taken from Ear Technology Corporation website and
adapted for use at HearWell Center
1. Recognizing moisture problems
Some moisture problems are obvious, such as droplets visible in the tubing of BTE instruments. Most, however, are not so apparent because most problems are caused by moisture molecules, not visible droplets.
Even if you can’t see the moisture, you will likely notice its presence because your hearing aids will not sound as good. You may notice distortion, intermittent failures or faulty switches as the moisture soaks into the diaphragms of speakers and microphones, starts corroding metal contacts and sensitive electronics, and blocks air vents and tubing. It can even interfere with battery efficiency.
It is a good idea to suspect moisture when obvious causes such as weak batteries are eliminated.
2. How does the moisture get there?
To start with, the humidity level in a typical ear canal is high. Then, perspiration introduces even more moisture into the ear canal. Temperature changes cause condensation, as described below. Then of course there’s the accidental dunk in the shower, pool, or washing machine.
Why is water vapor attracted to your hearing aids? Simply put, warm air can hold more moisture than cold air can hold. It’s the same principle that causes your bathroom mirror to fog up during a hot shower. The hot shower introduces water vapor to the air, but the cool air can’t hold all the moisture, so it's looking for a place to land. That's when it "condenses" onto surfaces. It's landing everywhere, but it's just more noticeable on the mirror.
The same thing is happening to your hearing aids all day as you experience different levels of activity and different ambient temperatures. Again, condensation happens when warm air meets cool air, so it even happens when you enter an air-conditioned building on a warm or humid day.
Since a hearing aid has such tiny openings, once the moisture gets inside, it takes special measures to draw the moisture back out. That’s where Dry & Store comes in.
3. How to Get Rid of It
1. Open battery door at night.
2. Use an earmold blower on BTE tubing.
3. If moisture problem persist use the Dry & Store drying unit nightly available for purchase in our office.
The Dry & Store combines several technologies to effectively remove even microscopic molecules of moisture from your hearing aid:
-a controlled amount of heat;
-a large volume of warm, sanitized, circulated air; and
-a charged desiccant to absorb the moisture that is released
This information brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. To learn more about our office please visit www.hearwellcenter.com
Friday, April 25, 2008
How to Talk to your Hard of Hearing Loved One
What is the first thing many people do when they find out they are talking to a person who is hard of hearing? Yell? Walk away? Address another person instead? Ignore them? Many people do not know what to do differently when talking to someone with hearing loss and so even the best intentions can seem cruel. Talking to someone who struggles to hear is not as simple as you might think or maybe it is more simple than you thought.
Here are some guidelines to follow to help your loved one with hearing loss understand you better.
•Ask for strategies that work best; speak louder, slow down, etc.
•Speak at a normal rate.
•Avoid chewing, eating, or covering your mouth while speaking.
•Keep a close distance between you and the listener (no more than 6 feet).
•Use Facial expression and gestures.
•Make sure your face is visible to the listener
•Move away from background noise.
•Avoid sudden changes in topic.
•Give the listener enough time to comprehend your message and respond.
•Do not talk from another room.
•Rephrase (don’t repeat)
•If you are giving specific information (e.g., time for a meeting) ask the hearing-impaired listener to repeat the information to verify correct reception.
•Do not let intensity of your voice drop at the end of your sentences.
•During a group presentation, provide a brief outline of the presentation with any new vocabulary. Make use of visual aids; Be careful not to talk while you are looking at the visual aids (e.g., blackboard) and away from the audience. Re-state any questions from the audience.
•Volunteer to use an assistive device the listener may have (such as an external microphone or personal FM system).
Adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America website.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Here are some guidelines to follow to help your loved one with hearing loss understand you better.
•Ask for strategies that work best; speak louder, slow down, etc.
•Speak at a normal rate.
•Avoid chewing, eating, or covering your mouth while speaking.
•Keep a close distance between you and the listener (no more than 6 feet).
•Use Facial expression and gestures.
