf - Hearing Loss as a Social Problem: A Study of Hearing-impaired Spouses and Their Hearing Partners (n. d.). Hearing Review. https://www.hearingreview.com/hearing-loss/patient-care/ hearing-loss-as-a-social-problem

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By visiting lobe.ca, you can access lots of content only available in your Lobe account! ª

Be the first to access each new Lobe Magazine

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Online version of the Lobe Guides

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3 | Accept the page opening request and enjoy!

The 21st “Les Saveurs du Théâtre” Evening On April 22, the Fondation Sourdine held the 21st edition of its flagship fundraising event, “Les Saveurs du Théâtre.”

Presented virtually by Quebecor in partnership with Lobe, under the honorary presidency of Mr. André Labbé, Regional Vice-President of RBC Royal Bank, our main event brought together around 300 people at their screens.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone involved in this event, it’s a great honour for me to announce we raised over $100,000 during the evening, including over $13,500 through the virtual auction presented by Desjardins.

Hosted by Mr. Pierre Jobin, news anchor at TVA Nouvelles Québec, along with Mr. Mathis Pelletier, a former student of the École oraliste de Québec pour enfants malentendants ou sourds, the evening knew how to amaze us. A gourmet meal box of Hispanic products, a flamenco-style dance, and an extract from the play “Don Quixote de la Mancha” adapted for them by Amélie Plaisance, theatre teacher: Hispanic culture was at the heart of the festivities!

The Fondation Sourdine and I would like to express our deepest gratitude to all those who made this event such a success!

Presenting the cheque (Insert, from left to right): André Labbé, Honorary President, Regional Vice-President, RBC Royal Bank; Sébastien Ménard, Publisher and Editorin-Chief, Le Journal de Québec – Quebecor Media, the foundation’s media partner and representative for Quebecor, presenter of the evening; Martin Cousineau, President of the Fondation Sourdine, President and CEO of the Lobe Clinics network, major partner; and Andrée Boiclair, Founding President and Executive Director, École oraliste de Québec pour enfants malentendants ou sourds.

(On stage, from left to right): Yasmine Sahrane, Vice-Principal at the École oraliste de Québec pour enfants malentendants ou sourds; and Sandra Ferguson, Executive Director, Fondation Sourdine.

Photo credit: Marc Bérubé, volunteer, member of the organizing committee

Sandra Ferguson Executive Director at the Fondation Sourdine

For more information: www.sourdine.qc.ca

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Réseau FADOQ: Leisure Activities… and Much More!

In your opinion, what is Réseau FADOQ? If you would say that it’s an organization that promotes active aging by offering a wide variety of sports and recreational and cultural activities for people aged 50 and older, you’re right … partially.

FADOQ is Much More than That!

Founded 51 years ago by Marie-Ange Bouchard, Réseau FADOQ is the largest organization for people aged 50 and older in Canada. With nearly 550,000 members across the province, this group has a mission to improve the quality of life of its members.

In addition to recreational activities, FADOQ cardholders can take advantage of over 1,000 discounts at many different businesses. At Lobe clinics, FADOQ cardholders can join the Peace of Mind Program+*. Through this program, FADOQ members can take advantage of several exclusive protections and benefits. Details in clinics.

Moving Mountains… for You! There is another facet of this group that is less well known, but just as important: the defence of the collective rights of its members and of all Quebec residents aged 50 and older.

Réseau FADOQ is responsible for the abolition of incidental healthcare costs, automatic registration for the Guaranteed Income Supplement, certification programs for private seniors’ residences (PSRs), and so on. More and more, this organization is giving interviews in the media, making public appearances, submitting briefs, and making representations to political bodies to

Become a member of Réseau FADOQ by visiting fadoq.ca, or call 1-800-828-3344

advance issues on behalf of seniors. It has continued these activities tirelessly during the pandemic, in addition to conducting 140,000 courtesy calls to members aged 70 and older during the initial lockdown.

