Leightons Talking Points (Spring 2020)

inside: Small steps for better hearing health Hearing technology for tomorrow Expanding your optical wardrobe

Spring 2020

and much more…

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Welcome to the latest edition of our magazine, bringing you all the news and insight from the Leightons Hearing and Optical teams. In this issue, you'll find some expert analysis and tips to help you get the most out of life this Spring.

A

MESSAGE

H

FROM

ello! Welcome to a new edition of Talking Points – the first of 2020 and the first of a new decade.

Ryan

Audiology and Professional Relations at Oticon, shares tiny details that are revolutionising the way technology helps us to hear.

So what will 2020 hold for you? At Leightons, we’re always

Lastly, now more than ever, we’re driven to consider

thinking of ways we can help you to see more and hear

the impact our business has on the environment around

more, so that you can live life to the full. This edition,

us. So you can read more about the small steps we’re

we’re thinking about little changes that make a BIG impact.

taking to increase our involvement and commitment to

Read about the small changes you can make to look after

local communities.

your hearing, the benefits of the latest hearing technology

This edition of Talking Points is packed full of ideas on

that can keep you active for longer, expand your optical

how you can look after your senses and live life to the full

wardrobe, improve your brain health and stave off

in 2020 and the years to come.

dementia in style.

Sit back, grab a cup of (green) tea and enjoy the read.

Many of us will start the New Year thinking about the foods we’re eating and the impact they’re having on our health and the world around us. Leading dietitian, Erika Svensen, tells us about the small changes we can make to the health of our eyes.

Ryan Leighton, CEO Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care.

Learn more about how leaps in hearing technology are

P.S. Don't forget to book your Free Hearing Assessment

enhancing tomorrow’s ability to connect with our loved

and take advantage of the special offer.

what we put on our plate, that can have a big impact on

ones; our interview with Don Schum, Vice President of

0800 40 20 20 | leightons.co.uk

LEIGHTONS |

talking points 3

5 WAYS TO BE MORE OF WHO YOU ARE,

BY DOING MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE. One of the best things about being a human being is our propensity to grow. We’re all born with it – and it continues right the way through our lifespan. But what is the key to growth?

A

s we get older, we need to keep looking after our body – and our senses – so we’re fit to live the life we love. Here are 5 ways to do it:

1. Be physically active This is important for a number of reasons: it encourages the brain to form new connections, improves circulation to the brain and helps us to maintain a positive attitude and sense of self through the release of endorphins.

conducted by the Hear The World Foundation, participants said that they enjoyed sport more with their hearing aids and that it made doing sport easier. Improved hearing leads to better balance and spatial awareness and less falls. In fact, for every extra 10dB of hearing loss, the risk of falls increases by 140% ( John Hopkins, 2018). More hearing aids

What’s more, positive emotion from exercise and strong

are becoming health-focused, too. They’ll monitor your

social ties helps us to be more creative, more resilient when

heart, blood pressure, exercise and lots more. So it’s game,

faced with life challenges and increases motivation and

set and match!

confidence (Sarah Lewis, Positive Psychology, 2014).

Does that mean running a marathon? Or cycling for miles?

No. Luckily, just moving more is what really keeps us healthy. When it comes to longevity, we need to remember to increase our activity levels with every year and with every diagnosis.

2. Take care of your senses Looking after our eyes and ears helps us to stay healthy

4. Get into the garden It’s a great way to get outdoors, enjoy nature and get a really great workout. Research suggests every 10% increase in exposure to green space is the equivalent of feeling 5 years younger (The Kings Fund, Gardens and Health, 2016).

Gardening is good for developing strength, it helps reduce cortisol levels associated with stress and improves our sense of well-being. Join a gardening club and you’ll enjoy the social side too.

and active.

We all know that our senses are key to how we enjoy the world around us. But did you know they’re also key to the health of our brain? And to helping us stay mobile and active?

5. See… hear… and live life to the full Our eyes and ears are essential to healthy ageing. That’s because hearing and vision help us to maintain strong social bonds with the people around us. With more of us living longer, it’s all about putting life into our years rather

You are 70% more likely to be inactive if you have untreated moderate hearing loss (Viljanen, 2009).

It’s clear from research that when you hear well, you do more, feel more confident, stay physically active and are less prone to develop chronic health conditions such as diabetes, stroke and cognitive decline. It can also help

than years into life.

By looking after our eyes and ears, we can be ready for whatever comes our way. Seeing things more clearly. Hearing and being heard.

And enjoying more of the people and things that we love for longer.

reduce the risk of dementia too. The Lancet reported that untreated hearing loss is the highest modifiable risk factor for dementia (Lancet 2017).

