Μake us preferred on Google The City of Athens is launching a new social service to support residents who have difficulty hearing. Working with Galiotos earcare, the municipality is offering free access to specialized hearing checks, evaluations, and rehabilitation services, along with hearing aids for beneficiaries who meet the required social and financial criteria.
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said: “Hearing is something we often take for granted, until the moment we start struggling to hear the people we love and to take part in a conversation. That’s why access to hearing rehabilitation matters so much.
With the first Social Hearing and Hearing Aid Center in Greece, we’re taking another step toward an Athens that looks after its people and stands by those who need support. None of us should be denied communication and connection with the people around us simply because we can’t access a hearing aid or the services we need.
I sincerely thank Galiotos earcare for its concrete support and cooperation. Together we managed to create a service that can genuinely change the daily lives of many of our fellow citizens with hearing problems.”
The Social Hearing and Hearing Aid Center, the first of its kind in Greece, now operates out of the 6th Multi-Purpose Municipal Clinic of Kypseli (Chanion 4B, Athens) and serves residents who have trouble hearing and lack easy access to specialized rehabilitation services involving hearing aids.
Opening Of The 1st Hearing And Hearing Aid Center By Athens Mayor Haris Doukas. Credit: InTime Sports
From hearing checks to hearing aid rehabilitation
At the Social Hearing and Hearing Aid Center, residents can access:
● information and counseling on hearing loss
● audiological testing and hearing measurement by an ENT doctor
● assessment of hearing rehabilitation needs
● fitting and trial use of hearing aids
● support and follow-up for beneficiaries
● free hearing aids for those who meet the program’s social and financial criteria
The initiative runs entirely on donated equipment, services, specialized staff, and hearing aids from Galiotos earcare, and is part of #akoume, the company’s broader corporate social responsibility strategy, built around the slogan “we listen, we give, we change lives.”
Deputy Mayor for Equality, Municipal Clinics, and Child Protection Maria Stratigaki said: “Hearing loss affects communication, social participation, and quality of life for thousands of people. Through this partnership, we’re giving vulnerable residents access to specialized hearing rehabilitation services and solutions, creating a groundbreaking new social service at our Municipal Clinics with real, measurable impact.”
Galiotos earcare CEO Konstantinos Galiotos said: “Hearing isn’t a luxury. It’s a right. For more than 60 years, the Galiotos earcare family and team have worked to help people stay connected to their loved ones, their jobs, and their communities.
Creating Greece’s first Social Hearing and Hearing Aid Center is perhaps the most significant social initiative in our company’s history. It’s the natural evolution of #akoume, an initiative that turns our knowledge, experience, and hearing technology into meaningful social contribution. We thank the City of Athens for its trust, and we believe this center can serve as a model for the whole country, so more people can gain access to the hearing and communication they deserve.”
Information and appointments
Social Hearing and Hearing Aid Center
6th Multi-Purpose Municipal Clinic of Kypseli, Chanion 4B, Athens
The center operates by appointment only. Those interested can call 210 8836200 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.).
To qualify for free hearing aids, applicants must meet the following criteria together:
– belong to a household living below the poverty line
– be a resident of the City of Athens