Réseau FADOQ uses its leverage with provincial and federal governments to ensure that people over 50 obtain more rights: ª Increases to the refundable tax credit for home-

support services from 35% to 40% in the next five years

ª Zero costs for certain clinical procedures

in pharmacies

ª Increases to the Old Age Security (OAS)

pension by 10% for people aged 75 and older

ª To avoid creating two classes of OAS recipients,

FADOQ is strongly in favour of applying this financial assistance from the age of 65

ª Demands for legislative change to better protect

PSR residents from financial abuse

As you can see, Réseau FADOQ is working for the seniors of today and tomorrow. In short, for all of us!

Sophie Gagnon Réseau FADOQ

*The benefits and protections of the Peace of Mind Program+ are offered for a maximum of four years from the date of enrollment in the program. The Peace of Mind Program+ cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion and is available until December 31, 2022. Eligibility and terms of the program are subject to certain conditions. Visit a clinic for details.

Our partners Thank you!

To the writers who have spent time writing the articles published in this magazine, and who generously agreed to share their knowledge.

New partner!

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Reinventing School The past year has reinvented teaching in every school. Many technological adaptations were needed to ensure the students’ education continued uninterrupted. What does the next school year hold in store for us? A look back at the innovative strategies used by teachers at the École oraliste de Québec pour enfants malentendants ou sourds.

Although distance learning is a challenge for our students who have language difficulties or are hearing impaired or deaf, it also represents an opportunity to adapt our planning and scheduling to the academic level of each of our students. Distance learning is made much easier with all the technological tools we have today. In language learning, alternating between individual and group lessons allows us to do in-depth work on a literary or topical text with each student. At the same time, they develop organization and autonomy. The aim of group lessons is to discuss the difficulties that all the students are having and to broaden their understanding.

With the teacher’s help, students construct the meaning of different concepts. In mathematics, for example, the class works on a fraction by using drawings on a shared screen.

Problem solving and note-taking, in co-construction with the teacher, can also be continued online, which lead to a reflective analysis of the concepts studied in class. Students can then share their reasoning and approaches with the group. This method of interacting is fun and meaningful. During individual lessons, the teacher can quiz the student on their understanding in order to enrich their logic.

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In French classes, one-on-one instruction allows the teacher to focus on specific instructional interventions, like shared reading. Students are asked to read a text or a chapter of a text and reflect alone about what they read. In the group lesson, they discuss their understanding. The teacher reviews the passages that are not understood enough and asks the students some questions about causal and lexical inferences to improve their understanding of different texts.

Online education, while challenging for both students and teachers, has nonetheless been promising. We had to think about which high-level interventions to adopt. It was important to ensure that the learning situations remained dynamic and challenging for the students. Finally, despite the limitations of this type of teaching, all the teachers worked on remembering the premise that having fun helps you learn!

Anne-Marie Martel Teacher at École oraliste de Québec pour enfants malentendants ou sourds

Josianne Vezeau Teacher at École oraliste de Québec pour enfants malentendants ou sourds

DE QUÉBEC POUR ENFANTS SOURDS

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Let’s Keep our Good Social Habits The pandemic, which has affected us all to varying degrees, has highlighted the importance of family in our daily lives.

All too often, we are rushed by a pace of life that leaves little room to take a step back and reflect. This health crisis has reminded us of the importance of the family ties that we used to take for granted. Banned from seeing our loved ones, we became aware of the fragility and importance of the ties that bind us.

Everyone has felt the impact of this crisis on our mental health and the mental health of the people we love. We have all experienced loneliness and isolation during the lockdowns. It is up to us to remember these moments and to ensure that we break the isolation of everyone already living in some form of solitude. Our older loved ones need us to visit them, as do those who no longer have families of their own.

The website https://www.jebenevole.ca/ is a useful resource for finding volunteer opportunities. You can also easily find a volunteer centre near you. https://www.fcabq.org/centres-d-action-benevole/liste-des-centres (in French)

Beyond blood relatives, we are all part of a community that cares for all its members and looks after their well-being.

There are many volunteer opportunities available to us, such as Meals on Wheels, friendly visits, and transportation and accompaniment services, to name just a few.