3. Stay at the top of your game Love a round of golf? Or a game of tennis? Looking after

To book a Free Hearing Assessment contact us on 0800 40 20 20 or visit www.leightons.co.uk/book.

your hearing can improve your performance too. In a study

0800 40 20 20 | leightons.co.uk

LEIGHTONS |

talking points 5

What does your

OPTICAL WARDROBE say about you?

H

ow many pairs of shoes do you own? Most people might say 10 or more.

How about the number of jackets? About 5 is the average. How many pairs of glasses do you own? Only 50% of people own more than 2 pairs. Isn’t it funny how we see our glasses as a medical device (which they technically are) but not as a fashion accessory? Thinking about it, why do we switch up our shoes every day, but wear the same pair of glasses every day, for up to two years?

Some people talk about building up an ‘optical wardrobe’;

What frames do I wear for which occasion or shall I wear

different glasses for different looks. Or, the ability to swap

contact lenses to get the most out of my yoga practice, golf

to contact lenses for different activities. How extensive

game or simply enjoy gardening?

might your wardrobe be? Well, you might not buy four pairs of glasses in one day, just like you wouldn’t buy four pairs of shoes in one day (unless you have a mild shoe obsession!), but it’s great to have some flexibility with your look.

6 LEIGHTONS | talking points

If we want to play eyewear to our advantage: be fashionable and get the most from our activities, we simply need to expand our optical wardrobe. Then choose the right look for the right occasion – just as we would with a jacket or our choice of footwear.

0800 40 20 20 | leightons.co.uk

WHAT DO YOUR CURRENT FRAMES SAY ABOUT YOU?

Full-rim glasses

Rimless glasses

Contact lenses

In full-rim glasses, the lenses are covered on all sides with the frames. If you have a round face, rectangle full-rim eyeglasses will suit you the best. These frames will make the face appear longer and thinner. Moreover, full-rim glasses highlight your eyes.

Rimless frames are eyeglasses with bare lenses that are attached to the temples and the bridge.

Rimless frames are best for people who have a small face and hence, wish to focus the onlooker’s attention more on their face, which can make the wearers features look more pronounced.

We face enough barriers when it comes to fitness, your vision doesn’t need to be one of them.

Whether you’re on the tennis court or the yoga mat, contacts are the most convenient and comfortable option for correcting your vision during exercise.

Fancy having a personal stylist?

Even if you wear glasses most of the time, many patients opt for contacts just for workouts and sporting activities. If you only wear contact lenses, and aren’t sure which frames suit your face shape, hair style or skin tone, feel free to use our instore stylists. Just as you’d have a personal stylist help you find the clothing that best fits your shape, at Leightons our priority is to correct your vision and find the right style for you. You can find a range of looks with the wide selection of frames that Leightons offers, and even swap to contact lenses for the perfect round of golf or downward dog in yoga.

FREE TRIAL on Contact lenses Never worn contact lenses before? Try them before you buy them.

You can see which one suits your lifestyle best and feel how comfortable they can be.

Visit leightons.co.uk/contactlenses for more information.

LEIGHTONS |

talking points 7

CAN YOUR EARS KEEP FIT? The makers of the Oticon HearingFitness app think so.

Read on to find out more.

T

hese days, we’re used to fitness trackers like Fitbits and Apple Watches on our wrists. They carefully count our steps, gently nudge us to stay active throughout the day and help us to live a healthier lifestyle. But imagine an equally helpful app for our hearing?

Meet the Oticon HearingFitness app. It’s a clever little app that works with Oticon Opn™ hearing aids to help you hear better.

It lets you set hearing goals like how long you’ll use your hearing aids for each day. It also determines what kind of settings work best in the listening environments you’re in – from a noisy cafe, your living room, a lively family get together or a peaceful night in. It also works with any smart devices you have to help you see the bigger picture of your health – from heart rates to sleep patterns. In

“

The app empowers users to learn about their hearing and take charge of their long-term health and well-being through their hearing habits.

short, it puts you firmly in control of your wellbeing.

Create helpful habits “The HearingFitness app helps people with hearing loss understand how their hearing health habits can influence how effective their treatment is.” said Mel Gregory, Head of Audiology at Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care.

“Hearing plays a huge role in people’s overall health and well-being, and HearingFitness, paired with Opn, encourages routine use of hearing aids to improve hearing and the ability to engage in social settings."

Stay connected

”

Of course, looking after your hearing means you’re looking after your wider health and wellbeing too.

