How can I optimize hearing over the holidays?

This is a great question.  The holidays are a great time to reconnect family members and friends we haven’t seen in a while.  It is usually a very exciting and busy time of year.  But for those who have hearing loss it can become a very stressful time. Some may even contemplate missing out on gatherings because they can’t hear. So how can you optimize your hearing for the holidays so that you don’t miss out on holiday gatherings? First and foremost, if you have not had an audiologic evaluation in over a year and feel like you are struggling with hearing more than before, you can start with making an appointment for a hearing evaluation.  If you wear hearing instruments, contact your audiologist to discuss situations in which you notice you are struggling more than others to see if anything can be done from a fine tuning aspect.  Lastly, talk to your audiologist about assistive listening technologies that can be added to your hearing aids to help you hear best in the most complex listening environments.  Roger, an assistive technology, that can be added to your hearing aids can help you hear in the most complex listening environments.  In some cases it can help you hear a single person up to 65 feet away as if they were sitting right next to you, even if you’re in a crowded environment.  Let us help you hear the best you can for the holidays, by calling 440-205-8848 to make an appointment today.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

I’m getting ready for the upcoming holidays and I’m finding myself trying to plan where I sit at our dining table because often times I cannot hear well during such a large gathering, even with my hearing aids. Is there anything else I can do, or is there anything else that can help me?

Listening in situations with significant background noise and with multiple conversations happening all at once can be difficult for those with hearing loss.  It can be difficult for those without hearing loss for that matter!  It is especially difficult if you’re trying to follow multiple conversations.  It sounds like you are very proactive with your listening, especially if you’re planning how you can hear best in advanced. Good for you! Taking charge of your hearing and being proactive is a great first step. However you are correct, in some cases even with the best of planning and top of the line hearing instruments, hearing in a complex listening environments can still be a challenge.  There are assistive devices that can help your hearing aids achieve an even better performance in noise.  The assistive accessory technology that comes to mind is what we call Roger.  Roger technology was developed to help speech understanding in the most complex of environments.  The Roger Pen is a nice option as it camouflages well because it looks just like a pen.  It has multiple automatic modes to help you hear the best you can, including pointing mode so that you can point to a conversation and pick it up, up to 17 feet away!  If you are interested in knowing more about assistive technologies that can help you hear for the holidays you can call 440-205-8848 and make an appointment for a consultation.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

Is there a good return on investment in hearing aids?

When it comes to an investment in the quality of your life, there’s more than one way to measure value. Diagnosing and treating hearing problems has a positive impact on every aspect of your life, personally, professionally and even financially.

New technology has revolutionized hearing aids. They can automatically adapt to different environments, reducing the interference from background noise. There are daily wear and extended wear instruments.  Many are virtually invisible, sitting discreetly and comfortably inside the ear canal. Best of all, many are wireless, so you can stream sound from smartphones, home entertainment systems and other electronics directly into your hearing aid(s) at volumes just right for you.

When it comes to the purchase of personal items that enhance your life, there’s more than one way to measure value. Here are six ways that investing in professionally fitted hearing aids could bring you a greater return on your investment than you ever imagined. 

Using hearing aids reduces the risk of income loss.  People with untreated hearing loss can lose as much as $30,000 in income a year.

There is a link between hearing loss and dementia, leading experts to believe that interventions, like hearing aids, could potentially delay dementia. 

People with even a mild hearing loss are nearly three times more likely to have a history of falling. The intensive listening effort demanded by unaddressed hearing loss may take cognitive resources away from what is needed for balance and gait.

People with hearing loss who use hearing aids, may feel more in control of their lives and less self-critical. One study found that the majority of people with mild to severe hearing loss felt better about themselves and life overall as a result of using hearing aids.

Hearing aids can help reduce the prominence of tinnitus by amplifying background sound.

Using hearing aids can help improve interpersonal relationships.  People with hearing loss reported that using hearing aids improved their relationships at home, their social lives and their ability to join in groups.

Addressing hearing loss really is a smart buying decision. Start with a hearing evaluation.  


Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://aacHEAR.org

Hearing loss and diabetes

Recent studies show that there is higher incidence of hearing loss among people with diabetes then in the general population.  This suggests there is a tie between the two diseases.  The specific relation is still unknown.  They believe diabetes may damage the hearing nerves and blood vessels in the inner ear.

A National Institutes of Health study, revealed hearing loss to be twice as common in adults with diabetes.  Adults with elevated blood sugar but not high enough to be diabetes, have a 30 percent greater chance of developing hearing loss. 

Diabetes poses a multitude of health risks to the over 300 million people worldwide. Despite these findings, hearing screenings typically are not part of the recommended regimen of care for people with diabetes. Most people do not understand the threat the disease also poses to hearing health. 

When diagnosed with diabetes, have a baseline hearing evaluation. This allows us to track changes in hearing. Most insurance plans including Medicare cover the evaluation. 

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, Au.D.
Paula Webster, M.A.

Advanced Audiology Concepts

8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818

http://www.aacHEAR.org

Image obtained 11-18-13 from: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/export/pics/dLife_Images/pwd_or_diabetic.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/lifestyle/diabetic_or_person_with_diabetes&h=270&w=303&sz=24&tbnid=V8JmoFf3YL8HKM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=134&zoom=1&usg=__3fnzLaxX9OtFuq3kt4FHvHrF4qk=&docid=ZW4Gm77Lc1ivZM&sa=X&ei=LEeKUviqGafuyQHg54HwCA&ved=0CFQQ9QEwAA

Why are some hearing tests free and others are not?

My dad always told me there was nothing free in life.  I agree with him when it comes to hearing tests.  I don’t believe there are “free” hearing tests.  Those who offer free hearing tests often bundle the cost of the test into the price of the hearing aids.  It is hard to see the added cost since it is difficult to price compare hearing aids. 

Typically and audiologist will charge for the assessment.  An audiologic assessment is more than just a hearing test.  Audiologic assessment gives in depth information about your ears and hearing.  It is the most important part of your evaluation.  It is the cornerstone form which all of the decisions and recommendations are made.  The assessment needs to be accurate and thorough.  It is performed in a sound booth using calibrated equipment.  The assessment is the first step to good hearing care and properly adjusting hearing aids.  It is so important that Medicare and other insurances pay for the assessment even when they do not pay for hearing aids. 

Audiologists are recognized by the government and insurance companies as providers for audiologic assessment.  If you seek assistance from an audiologist, then the audiologist can bill insurance for the audiologic evaluation.  Besides receiving good hearing care, billing insurance for the evaluation, keeps your costs down. 

Hearing aid dealers or hearing aid "specialists" can perform a hearing test but not an audiologic assessment.   Hearing aid dealers are trained to perform simple measures of hearing.  In most states, hearing aid dealers are not recognized as providers for audiologic assessment and cannot bill medical insurance to be reimbursed for the evaluation.

Give yourself good care.  Have a thorough audiologic assessment with an audiologist.  From there your audiologist will determine if you need to see a physician, wear hearing aids or if other options are appropriate.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD
Paula Webster, MA
Advanced Audiology Concepts
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
440-205-8848
http://www.aacHEAR.org/

Reference and for more information go to: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718164026.htm