Martine Rodrigue Executive Director Association québécoise de défense des droits des personnes retraitées et préretraitées Lévis-Rive-Sud (AQDR)

DON’T STAY ALONE JOIN US!

Proud partner of Lobe

aqrp.ca

Why become an AQRP member?

• Enjoy social and physical activities • Have access to conferences, training, web conferences, contests and blog • Benefit from a host of savings and advantages at Lobe, La Capitale insurances and many important partners (health, leisure, culture, travel, etc.)

1 800 653-2747 www.aqrp.ca

• Promote your rights and have access to a free telephone help service!

AQRP members receive a 20%* discount on a complete hearing assessment performed by an audiologist practicing in a Lobe clinic. *Discount offered by Michèle Veilleux, audiologiste audiology services. Applicable only on a complete hearing assessment ($75 value until September 30th 2021 and $85 starting on October 1st 2021) performed by an audiologist practicing in a Lobe clinic, excluding pediatric hearing assessments and other services. By appointment only.

Cannot be combined with any other promotion. Call 1 866 411-5623 to find the nearest Lobe clinic. Offer available until March 31st, 2022. Some conditions apply.

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What’s New in the

Clinics?

Subscribe Now! 12 New Audioprosthetists Join the Lobe Network

Lobe Magazine, the reference in hearing health!

A warm welcome to the new audioprosthetists!

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

ways to get Lobe Magazine: 1 | Online, free of charge, on the Customer Account of boutique.lobe.ca/en. Available just a few days before it’s released!

We’re Hiring!

Receptionists - Customer Service wanted in our clinics Have you been recognized for your ability to manage numerous files simultaneously and answer people’s questions properly? Are you professional and do you always provide outstanding customer service?

Are you organized, resourceful, and independent?

Our team is waiting for you!

Visit the Careers section on the www.lobe.ca/en website and send us your application by email to rh@lobe.ca.

2 | Print subscription for 4 issues per year. Available on boutique.lobe.ca.

Some conditions apply.

3 | Free of charge, in all Lobe clinics and at our different partners.

Questions or comments?

EMAIL US: courrier@lobe.ca

Expansion of the Saint-Jérôme Clinic New rooms to accommodate even more patients!

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25

ADDRESSES OF THE CAPITALE-NATIONALE Donnacona Complexe Santé Donnacona 499, route 138, suite 200 Donnacona Qc G3M 0A9 Audiologists : 581 821-2435 Audioprosthetists: 581 821-2434 NEW ADDRESS

Pont-Rouge

BEFORE THE END OF FALL 2021

Above Familiprix drug store 69, rue du Collège, suite 203 Pont-Rouge Qc G3H 0J4 AFTER THE END OF FALL 2021

Complexe Santé Pont-Rouge 20, route de la Pinière, suite 101 Pont-Rouge Qc G3H 2Z3 ENT specialists: 581 318-3505 Audiologists : 581 329-8476 Audioprosthetists: 581 329-8401

Québec • Beauport Clinique médicale de Giffard Les Promenades Beauport, door 4 3333, rue du Carrefour, suite A222 Québec Qc G1C 5R9 Audiologists : 418 780-6270 Audioprosthetists: 418 780-3007 Québec • Charlesbourg La Cité Médicale de Charlesbourg 8500, boul. Henri-Bourassa suite 250, Québec Qc G1G 5X1 ENT specialists: 418 780-3015 Audiologists : 418 780-6270 Audioprosthetists: 418 780-3007 Québec • Lebourgneuf Complexe Vision 725, boul. Lebourgneuf, suite 315 Québec Qc G2J 0C4 ENT specialists: 418 780-3015 Audiologists : 418 780-6270 Audioprosthetists: 418 780-3007 Québec • Limoilou Complexe Santé Synase 1825, boul. Henri-Bourassa suite 302, Québec Qc G1J 0H4 ENT specialists: 581 814-8901 Audiologists : 581 814-8900 Audioprosthetists: 581 814-8899 Free parking, coupon given at the exit

Québec • Neufchâtel Clinique médicale DuChatel 9465, boul. de l’Ormière, suite 102 Québec Qc G2B 3K7 Audiologists : 418 915-8919 Audioprosthetists: 418 843-5244 Québec • Saint-Sacrement Complexe La Cité Verte