•Make sure your face is visible to the listener
•Move away from background noise.
•Avoid sudden changes in topic.
•Give the listener enough time to comprehend your message and respond.
•Do not talk from another room.
•Rephrase (don’t repeat)
•If you are giving specific information (e.g., time for a meeting) ask the hearing-impaired listener to repeat the information to verify correct reception.
•Do not let intensity of your voice drop at the end of your sentences.
•During a group presentation, provide a brief outline of the presentation with any new vocabulary. Make use of visual aids; Be careful not to talk while you are looking at the visual aids (e.g., blackboard) and away from the audience. Re-state any questions from the audience.
•Volunteer to use an assistive device the listener may have (such as an external microphone or personal FM system).
Adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America website.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Communication Strategies for Listeners with Hearing Loss
Whether or not you already use hearing aids or assistive devices (or other methods) to help you hear, communication strategies can further enhance your listening experience. By following these guidelines you will improve your conversations by reducing stress, controling your enviroment,and helping others understand your needs. Follow the guidelines listed below whenever possible.
1. Avoiding Noisy or Poorly Lit areas (for example: choose a quiet restaurant over a sports bar for dinner).
2. Plan ahead when possible for difficult situations.
3. Explain to others how to speak to you. “I’m hard of hearing… please speak slower.” For example.
4. Do not become distracted… pay attention.
5. Use visual clues.
6. Ask for information in writing when needed or written key words.
7. Do not pretend to understand. Let the speaker know if you do or don’t understand what is being said.
8. Take breaks when needed.
9. Repeat important information back to the speaker to be sure you understood (e.g. time and place for meeting, phone number, etc…)
10. Be realistic.
This was adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America's website
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
1. Avoiding Noisy or Poorly Lit areas (for example: choose a quiet restaurant over a sports bar for dinner).
2. Plan ahead when possible for difficult situations.
3. Explain to others how to speak to you. “I’m hard of hearing… please speak slower.” For example.
4. Do not become distracted… pay attention.
5. Use visual clues.
6. Ask for information in writing when needed or written key words.
7. Do not pretend to understand. Let the speaker know if you do or don’t understand what is being said.
8. Take breaks when needed.
9. Repeat important information back to the speaker to be sure you understood (e.g. time and place for meeting, phone number, etc…)
10. Be realistic.
This was adapted from works posted on Hearing Loss Association of America's website
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
What to Expect from Hearing Aids
Hearing aids capture the world of sound for those of us who struggle to hear the whole sound picture. Without hearing aids or other assistive device many hard of hearing people would experience isolation and resulting depression, relationship struggles and more. Hearing aids connect people to people and to the world around us. The benefits are many, but many people do not know what to expect from a hearing aid and this blog will give you some pointers.
Should I expect perfect hearing from a hearing aid? Answer: No. Hearing aids do not correct hearing, nor are they a cure for hearing loss. Hearing aids "aid your hearing" they allow you to benefit from the hearing that you have left.
Will I be able to hear at the dinner table? Answer: Yes. For most hearing aid users listening to a conversation with a few people at the dinner table in their own home is no problem. This is also a good place to practice good communication strategies. (see blog for Communication Strategies).
Will I be able to hear in background noise? Answer: Yes and No. You should not expect to hear without effort even with hearing aids in noisy listening situations; even people with normal hearing will have to work harder to hear in noise. This is a challenging listening situation where many people find hearing aids fall short. However, modern hearing aids have special features to make it easier to communicate in noisy places. Most people should experience some improvement with hearing aids over no hearing aids at all in background noise (assuming hearing aids have the noise features). In addition there are other products on the market that can be used with a hearing aid to improve your ability to hear in noise called Assistive Listening Devices (ALD).
