Open Hours:  Tues, Fri - 9 am to 5 pm       Wed, Thurs - 12 pm to 8 pm        Sat - 9 am to 4 pm         5544 Calgary Trail, Edmonton T6H 4K1

Who We Are

OUR NAME

There are 44 speech sounds in the English language which help people to distinguish one word or meaning from another.

In the English language, there are 44 distinct speech sounds, known as phonemes. These sounds play a crucial role in helping individuals differentiate between words and convey meaning effectively. From the crisp “s” sound in “sun” to the soft “th” sound in “this,” each phoneme contributes to the richness and clarity of communication. Understanding these speech sounds is essential not only for language learners but also for individuals with hearing impairments who rely on phonetic distinctions to interpret spoken language. Whether it’s the vowel sounds that give poetry its musicality or the consonant clusters that shape our everyday conversations, the diversity of speech sounds forms the foundation of linguistic expression in English.

  • In !Xóõ, spoken in Botswana, you’ll find a whopping 140 speech sounds! That’s a wide range of phonetic distinctions, including unique click consonants.
  • Hawaiian, on the other hand, has one of the tiniest speech sound inventories out there, boasting just around 13 consonants and five vowels. It may be small, but it packs a punch!
  • Mandarin Chinese is famous for its vast array of syllables, but surprisingly, it doesn’t have as many distinct speech sounds as you might expect. With only around 21 to 23 consonants and 6 to 9 vowels, it’s a testament to how varied language can be.

 

OUR STORY

My goal is to prevent your hearing disabilities from becoming handicaps. People with hearing loss experience reduced audibility and increased difficulty hearing in noisy environments. While audibility can be easily compensated through any hearing aids, addressing difficulties in noisy environments requires treatments with properly selected hearing devices. Every manufacturer releases hearing aids with four technological levels. The difference lies in the number of features that help manage noise and provide better sound. If people are unaware of these levels and are coerced into purchasing entry-level devices, they end up feeling frustrated and negative.

I negotiate prices with the manufacturers and pass the savings on to my clients, not into my pockets. So, I help my clients access premium-level hearing aids at entry-level prices because I believe that HEARING is a civil right regardless of anyone’s socioeconomic status. Additionally, I believe that simply wearing hearing aids is not sufficient to solve communication problems. My support and rehabilitation process will help you learn how to select a listening environment, adapt to it, and minimize the effects of background noise. I provide an honest service, just like the good old days when honesty was the core of moral values.

No pressure!I understand that hearing aids aren’t for everyone, and not everyone has the will or capacity to bother learning how to use them. Hearing loss treatment actively engages brain activities: recognition, memorization, tracking, practicing. The process demands a significant amount of effort and discipline, attributes that not everyone possesses or desires to cultivate.

Hearing loss isn’t an illness; it’s a symptom. Some people are beaten down by health problems, worn out by life. So, the sole valid excuse for refraining from purchasing hearing aids is if you are severely incapacitated by illness, experiencing a state of mere existence, and lack interest. Your excuse is accepted.

Our commitments to you

  • We prioritize honesty and respect, ensuring no misrepresentation of the hearing aid’s performance, appearance, benefits, elements, or use.
  • Our support is unlimited, offering counseling, advice, and education whenever you need it.
  • Expect a prompt response from our team within one hour, always communicated in plain English.
  • We’re here to provide emotional support and guidance every step of the way.
  • Our passion lies in enhancing your ability to fully communicate with others, restoring relationships with your family, coworkers, and friends, and ending the loneliness and isolation associated with hearing loss.
  • We guarantee a cash-back return within 28 days, allowing you to return your aid and receive a full refund if you’re not satisfied with our service within the trial period.
  • Rest assured, your information remains confidential and will not be shared without your prior consent, limited only to those involved in your hearing health.

 

Kate Powell

Kate Powell

Credentials

The founder and owner of The 44 Sounds Hearing Aid Clinic,

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.),

Registered Hearing Aid Practitioner (RHAP)

Board Certified Hearing Instrument Science (BC-HIS).

My Story

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved people. I love chatting with them, being around them, and taking care of them—it has always fulfilled my soul. I’ve always wanted to repay the kindness that was shown to me.

The high demand, the feeling of making a difference, and the constant opportunities to focus on others motivated me to choose a career in healthcare. Hearing care includes not only meeting my clients’ physical needs but also their emotional, social, and spiritual needs. My role is not only to be a hearing caretaker but, in some circumstances, to be a friend, a confidante, and a trusted adviser.