1200, rue des Sœurs-du-Bon-Pasteur, suite 310, Québec Qc G1S 0B1 Audiologists : 581 742-3880 Audioprosthetists: 581 742-6050

Québec • Sainte-Foy Clinique médicale Saint-Louis 3165, chemin Saint-Louis, suite 420 Québec Qc G1W 4R4 ENT specialists: 418 781-1735 Audiologists : 418 781-1734 Audioprosthetists: 418 781-1733 Free parking, coupon given at the exit

CLINICS

Québec • Val-Bélair Polyclinique médicale Val-Bélair 1147, boul. Pie XI Nord, suite 205 Québec Qc G3K 2P8 Audiologists : 418 915-2117 Audioprosthetists: 418 915-2116

Lévis • Saint-Jean-Chrysostome Complexe Santé Taniata 700, avenue Taniata, suite 104 Lévis Qc G6Z 2C2 Audiologists : 581 629-0409 Audioprosthetists: 581 629-0408

Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures Complexe médical l’Hêtrière 3520, rue de l’Hêtrière, suite 103 Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures Qc G3A 0B4 ENT specialists: 418 614-1665 Audiologists : 418 614-1662 Audioprosthetists: 418 614-1661

Saint-Georges 14640, boul. Lacroix Saint-Georges Qc G5Y 7G8 ENT specialists: 418 228-7684 Audiologists : 418 228-7071 Audioprosthetists: 418 228-2970

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Complexe Santé Côte-de-Beaupré 9745, boul. Sainte-Anne, suite 303 Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Qc G0A 3C0 Audiologists : 581 540-3022 Audioprosthetists: 581 540-3021

CENTRE-DU-QUÉBEC Drummondville 110, rue Saint-Jean, suite 300 Drummondville Qc J2B 7T1 ENT specialists: 819 857-4777 : 819 857-4666 Audiologists Audioprosthetists: 819 472-7676

CHAUDIÈRE-APPALACHES Beauceville Coop santé Robert-Cliche 463-B, boul. Renault Beauceville Qc G5X 1N5 Audiologists : 581 813-3015 Audioprosthetists: 581 813-3013 Disraeli 1244, avenue Champlain Disraeli Qc G0N 1E0 Audiologists : 581 714-3051 Audioprosthetists: 581 714-3050 Lac-Etchemin Résidence Belvédère du Lac 301, rue du Sanatorium, suite 121 Lac-Etchemin Qc G0R 1S0 Audioprosthetists: 581 820-3220 Lévis Complexe Lévis 1 1655, boul. Alphonse-Desjardins, suite 210, Lévis Qc G6V 0B7 ENT specialists: 418 830-5622 Audiologists : 418 830-0987 Audioprosthetists: 418 830-5623

Sainte-Marie 340, boul. Vachon Sud Sainte-Marie Qc G6E 1X8 ENT specialists: 418 386-3643 Audiologists : 418 386-4426 Audioprosthetists: 418 387-7988 Thetford Mines Place 611 (Ameublement Carrier) 611, boul. Frontenac Est, suite 201 Thetford Mines Qc G6G 6Y7 ENT specialists: 418 755-0176 Audiologists : 418 755-0138 Audioprosthetists: 418 338-8777

ESTRIE Lac-Mégantic 6246, rue Salaberry Lac-Mégantic Qc G6B 1H8 Audiologists : 819 583-4631 Audioprosthetists: 819 583-6633 Sherbrooke Ouest Complexe de la Santé 15, rue J.-A.-Bombardier, suite A200 Sherbrooke Qc J1L 0H8 ENT specialists: 819 780-9747 Audiologists : 819 780-9746 Audioprosthetists: 819 348-4334 Sherbrooke Est Clinique médicale GMA de la Rivière 360, rue Galt Est, suite 102 Sherbrooke Qc J1G 1X9 Audiologists : 819 416-1503 Audioprosthetists: 819 416-1502 NEW CLINIC

