We caught up with Samuel Lewis at this year's Balmoral Show.
Samuel supplies hearing aids for those who have lost their hearing right across Northern Ireland and he has been in the business, which was established by his father, almost 45 years.
He explained: “I have been supplying hearing aids to those who have lost their hearing or have poor hearing all of my life.”
Why not share your videos and photos from the show – email them in to farminglife@nationalworld.com or darryl.armitage@nationalworld.com. You can also share them via on Facebook messenger.
Samuel supplies hearing aids for those who have lost their hearing right across Northern Ireland and he has been in the business, which was established by his father, almost 45 years.
He explained: “I have been supplying hearing aids to those who have lost their hearing or have poor hearing all of my life.”
Why not share your videos and photos from the show – email them in to farminglife@nationalworld.com or darryl.armitage@nationalworld.com. You can also share them via on Facebook messenger.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Tell me a wee bit about you.
00:02 My name is Samuel Lewis. I've been working in the family business since I was about 16,
00:08 which is 44-45 years. My father started way back in the early 70s, my late father backstarted
00:16 in here, he made his way back in 1956. I came straight into the family business from school
00:21 and I've been here ever since. I always say I've got the smallest CV in Belfast, because
00:27 I've been here. Supplying hearing aids and helping people who are hard of hearing for
00:33 all my life really.
00:35 Is there a stigma do you find of people with hearing loss?
00:39 Not as much now as there used to be. More people are wearing different types of hearing
00:44 devices, so hearing aids I think are getting more acceptable. The majority of people who
00:49 need hearing aids are in the older age bracket. There are a few in the younger age bracket.
00:54 But certainly you're getting enquiries from all age groups now.
00:58 Just how many different types of hearing aids are available?
01:02 It can be up to 80 different types of hearing aids, but a lot depends on the type of deafness
01:08 and the degree of loss, which determines the level of technology. Whether it's in your
01:13 ear or behind your ear, and different sizes. I always tell people the most expensive isn't
01:19 the best. It depends on your individual hearing loss.
01:23 How do you go about determining what suits which individual?
01:28 The first thing is, everybody has to get a free hearing test. From that I would know
01:32 the type of deafness and the degree of loss, and what hearing aid and level of technology
01:37 would suit them. According to their dexterity, their capabilities, we've got to take all
01:42 that into account, and their age etc. In other words, we wouldn't prescribe the smallest
01:49 hearing aid that they would like, but the smallest hearing aid that would suit their
01:54 problem at the end of the day.
01:56 How long is the process between a first consultation and actually getting fitted?
02:02 From consultation to getting fitted would be about 2 weeks, roughly 2-3 weeks.
02:08 So it's quite quick.
02:09 It's quite quick, yes. Go ahead.
02:13 Are you online?
02:16 Yes, we have a website. You can't book online, you have to ring us personally and book us.
02:22 I do hearing tests either on my premises in Orby Drive, or I'll go out to the house and
02:28 test the person's hearing, which is free, and I would cover all of Northern Ireland,
02:32 and there's no obligation.
02:33 What's your contact number then?
02:35 02890796555