Over the last two years, ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr Ekrem Serefli has performed 12 cochlear implant operations at Wollongong Private Hospital with the assistance of Hearing Implants Australia.

That service is now expanding to Nowra.

One in six Australians will experience hearing loss during their lifetime, and Dr Serefli says many people over age 65 will suffer the effects in silence.

"Hearing loss can be very isolating for older people," Dr Serefli said.

"Our hearing connects us with the important people in our lives and allows us to engage with the world. Hearing ability degrades in most people naturally as they age - over half of people between 60 and 70 have some degree of hearing loss.

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"This impacts everyday activities like talking with friends and family, watching TV or socialising."

According to Dr Serefli, who has worked in the Illawarra region for 13 years, cochlear implants are underutilised as a treatment for hearing loss.

"There are a lot of misconceptions around cochlear implants. The thought of an operation can be daunting for people, but the procedure itself is very simple and performed by a specialised surgeon." he said.

Hearing aids help people with hearing loss by amplifying the signal before sending it down the ear canal.

However, the effectiveness is limited if the patient has damage to the cochlear.

A cochlear implant uses electrodes to stimulate hearing cells and triggers the nerve to fire.

They may be effective when hearing aids no longer work.

The implant is placed under the skin, behind the ear with a small incision while the patient is under general anaesthetic.

After the implant is switched on, patients work with an audiologist to understand how the implant works and how to get the most benefit from it.

"Having a cochlear implant is a journey - it's not a destination," Dr Serefli said.

"It's just as important for us to support our patients after the procedure."

Dr Serefli said the best people to explain how the implant may benefit hearing loss are those who have had it themselves, which is why he is starting a support group called the Cochlear Family.

The group will meet for the first time for a special Christmas lunch and share stories about their experiences before and after having the implant.

Nowra man Ian "Tiny" Warren underwent a cochlear implant almost 12 months ago.

"It's just brilliant," he said.

"My whole life and quality of life has changed.

"I was experiencing dizziness, had had ringing in the ears and hearing loss for many years - the results of almost 50 years full time and reserve service in the Royal Australian Navy where I was an aircraft mechanic.

"I was always around engines, jet engines and it was always noisy. Even on the ships it was noisy and I suppose something had to give.

"I'd had my hearing aids for about five or six years and more recently I suffered a lot of ear infections.

"The sweat would get in behind the hearing aids themselves in my ear drum and just caused no end of trouble.

"That led to me having lots of dizziness and troubles with my balance. My hearing wasn't getting better.

"So I went and saw Dr Serefli and we embarked on the cochlear implant and it's been brilliant."

Remarkably he can control the device's function from an app on his mobile phone.

"Cochlears are not one device fits all - they are and can be tailored for your particular problem," he said.

"Through the app I can turn things up - I can adjust the bass in noises and sounds, the treble, turn sound up and down, even cut out some background noise in places like restaurants.

"All from my mobile phone - it's amazing."

He admitted to being a bit hesitant to undergo the surgery and had heard mixed reviews from some people who had undergone the operation.

"For some it's not as big a success as they were hoping," he said.

"But for me, couldn't fault it - it's brilliant."

The almost 76-year-old was operated on in Wollongong Private and said the move to start performing similar operations in Nowra was fantastic news.

"There are people, who don't want to travel to Sydney or even Wollongong," he said.

"Sometimes depending on the issues that have to be dealt with you just have to, but being able to have this procedure in Nowra is a game changer."

His advice for otters who might be suffering similar hearing problems?

"Don't wait, get something done," he said.

"I know a lot of former shipmates also suffer from hearing problems - look into it, see what can be done."

Such has been the success he's back again volunteering at the Fleet Air Arm Museum one day a week, working on his beloved aircraft.

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