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Eyes Ears Optical and Hearing in Lacombe reopens with COVID-19 relaunch plan

Alberta Government announced plans to reopen certain health services on May 4
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Eyes Ears Optical and Hearing in Lacombe reopens in the early stages of the Albertan relaunch plan. (Todd Colin Vaughan/Lacombe Express)

Eyes & Ears Optical and Hearing in Lacombe is back operating after Jason Kenney said certain health professionals could reopen their practices.]

Sherry Gajardo, owner and optician at Eyes & Ears Optical and Hearing, said she was pleased to reopen after being forced to close on March 27. At that time, Gajardo was told they could continue curbside assistance and emergency care, which Gajardo did do.

“I fixed anyone’s hearing aides who needed repair. If they weren’t functioning I would fix them, sell them batteries or parts and clean the hearing aides. These people weren’t my clients, They were clients of other hearing aide clinics that weren’t offering service and I didn’t charge anybody for any of these services,” she said.

Gajardo said the quarantine meant many clients fittings were put on hold.

“Now I can actually see people in the office to adjust their hearing aides, program their hearing aides and fit their hearing aides and there is a lot of people who had hearing aides on order. Those have been postponed because the fittings have to be done in person,” she said.

To ensure the safety of clients and her staff in Lacombe, Sylvan Lake, Ponoka and Rocky Mountain House — Gajardo began ordering PPE and safety supplied early.

” I put up sneeze guards and barriers right away,” she said. “I have made sure everyone has had N-95 masks and gloves. We have made sure to be proactive in that regard. It helped my College put together protocols for what we would do when we reopened.

“I have posted those protocols on our website so our patients know what they can expect to see because it will be different.”

Currently, optometry is not being offered in Lacombe but is at her other locations.

Additionally, Gajardo was pleased her landlords in Lacombe agreed to be part of the rent subsidy program introduced by the federal government.

“The company that owns the building offered that right away, which was nice. My Ponoka landlord gifted me our May rent, so we didn’t have to worry about that. So far our Sylvan Lake and Rocky locations have not had help in that regard,” she said.



todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com

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