THE sounds of the ocean are a big part of 75-year-old Gordon Love's life: and thanks to a new accessory, his hearing impairment is no longer a problem in the water.
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Gordon and wife Marilyn have swum together every day since they met 50 years ago.
A new cochlear implant accessory, the Cochlear Nucleus Aqua+, means Gordon can keep his cochlear processor on while in the water and once again enjoy the roar of the waves and chatting with friends in the surf.
"I swim every day throughout the year, and it is wonderful to hear conversations with our friends when in the water and to hear the splashing of the water, bubbles and the noise of the waves," he said.
"My cochlear implant and Aqua+ have made a big difference to my lifestyle, as deafness can be very isolating."
The accessory is a flexible, watertight sleeve that fits over the sound processor behind the ear, meaning the user doesn't have to worry about finding a secure spot to store their processor while they take a dip.
A specially-designed waterproof coil connects the sound processor with the sleeve.
The device is safe to use in all types of water including chlorinated pools, freshwater lakes and rivers, saltwater oceans and pools, and soapy water.
The sleeve is reuseable and can be used multiple times without replacement.