Interacting with others keeps our brains active, strengthens our social connections and keeps our mental faculties sharp. This in turn reduces the risk of hearing loss related dementia. Studies show that, by taking control of our hearing health early (in mid-life), we can potentially reduce the risk of dementia more than any other action – including quitting smoking and exercising more.*

It's never been easier to take control of your hearing and wellbeing – to live life to the full.

Download the Oticon ON App. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android, Google Play, and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC. * Livingstone et al, 2017

FUEL FOR LIFE How eating the right things can help you see more and do more in 2020.

F

oods give us fuel for the life we want to live. So, as we step into a new decade, we talk to Erika Svensen, APD, HCPC registered Dietitian and Sports Dietitian with Accent Nutrition, about which foods we should be eating to help us to live life to the full.

Erika, what will the big food trends be in 2020?

Well, 2019 saw a huge rise in demand for plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy. The plant-based ‘Impossible Burger’ was loved by many die-hard carnivores. Lots of us swapped to dairy-free milk alternatives like oat milk or

Fibre and fluids are essential to help us to look after our bowels. Plus, we need lots of B-vitamins like folate which is found in green vegetables and fortified foods; B6 found in meat, dairy, cereals and vegetables and B12 found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy as well as fortified breakfast cereals and some soya products.

almond milk.

For heart health, it’s important to have less saturated fat and In 2020, look out for more meat alternatives, like Tuno. It contains DHA, a type of omega-3 fat, and promotes itself as a more sustainable alternative to seafood. You can expect to see more plant-based yoghurts and ice creams too.

Not sure you can say goodbye to meat? Half meat, half plant-based options will pop up for those of us who want to reduce meat in our diet, but not lose it entirely.

more omega 3s. Regular, small amounts of protein are also needed to maintain muscle mass.

3. What can we eat to help our sight?

There’s evidence to suggest that omega 3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of Dry Eye Syndrome (DES). So eat lots of: • Oily fish (salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards, kippers, whitebait and anchovies). Just one

1. What health-related diet goals are your patients setting at this time of year?

• Fortified foods (some eggs, bread, milk and yoghurts).

•

I tend to hear big goals like “lose xx kg this year” or “go to

• Nuts (particularly walnuts), seeds, soya and green

the gym every day”. But it’s often better to set small specific, measurable and achievable goals. For example, having an extra serving of vegetables daily for the next month. Or trying to cook a new healthy recipe once a week.

2. What vitamins and minerals should we focus on, particularly at older life stages?

If you’re over 65, you’ll need lots of calcium and vitamin D for bone health. Oily fish and fortified breakfast cereals can help. It’s a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement of 10μg per day too.

portion a week can reduce the risk of DES.

leafy vegetables.

To reduce the risk of age-related Macular Degeneration, try eating carotenoid-rich foods: • Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables: tomatoes, watermelon, guava, red pepper, corn.

• Green leafy vegetables: spinach, kale, broccoli, lettuce, peas and egg yolk.

Eating a balanced diet that includes plenty (at least 5 servings) of fruit and vegetables of different variety and colours (‘Eat the Rainbow’), two servings of fish per week as well as high fibre whole grains, will improve people’s overall health.

0800 40 20 20 | leightons.co.uk

LEIGHTONS |

talking points 9

VITAL CONNECTIONS

W

e talk to Oticon’s Vice President of Audiology, Don Schum, about how today’s leaps in technology are enhancing tomorrow’s ability to connect with our loved ones.

Technology has come a long way in the last 5 years. What’s changed and how is that impacting the lives of people with hearing loss?

There are two big leaps in hearing technology. The first is rechargeable technologies. The second is the ability to connect hearing aids to other electronics, like smartphones.

That has helped hearing aids to fit seamlessly into people’s lives and be as user friendly as possible.

technology we develop, like the Oticon BrainHearing™ technology, is about finding the very best solution to help individuals to get the most out of what they’re doing every day.

Lots of people know they have a hearing problem, but are reluctant to do something about it. What advice would you give to them?

When it comes to hearing, don’t just ask yourself “where”

What do you think makes Oticon different to other hearing technology?

What we focus on is trying to understand the patient better – going beyond the hearing test results and really appreciating what hearing loss means in their daily life. The

10 LEIGHTONS | talking points

and “when” you find it difficult hear. Ask yourself “who” you are missing out on communicating with. At the end of the day, we are all social creatures, with families and loved ones. The real cost is the loss of connection to the people we love in our lives.

0800 418 348 | leightons.co.uk

The other thing to understand is that hearing loss happens gradually – over a number of years. The loss may not be obvious at first. You might notice a change in your habits.