Will loud noises hurt my ears when I wear hearing aids? Answer: No. When you first start to wear hearing aids everything will seem too loud because the sounds in your environment are being heard as if for the first time again. It takes time for the brain to adjust to hearing again. And some sounds may even seem like noise at first until you learn to recognize the sounds correctly. Hearing aids that are programmed corrected for your measured hearing loss as well as your perceived loudness threshold will control loud sounds from being too loud for you. Hearing aids employ compression. Compression does what you might guess from the name; it "compresses" sounds to keep sound levels from reaching your uncomfortable level. This is just one of many ways your hearing aid is acting like a mini computer and "thinking" for your ears.
Will my hearing aids be comfortable? Answer: Yes. It is reasonable to expect your hearing aids should be comfortable in your ears. If you have a hearing aid that is causing a sore spot it may need remade or it may need adjusted or perhaps you need some advice on the best way to put it in your ear.
Will I be able to adjust to hearing aids? Answer: Yes. It takes time to adjust to hearing aids, but it can be done. The brain has to be retrained and for some that can mean a month or so, for others it can mean several months or maybe a year of adjusting. The time it takes to adjust is call "acclimatization period" and it is different for everyone. There are ways to help. First, wear the prescribed hearing aid(s). If you were fit with two hearing aids, you need to wear both. Each ear sends information to the brain differently and the brain needs all the information to sort out the world of sounds around you. Secondly, wear your hearing aids all day. Just like getting used to glasses, dentures, jewelry or contact lenses, the more you wear it the more it seems like part of your body. Once you become used to wearing it, you will miss it when you don't' have it on. The same is true for hearing aids. Not only for the physical comfort but for auditory comfort. Follow the wear schedule that your audiologist recommends. Typically new users start at 8 hours/day and experienced users should be wearing their hearing aid all day (from breakfast to bedtime stories).
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Outside links that I find helpful to share with my patients
Helpful Hints by Dr. Mark Ross
Hearing Aids publication from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Consumer Guide "Hearing Aids FAQ" published by the American Academy of Audiology
Should I expect perfect hearing from a hearing aid? Answer: No. Hearing aids do not correct hearing, nor are they a cure for hearing loss. Hearing aids "aid your hearing" they allow you to benefit from the hearing that you have left.
Will I be able to hear at the dinner table? Answer: Yes. For most hearing aid users listening to a conversation with a few people at the dinner table in their own home is no problem. This is also a good place to practice good communication strategies. (see blog for Communication Strategies).
Will I be able to hear in background noise? Answer: Yes and No. You should not expect to hear without effort even with hearing aids in noisy listening situations; even people with normal hearing will have to work harder to hear in noise. This is a challenging listening situation where many people find hearing aids fall short. However, modern hearing aids have special features to make it easier to communicate in noisy places. Most people should experience some improvement with hearing aids over no hearing aids at all in background noise (assuming hearing aids have the noise features). In addition there are other products on the market that can be used with a hearing aid to improve your ability to hear in noise called Assistive Listening Devices (ALD).
Will loud noises hurt my ears when I wear hearing aids? Answer: No. When you first start to wear hearing aids everything will seem too loud because the sounds in your environment are being heard as if for the first time again. It takes time for the brain to adjust to hearing again. And some sounds may even seem like noise at first until you learn to recognize the sounds correctly. Hearing aids that are programmed corrected for your measured hearing loss as well as your perceived loudness threshold will control loud sounds from being too loud for you. Hearing aids employ compression. Compression does what you might guess from the name; it "compresses" sounds to keep sound levels from reaching your uncomfortable level. This is just one of many ways your hearing aid is acting like a mini computer and "thinking" for your ears.
Will my hearing aids be comfortable? Answer: Yes. It is reasonable to expect your hearing aids should be comfortable in your ears. If you have a hearing aid that is causing a sore spot it may need remade or it may need adjusted or perhaps you need some advice on the best way to put it in your ear.