Rock Forest 5035, boul. Bourque, suite 101 Sherbrooke Qc J1N 2K6 Audiologists : 873 639-0022 Audioprosthetists: 873 639-0023

LANAUDIÈRE

Lévis • Lauzon Complexe Santé Lévis-Lauzon 6750, boul. Guillaume-Couture suite 102, Lévis Qc G6V 9H4 Audiologists : 581 629-0414 Audioprosthetists: 581 629-0413

Notre-Dame-des-Prairies Centre professionnel des Prairies 449, route 131, suite 205 Notre-Dame-des-Prairies Qc J6E 0M1 Audiologists : 579 841-0051 Audioprosthetists: 579 841-0050

Lévis • Saint-Romuald Complexe Pôle Sud 1190 A, rue de Courchevel, suite 502 Lévis Qc G6W 0M5 ENT specialists: 418 903-8102 Audiologists : 418 903-8101 Audioprosthetists: 418 903-8100

Mascouche 2705, chemin Sainte-Marie, suite 102, Mascouche Qc J7K 1M8 Audiologists : 450 769-9221 Audioprosthetists: 450 769-9220

NEW CLINIC

LAURENTIDES Boisbriand Polyclinique 640 2000, cours Le Corbusier, suite 105 Boisbriand Qc J7G 3E8 Audiologists : 450 437-2442 Audioprosthetists: 450 437-4343 Mirabel Complexe Médical Cité Mirabel 11800, rue de Chaumont, suite 420 Mirabel Qc J7J 0T8 ENT specialists: 579 226-0216 Audiologists : 579 226-0215 Audioprosthetists: 579 226-0214 Saint-Jérôme Polyclinique Saint-Jérôme 200, rue Durand, suite 209 Saint-Jérôme Qc J7Z 7E2 ENT specialists: 450 565-9898 Audiologists : 450 592-0804 Audioprosthetists: 450 592-0801 Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts Résidence des Laurentides 107, rue Principale Est Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts Qc J8C 1J9 Audiologists : 873 228-0082 Audioprosthetists: 873 228-0081

LAVAL Laval • Chomedey Cité de l’Avenir 1575, boul. de l’Avenir, suite 120 Laval Qc H7S 2N5 Audiologists : 450 934-8362 Audioprosthetists: 450 934-2614 Laval • Chomedey 440 Carrefour Santé 440 4650, Desserte Sud Autoroute 440, suite 370, Laval Qc H7T 2Z8 ENT specialists: 450 781-4556 Audiologists : 450 687-6897 Audioprosthetists: 450 687-0255

MAURICIE Shawinigan 3222, boul. des Hêtres Shawinigan Qc G9N 3B6 Audioprosthetists: 819 539-8666 Trois-Rivières 1785, boul. du Carmel, suite 245 Trois-Rivières Qc G8Z 3R8 Audiologists : 819 415-2888 Audioprosthetists: 819 378-7477

GRAND NORD QUÉBÉCOIS Tel.: 819 378-7477

MONTÉRÉGIE

MONTRÉAL

OUTAOUAIS

Châteauguay Complexe médical Châteauguay 288, boul. d’Anjou, suite 210 Châteauguay Qc J6K 1C6 Audiologists : 450 844-6858 Audioprosthetists: 450 844-6848

Montréal • Angus Clinique médicale Angus 2815, rue Sherbrooke Est, suite 250 Montréal Qc H2K 1H2 Audiologists : 438 844-8134 Audioprosthetists: 438 844-8133

Longueuil 1215, ch. Du Tremblay, door 165 Longueuil Qc J4N 1R4 ENT specialists: 450 448-4244 Audiologists : 450 448-8090 Audioprosthetists: 450 448-4544

Montréal • Lachine 2000, rue Notre-Dame, suite 203 Montréal Qc H8S 2G4 ENT specialists: 514 492-1345 Audiologists : 514 492-1344 Audioprosthetists: 514 492-1343

Gatineau Clinique Delta Santé 444, boul. de l’Hôpital, suite 110, Gatineau Qc J8T 7X6 ENT specialists: 819 243-5259 Audiologists : 819 205-7987 Audioprosthetists: 819 243-5258

