26 <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Hear<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Annual report 2009
<strong>Part</strong> <strong>Two</strong>: <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Hear<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>community</strong> 27 Visit<strong>in</strong>g Docker River Case Study In <strong>the</strong> mid morn<strong>in</strong>g 35 degree heat, audiologists Rebecca Allnut and Alison K<strong>in</strong>g from <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Hear<strong>in</strong>g</strong> and Renee Garuccio from NT <strong>Hear<strong>in</strong>g</strong>, pushed open <strong>the</strong> door to <strong>the</strong> Docker River Cl<strong>in</strong>ic <strong>in</strong> March this year. The cl<strong>in</strong>icians were on one of three annual visits to Docker River, an Indigenous <strong>community</strong> of approximately 300 to 350 people. Docker River is a two-and-a-half hour trip by 4WD from <strong>the</strong> Olgas, located a few kilometres from <strong>the</strong> Western Australia border. Docker River is a traditional Indigenous <strong>community</strong>, and for most people, English is a third or fourth language. This poses challenges for <strong>the</strong> education of our paediatric clients, primarily taught <strong>in</strong> English, which are exacerbated by hear<strong>in</strong>g problems caused by Otitis media (middle ear <strong>in</strong>fection). Known locally as <strong>the</strong> ‘Ear Mob’, our staff br<strong>in</strong>g hear<strong>in</strong>g health messages <strong>in</strong>to communities that are already deal<strong>in</strong>g with a number of complex health issues. Rebecca Allnut has visited <strong>the</strong> Docker River <strong>community</strong> for n<strong>in</strong>e years. Our trips are often done <strong>in</strong> collaboration with NT <strong>Hear<strong>in</strong>g</strong>. This ensures a smooth transition between <strong>the</strong> detection and diagnosis of hear<strong>in</strong>g loss by NT <strong>Hear<strong>in</strong>g</strong> and <strong>the</strong> provision of hear<strong>in</strong>g devices and follow-up services by <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Hear<strong>in</strong>g</strong>. Dur<strong>in</strong>g this visit, Rebecca and Alison met with school teachers to discuss results of students’ hear<strong>in</strong>g assessments and hear<strong>in</strong>g aid fitt<strong>in</strong>gs. They were also able to help <strong>the</strong> teachers <strong>in</strong>vestigate classroom amplification options and fund<strong>in</strong>g sources, and provide <strong>the</strong>m with <strong>in</strong>formation about <strong>the</strong> impact of hear<strong>in</strong>g loss on educational performance for children who are learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a second language. Rebecca and Alison also spent time updat<strong>in</strong>g new cl<strong>in</strong>ic staff about our services, and by <strong>the</strong> end, had organised two <strong>community</strong> education events for May 2009 and a talk at <strong>the</strong> local primary school. Over her n<strong>in</strong>e years, Rebecca has met many people <strong>in</strong> several different communities. Good communication between health workers, audiologists and educators is essential <strong>in</strong> ensur<strong>in</strong>g that clients do not slip through <strong>the</strong> net as <strong>the</strong>y move between communities. Rebecca is now well known and our clients are happy to talk to her, as well as ask her for advice. This trip was also used to trial some new <strong>in</strong>fant test<strong>in</strong>g equipment, which will allow us to test babies’ hear<strong>in</strong>g onsite ra<strong>the</strong>r than fly<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>m to Alice Spr<strong>in</strong>gs. Parents were delighted with <strong>the</strong>ir babies’ responses to <strong>the</strong> hear<strong>in</strong>g test, sett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> scene for a positive discussion about <strong>the</strong> importance of hear<strong>in</strong>g. Audiologists who visit remote communities need to be highly skilled <strong>in</strong> otoscopy. In <strong>the</strong> course of <strong>the</strong> week, our audiologists encountered every possible variation on a perforated ear drum, as well as test results which didn’t follow <strong>the</strong> typical patterns. However, it was reward<strong>in</strong>g to see <strong>the</strong> improvements result<strong>in</strong>g from successful ear surgery or a new hear<strong>in</strong>g aid fitt<strong>in</strong>g. The challenges of deliver<strong>in</strong>g an audiology program <strong>in</strong> a remote location are certa<strong>in</strong>ly great, but <strong>the</strong> relationships formed and <strong>the</strong> opportunity to make a positive contribution to <strong>the</strong> health of <strong>the</strong> <strong>community</strong> are <strong>the</strong>ir own reward. “The challenges of deliver<strong>in</strong>g an audiology program <strong>in</strong> a remote location are certa<strong>in</strong>ly great, but <strong>the</strong> relationships we form and <strong>the</strong> opportunity to make a positive contribution to <strong>the</strong> health of <strong>the</strong> <strong>community</strong> are <strong>the</strong>ir own reward.”