‘No boundaries’ to hearing health

St. Vital

Fort Garry

St. James-Assiniboia

West Kildonan

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/11/2024 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s fair to say Arden Brown and Andrea Richardson are tuned in when it comes to listening to the needs of the community’s hearing health.

Brown and Richardson are doctors of audiology and co-owners of Ears for Life, which officially opened its doors this summer at 43 Scurfield Blvd. They are registered with the College of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of Manitoba.

While Ears for Life is a new business and a collaboration between the two women and friends, Brown previously owned ABC Children’s Audiology and Hearing Services, which dates back two decades, and still technically still exists as part of Ears for Life.

To help introduce themselves to the community, and give people a sense of what they do and how they do it, Brown — who lives in St. James — and Richardson — who lives in West Kildonan and is a longtime former St. Vital resident and alumna of Glenlawn Collegiate — will host an open house on Friday, Nov. 29 between noon and 7 p.m.

“Our joke is that we share a brain — we’re two different people, but we work well together,” Brown said. “I’m more of the organizational manager, and Andrea’s more of the advocate.”

According to Ears for Life’s website, it offers audiological services such as auditory training therapy, auditory processing assessments, and tinnitus management.

“We specialize in how the brain specializes sound,” Brown said, noting the business also provides diagnostic hearing assessments.

Brown said Ears for Life sees clients of all ages, but specializes in pediatric hearing.

It has clients from all over the province, ranging as far as the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border to towns in northwest Ontario, such as Dryden and Thunder Bay. Brown and Richardson also travel to northern Manitoba communities to provide services.

“It’s about not having boundaries,” Brown said, noting working in private practice provides a sense of freedom. “We provide contract services to First Nations communities and other bodies.”

Brown said starting Ears for Life is a “longtime dream that’s finally evolved into reality.” And she’s keeping an open mind about where the future may take the business.

“I like to keep things wide open, as you don’t know what the universe will bring,” she said. “I’d just like to see what this evolves into. We’re just getting going, but it’s exciting.”

Brown and Richardson are planning to hold a tinnitus education session in January 2025.

Visit www.earsforlife.org for more information.