You might start to avoid situations that can be challenging – lunch with friends or talks with your grandchildren. If you find that your hearing is holding you back from certain situations, it’s time to talk to someone about it.

For people whose partners won’t get their hearing tested, what can they do to help a loved one?

“

T his is the best thing I

ever did. I can’t believe

”

I waited so long.

The best piece of advice is to ask their loved one to think

What should people consider when they’re thinking about getting hearing aids?

back to 5-10 years ago – before hearing loss started to

The most important thing to consider is who takes care of

become part of their reality. Help them to think about the

you. Hearing care is health care. So, it’s very important to

things they loved doing and ask them if hearing loss is

talk to a trained professional who understands the nature

getting in the way of doing those things now.

of your condition and the treatment options that make most

The danger for some people is that they might think that

sense for you and your lifestyle.

hearing loss is just something you put up with when you

I'm all in favour of people reading all the information out

get older. But it doesn’t have to be that way. As long as you

there, but like anything, when self researched one can

get help, there are plenty of things you can do with your

become overwhelmed. An important role of the hearing

hearing that allow you to participate fully.

professional is to be stewards of all information. I strongly

One common misconception about hearing aids is that once you have them, you become dependent on them or your hearing worsens. Is that true?

recommend for people to always seek advice from a

“

Your brain doesn’t

become dependent on hearing aids. In fact, your brain loves them. That’s because you’re helping your brain to stay active.

”

Many patients who are struggling with hearing and get amplification, say: “This is the best thing I ever did. I can’t believe I waited so long.” Once they get fitted with hearing aids, they realise pretty quickly that they’re doing much better. They don’t have to work as hard. They’re not struggling as much. Life is just easier.

0800 40 20 20 | leightons.co.uk

professional they have confidence in and with whom they have a relationship with.

What can we look forward to in technology in the future for people with hearing loss?

At the moment, there’s lots of talk about using sensors in hearing aids that help us to understand how the body moves or where the body is at. Over the next decade we will see significant advances in terms of the complexity and sophistication of signal processing to the environments that patients struggle in.

But it is very important that people don't wait for technology breakthroughs but to ensure they are addressing their hearing loss sooner rather than later.

Thank you to Don Schum for sharing this valuable information with our readers.

If you are concerned about your hearing or that of a loved one, please contact us on 0800 40 20 20 or pop into your local Leightons branch.

LEIGHTONS |

talking points 11

ADVERTORIAL

NEUBAU EYEWEAR: SUSTAINABLE BY DESIGN

SEE & DO GOOD For this Austrian eyewear brand sustainability has always been more than just another fad. neubau eyewear is staying true to its motto: SEE & DO GOOD. For the company this means to engage with one's environment and surroundings, in the city as much as anywhere else, with respect and awareness. In a practical sense, it also means producing frames in an environmentally friendly way while at the same time supporting visionary

urban projects. Apart from our own initiatives, SEE & DO GOOD supports other projects that benefit the environment we live in. neubau collaborates with the Salatpiraten urban garden in Vienna, sponsors several hives of the Honey Bee Conservancy in New York City and Plastic Patrol to rid the waterways of plastic pollution, intercepting it before it reaches the oceans. And that’s just to name a few of the projects they are working on!

A WORLD-FIRST IN SUSTAINABILITY: NEUBAU EYEWEAR PRESENTS EYEWEAR MODELS MADE FROM 100% BIO-BASED MATERIAL USING 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY The base of natural3D is an oil extracted from the seeds of the castor oil plant, which neubau eyewear has been using under the name of naturalPX since 2017. naturalPX consists of 65% castor oil and is used for injection-moulded polymer spectacles to produce particularly light and flexible frames. And now with natural3D, for the first time it is also possible to use

an entirely natural material in the 3D printer. Layer by layer, this method is positioning neubau eyewear as a true sustainability trailblazer. To begin with, four optical frames and three sunglasses models made from the 100% bio-based material will be available as of April 2020.

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE HOW OUR SOCIAL PURPOSE IS AT THE HEART OF OUR BUSINESS VISION.

S

ocial purpose means different things to different people. It includes everything from recycling and saving energy to supporting charities and causes.

At Leightons, our social purpose has always been part of our bigger vision that incorporates the communities we serve and the world we live in. It’s about being responsible and doing the right thing.

3. The outdoors helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

In the winter, shorter days and lower light levels can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD — a

Our people are passionate about a variety of causes. But as a business, we’re teaming up with the Woodland Trust to help reach the goal of planting one million trees by the end of the year and 60 million in five years.