I became a hearing aid practitioner by choice, but before that, I had a few twists and turns in my career choices.

I started out as a biology major. I studied human physiology because at that time, I was full of dreams and desperately wanted to become a psychologist, but I was not accepted into the program. Biology was the alternative choice for me at that time, and I have always loved human science. At the end of my last year of school, I was involved in group research in the field of physiology and very quickly understood that I’m not a scientist by nature and science disconnected me from people.

A few months before my graduation, I was already working at a film company as a practical assistant in the formulation of scientific facts and its conceptualization. Another year and I was a film producer. That was a great time.

Then, against all odds, I dropped out of the successful but pointless race in the film business, got married, and moved abroad. I learned Dutch and worked as a supervisor in-store in Amsterdam and raised my first child.

When I had free time, I found myself reading my old books on anatomy and physiology and really wanted to connect it to a profession that can help people not only get healthy but stay healthy.

After another couple of years moving around the world, having my second child in the UK, I ended up in Canada in the hearing aid program at MacEwan University. I was happy to get my diploma, but I was also anxious about where I could gain work experience. I worked in 4 different hearing clinics with different business structures: a big corporation, a manufacturer retail store, and small family clinics.

Unfortunately, they offered limited ability to learn and grow, pushed me to work more for less time, but I wanted to create my own plan for work, build a service that reflects my goals, not become a money-making machine. Being able to work closely with the people that matter and offer tons of value at a more realistic price is what I am all about.

Now I run my own clinic and try to make the world a little bit better, smarter, and even a bit more fun.

I know I was built for the profession of care, but it took me a long time to find it out. I am a practitioner because it was there all along. I love my profession. When you are in the right place at the right time for the right purpose, nothing could be more perfect than that.

Throughout my life, I’ve had the great opportunity to work in many different fields. For the first time, I can really say it’s not a job, it’s a calling.

I’m here to help people who admit their loss and are ready for the change, who are ready to sign up for a journey.

 

REFERENCE

To create our website, we use follow source:

1Hallowell, D., Silverman, Hearing and Deafness. 4th edition. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, NY,
1978

2Taylor. B., Mueller, H.G. (2020) Fitting and dispensing hearing aids. Plural Publishing, San
Diego

3Katz, J., (2014) Handbook of Clinical Audiology. Wolters Kluwer Health

4Chasin, M., (2006) Hear the Music: Hearing Loss Prevention for Musicians, Musicians’ Clinics
of Canada. Canada

5Esmaili AA, Renton J. Aust J., Gen Pract. 2018 Apr;47(4):205-208. A review of tinnitus

6Ramage-Morin, P., Banks, R., Pineault, D., & Atrach, M. (2019, August 21). The Canadian
Health Measures Survey (CHMS) provides a unique opportunity to examine the
characteristics of the population with unperceived hearing loss-a term that refers to those
who do not self-report a hearing impairment despite having some audiometrically
measured hearing loss. data from cycles 3 (2012 to 2013) and 4 (2014 to 2015) of the
CHMS were combined and used to examine the adult population aged 40 to 79 years with
unperceived hearing loss. the analysis describes the prevalence of audiometrically
measured hearing loss and self-reported hearing impairment. the prevalence of unperceived
hearing loss was examined by selected sociodemographic, health and other characteristics.
Unperceived hearing loss among Canadians aged 40 to 79. Retrieved December 4, 2021,
from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2019008/article/00002-eng.htm.

7Venema. T.H., (2017) Compression for Clinicians: A Compass for Hearing Aid Fittings.
Thomson. Canada

8Cotanhe, D.A., (1994) Hair cell regeneration in the bird cochlea following noise damage or
ototoxic drug damage. Anat.Embrio. Berlin.

9 *Taylor. B., Mueller, H.G. (2016) Fitting and dispensing hearing aids. Plural Publishing, San
Diego

10 Hearing health Foundation. Workplace Hearing Loss. Occupational Hearing Loss. Retrieved from:
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/hearing-loss-in-the-workplace

11https://canadianaudiologist.ca/issue/volume-8-issue-3-2021/unperceived-hearing-loss-among-canadians/

Appointments Available Daily

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Contact us

Call OR TEXT Us

(780) 554-4338

Email Us

clientcare@the44sounds.ca

Our Location

5544 Calgary Trail
Edmonton, AB
T6H 4K1               

7 min walk from bus: 701, 507, 6

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