Pensioner Ivan receives the gift of hearing as audiologist Alison Ridgway steps in with hi-tech help

Ivan Sutton (age 82) of Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, is suffering from profound hearing loss along with other conditions.

Ridgways Hearing Care, which has premises in Endon and Newcastle-under-Lyme, stepped forward to help after his wife called to enquire about treatment. However, audiolologists quickly realised that Ivan would need hi-tech aids to cope with his acute loss of hearing and these would be expensive.

The call came in just before Christmas and coincided with the death of another patient who had recently been fitted with the kind of sophisticated hearing aids that would help Ivan.

“We wanted to help and had a family who were happy to anonymously donate the hearing aids,  so we decided why not do something special this Christmas?,” said Alison.

“We’re a business but we are in the business of helping people and it just felt right. It was a spur of the moment decision but we are now hoping to make it an annual giveaway. seemed a great way

“Ridgways Hearing Care has paid for the hearing aids to be fully recommissioned and this involves renewing all outer casings, so that they are as new. In addition, we have tested Ivan’s hearing, carried out wax removal and fitted his hearing aids free of charge. We’ve also donated follow-up visits to check that Ivan is comfortable with his new aids and is getting the full benefit from them.”

As key workers, Ridgways Hearing Care have continued to operate throughout the coronavirus pandemic and the company opened its second office in Station Road, Endon, this summer to ensure they could continue to provide services for clients, with social distancing measures in place.

One of Ivan’s daughters said: “This is a fantastic gift for my dad and we’d like to thank the family who donated the hearing aids and the team at Ridgways Hearing Care. Mum says dad already feels like a new man and it has given him the ability to interact with the grandchildren”.