Why are we helping to plant more trees? As well as being a key factor in fighting climate change, there are essential health benefits to be had by spending more time surrounded by nature:

1. The outdoors is good for your vision.

reoccurring condition that’s marked by symptoms of anxiety, exhaustion, and sadness. Doctors say spending time outside can lessen SAD’s severity — even if the weather’s cold or overcast.

4. Being outdoors gives you your daily dose of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for a well-functioning body. It helps us absorb calcium, it prevents osteoporosis, and it reduces inflammation, among other things. Although

Research shows that primary school students who

vitamin D is present in some foods, like salmon and

spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop

fortified milk, we get more than 90 percent of our

short-sightedness.

vitamin D from casual exposure to sunlight.

2. The outdoors boosts your immune system.

5. The outdoors makes us better people.

Scientists think that breathing in phytoncides — airborne

According to psychologists, exposure to nature helps

chemicals produced by plants — increases our levels

us shrug off societal pressures, allowing us to remember

of white blood cells, helping us fight off infections

and value more important things, like relationships

and diseases.

and community.

TREE GIVEAWAY – Want to help us by planting a tree this year? We have 10 trees to give to the first green-fingered Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care customers who get in touch. Email socialpurpose@leightons.co.uk, let us know where you’d like to plant your tree and what the outdoors means to you and your family.

Follow us on Facebook where we'll share our local branch tree planting activities, branch by branch.

0800 40 20 20 | leightons.co.uk

LEIGHTONS |

talking points 13

Keeping your BRAIN & BODY active We've established that keeping the mind and body active is essential to overall health and wellbeing. We've found some great apps to keep your mind and body in tip top condition and who doesn't love a crossword for extra brain stimulation.

ELEVATE Brain Training App is superb, offering a wealth of benefits to keep your mind active.

•F lexible Training – customise your daily training focus.

• 35+ Games Perfect your reading, writing, speaking and maths.

• Train your brain whenever and wherever.

Visit www.elevateapp.com

The DAILY WORKOUTS Fitness Trainer App is a great 5 to 30 minute daily workout routine in the comfort of your own home.

• 10 to 30 minute randomised full body workouts.

• 100+ exercises.

• Video showing how to do each exercise.

Search 'Daily Workouts Fitness Trainer' in your app store

SPRING CROSSWORD ACROSS 5. They're usually found in beds 9. Time for showers 10. Gloom's opposite 13. Yellow spring flower 15. Day for diamonds and dreams 17. Shower apparel?

18. Monarch, e.g

DOWN 1. Sport with tees 2. Fledgling plant 3. America's pastime 4. ___ egg 6. Eating outing 7. When spring ends 8. Vegetable plot 11. One of four in a year 12. Breezy 14. Flying toy with a tail 16. Verdant

For answers visit leightons.co.uk/spring-crossword-2020

1

2

3 4

5

6 7

8 9

10

11

12 13 14 15

16 17

TERMS & CONDITIONS Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care do not benefit in recommending the apps mentioned in this publication. Users are required to read and understand the app's terms and conditions before downloading and use. Third-party Sites are not under our control, and we are not responsible for and do not endorse their content or their privacy policies (if any).You will need to make your own independent judgement regarding your interaction with any Third-party Sites, including the purchase and use of any products or services accessible through them.

18

Introducing the new Oticon Opn S Hearing Aids

Closing a gap to normal hearing Studies prove that Oticon Opn S users can experience speech understanding at the same level as people with normal hearing in noisy environments.

A 360° sound experience

Rechargeable hearing aids

No more whistling sounds

Oticon Opn S comes with improved technology that gives your brain access to the relevant sounds around you.

A stylish rechargeable solution that you recharge at night for a full day of hearing.

A ground-breaking feature makes Oticon Opn S able to detect and prevent annoying whistling sounds before they even occur.

Easy connection to your phone and other devices Oticon Opn S is more than a hearing aid. It’s a piece of wearable technology that makes it easier to connect to your favourite devices.

Hands-free phone calls for any modern smartphone

Music in high-quality stereo sound

Oticon Opn S – proven to make it easier on the brain.

Hear better, remember more, with less effort.

Stream sound from your TV

Person-centred care, putting you first As an accredited partner of the Ida Institute, world leaders in person-centred care, we’re proud to provide the highest levels of care and personal service so you can make the most of your hearing.

To book a free hearing assessment, call 0800 40 20 20 or visit leightons.co.uk/book

TOTAL PEACE OF MIND FOR YOUR HEARING • 60 Day Money Back Guarantee • 3-5 Years' Free Warranty • Free Servicing & Maintenance

• Free Batteries • Hear Now. Pay Later plans • Lifetime Aftercare

0800 40 20 20 | leightons.co.uk