Saint-Hubert 4025, boul. Taschereau, suite 1200 Saint-Hubert Qc J4T 2G6 ENT specialists: 450 890-3788 Audiologists : 450 890-3784 Audioprosthetists: 450 890-3781

Montréal • Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Centre médical Brunswick Glen 5100, boul. de Maisonneuve Ouest, suite 603, Montréal Qc H4A 3T2 ENT specialists: 438 844-5542 Audiologists : 438 844-5543 Audioprosthetists: 438 844-5544

Saint-Hyacinthe Complexe médical M 1220, boul. Casavant Est, suite 104 Saint-Hyacinthe Qc J2S 0L6 Audiologists : 579 225-7265 Audioprosthetists: 579 225-7264 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu 1055, boul. du Séminaire Nord, suite 202, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Qc J3A 1R7 ENT specialists: 579 296-0054 Audiologists : 579 296-0053 Audioprosthetists: 579 296-0052 Valleyfield 1020, boul. Monseigneur-Langlois, suite 200, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Qc J6S 0M2 Audiologists : 450 747-8651 Audioprosthetists: 450 747-8652 Vaudreuil-Dorion Complexe Santé des Trois-Lacs 65, boul. de la Cité-des-Jeunes, suite 220, Vaudreuil Qc J7V 8C1 Audiologists : 579 217-1236 Audioprosthetists: 579 217-1235

Montréal • Rosemont— La-Petite-Patrie Polyclinique Maisonneuve-Rosemont

5345, boul. de l’Assomption, suite RC-20, Montréal Qc H1T 4B3 ENT specialists: 438 384-3014 Audiologists : 438 384-3013 Audioprosthetists: 438 384-3012

Montréal • Saint-Laurent Complexe médical Saint-Laurent 1605, boul. Marcel-Laurin, suite 120 Montréal Qc H4R 0B7 ENT specialists: 514 788-7753 : 514 788-7752 Audiologists Audioprosthetists: 514 788-7751

NEW ADDRESS

Gatineau • Aylmer Carrefour Santé Aylmer 362, chemin d’Aylmer, suite 107 Gatineau Qc J9H 1A6 Audiologists : 819 557-3154 Audioprosthetists: 819 557-3153 Gatineau • Buckingham Coop Santé de la Basse-Lièvre 620, avenue de Buckingham Gatineau Qc J8L 2H5 Audioprosthetists: 819 243-5258

HEAD OFFICE Complexe Vision 725, boul. Lebourgneuf, suite 303 Québec Qc G2J 0C4 Tel.: 418 877-7222 Fax: 581 814-6260 Email: courrier@lobe.ca

Audiology services offered in the clinics: 0-99 years,

3-99 years, 5-99 years

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) Vertigo

Vestibular screening

Gatineau • Hull Clinique Medigo 165, boul. Saint-Raymond, suite 213 Gatineau Qc J8Y 0A7 ENT specialists: 819 966-3280 Audiologists : 819 966-3281 Audioprosthetists: 819 966-3282 Saint-André-Avellin CLSC Petite-Nation 14, rue Saint-André Saint-André-Avellin Qc J0V 1W0

Audioprosthetists: 1 800 373-5844

Montréal • Saint-Léonard Les Terrasses Langelier 6383, rue Jean-Talon Est Montréal Qc H1S 3E7 Audiologists : 514 788-3738 Audioprosthetists: 514 798-0915 NEW CLINIC

Montréal • Villeray Carrefour Santé Villeray 8560, rue Saint-Hubert, suite 100 Montréal Qc H2P 1Z7 ENT specialists: 438 943-0022 Audiologists : 438 943-0023 Audioprosthetists: 438 943-0024

Pointe-Claire Centre médical Brunswick 955, boul. Saint-Jean, suite 102 Pointe-Claire Qc H9R 5K3 ENT specialists: 514 782-0481 Audiologists : 514 782-0489 Audioprosthetists: 514 782-0482

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ENT SPECIALISTS AUDIOLOGISTS

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