a hearing care professional has set up in the village of Monctuq

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It is estimated that approximately 11.2% of French people present a hearing impairmentto varying degrees. Hearing problems increase with age, affecting approximately one in five people over the age of 50 et one in two from 80 years old.

This shows whether the establishment of a hearing aid professional in rural areas makes sense.

And giving meaning to his profession is the promise that Dominique Papazian, a hearing aid specialist who has been based in Lauzerte and since mid-August 2024 in Montcuq in the Lot.

A reconversion in the Lot

This former industrial technician decided at the age of 50 to give new impetus to his life. He had the courage to go back to school for 3 years to obtain his hearing aid diploma. A challenge met brilliantly thanks to his scientific training, despite the difficulty of finding himself the oldest among the young students at the medical faculty.

“I wanted a job where I could feel useful and bring something to people. And settling in a small village rather than a city corresponds to what I was looking for, the relationships are warmer, more pleasant. »

Domiciled in Cahors, he shares his activity across 3 centers under the “Audition Conseil” brand, including 2 which belong to him: Montcuq, Lauzerte, and Prayssac.

The choice of Montcuq

“In Lauzerte, many patients came from Montcuq, which is why I chose to set up there, it’s practical when the hearing care professional is nearby! »

Audition Conseil is a French group of independent hearing aid centers specializing in hearing correction. This network brings together more than 340 centers throughout France. It highlights an approach focused on proximity and personalization of services for people suffering from hearing problems. This grouping allows hearing care professionals greater purchasing power in order to be able to be multi-brand, or to benefit from the strength of the network for television advertising. In Montcuq, Dominique Papazian chose to work with the 3 premium brands: Phonak, Signia and Oticon.

Free hearing tests

To get a hearing aid, a prescription from an ENT specialist is necessary for the first time; then a prescription from a general practitioner is sufficient for renewal. On the other hand, hearing tests are free and without a prescription: they allow you to check if everything is fine or if a visit to an ENT is necessary.

The cost of the device, which may seem significant at first, actually includes all the appointments necessary for the manufacturing and adaptation of the device.

At the start, 5 meetings are spread over 2 months to carry out the tests in order to make the various adjustments, then one meeting per quarter, and finally every semester. It’s a real tailor-made job that requires time and relearning the different types of sounds: voices, music, impact noises, etc.

First, the hearing care professional measures hearing loss by playing different sounds. To correct hearing loss, it connects to the computer and makes specific adjustments. “The devices have evolved a lot, they are very sophisticated mini-computers which no longer have anything to do with the devices of the past. It’s a bit the same evolution as the smartphone compared to the landline telephone. High-end devices are now rechargeable and no longer battery-powered because the processors are energy-hungry. For example, there are gyroscopes that allow you to know where your listening attention is based on head or body movements.

The brain also needs to reaccustom itself to hearing in order to be comfortable, like in physiotherapy where you have to do exercises little by little, in the world of hearing you also have to gradually reaccustom yourself to the sound environment. This is why several appointments are necessary. »

In terms of cost, where previously very limited reimbursements could be a barrier to equipping yourself, the 2020 Health Insurance reform with 100% health now makes it possible to have very good quality and fully reimbursed devices. , if the patient has taken out responsible supplementary insurance, which is the case for almost all contracts. There are also high-end, more technological products that will perform better in more complex environments. The devices also help reduce or even eliminate tinnitus.

A profession of passion

It is truly a passion-based profession that appealed to Dominique because it combines caring for others and the technical side.

He is very satisfied with his location in the heart of the village. “Montcuq is dynamic and warm! In addition, as I speak English fluently, this allows me to meet the demand of the English-speaking population.”

Presbycusis, i.e. hearing loss due to age, generally appears from the age of 70. The first signs that you should consider consulting are that you hear but do not understand, or the impression that people are not articulating. At his center, Dominique Papazian stands behind the values ​​of the Audition Conseil group: a sort of moral oath which implies being a good technician with tailor-made and caring support, the aim being to improve people’s lives.

“When we are independent, we are free, we do not depend on a structure or a hierarchy which would impose results, volumes, figures. »

The Montcuq center is currently open by appointment Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Cécile INGALLS

Hearing Council 19 boulevard Chapou 46800 Montcuq-en-Quercy-Blanc. Rens. 05 63 39 17 52 / [email protected]

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