Will I be able to adjust to hearing aids? Answer: Yes. It takes time to adjust to hearing aids, but it can be done. The brain has to be retrained and for some that can mean a month or so, for others it can mean several months or maybe a year of adjusting. The time it takes to adjust is call "acclimatization period" and it is different for everyone. There are ways to help. First, wear the prescribed hearing aid(s). If you were fit with two hearing aids, you need to wear both. Each ear sends information to the brain differently and the brain needs all the information to sort out the world of sounds around you. Secondly, wear your hearing aids all day. Just like getting used to glasses, dentures, jewelry or contact lenses, the more you wear it the more it seems like part of your body. Once you become used to wearing it, you will miss it when you don't' have it on. The same is true for hearing aids. Not only for the physical comfort but for auditory comfort. Follow the wear schedule that your audiologist recommends. Typically new users start at 8 hours/day and experienced users should be wearing their hearing aid all day (from breakfast to bedtime stories).
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Outside links that I find helpful to share with my patients
Helpful Hints by Dr. Mark Ross
Hearing Aids publication from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Consumer Guide "Hearing Aids FAQ" published by the American Academy of Audiology
Online Hearing Test
I hesitate to put an "Online Hearing Test" on my blog because it is so limited. The best way to determine if you have hearing loss is to visit an audiologist and have your hearing evaluated. However, that said, some people appreciate having access to a survey that will help determine the need to seek audiological care.
Please remember to answer the questions honestly or the test will be invalid.
1. Do you ask your friends, family members or co-workers to repeat themselves frequently (frequently is 3 times a day or more)?
2. Do you turn your television louder than is comfortable for others watching television with you?
3. Do you find yourself turning up the volume on the phone (whether regular phone or cell phone)?
4. Do you struggle to hear people correctly and mistake what they say, sometimes to the point of embarrassment?
5. Do you have to strain to understand conversation in noisy places (such as a restaurant or social hall)?
6. Do you find yourself lipreading people to understand what they are saying?
7. Do you lose the ability to follow conversation when you are in a crowd of people (such as an assembly or party)?
8. Do you request that other people take your phone calls because you are afraid of not hearing correctly?
9. Do you depend on other people to tell you what is being said in movies or television programs?
10. Has anyone told you that you are not hearing or that you should get a hearing aid?
Scoring:
If you answered Yes to less than 3 questions... No significant hearing loss or very mild hearing loss should be suspected
If you answered Yes to 3 to 5 questions... Moderate hearing loss should be suspected.
If you answered Yes to 6 or more questions... Significant hearing loss should be suspected.
This test was devised as a means to assess hearing performance for individuals who suspect that they need to seek hearing care options. This test is not sensitive to all types or degrees of hearing loss and should not be considered a diagnostic test. Only a full audiological evaluation will show the complete nature of hearing loss.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
For more Self Assessments Hearing Tests or Online Hearing Tests or Screenings visit
Better Hearing Institute
ASHA
Hearing Loss Association of America
HealthyHearing.com
Please remember to answer the questions honestly or the test will be invalid.
1. Do you ask your friends, family members or co-workers to repeat themselves frequently (frequently is 3 times a day or more)?
2. Do you turn your television louder than is comfortable for others watching television with you?
3. Do you find yourself turning up the volume on the phone (whether regular phone or cell phone)?
4. Do you struggle to hear people correctly and mistake what they say, sometimes to the point of embarrassment?
5. Do you have to strain to understand conversation in noisy places (such as a restaurant or social hall)?
6. Do you find yourself lipreading people to understand what they are saying?
7. Do you lose the ability to follow conversation when you are in a crowd of people (such as an assembly or party)?
8. Do you request that other people take your phone calls because you are afraid of not hearing correctly?
9. Do you depend on other people to tell you what is being said in movies or television programs?
10. Has anyone told you that you are not hearing or that you should get a hearing aid?
Scoring:
If you answered Yes to less than 3 questions... No significant hearing loss or very mild hearing loss should be suspected
If you answered Yes to 3 to 5 questions... Moderate hearing loss should be suspected.
If you answered Yes to 6 or more questions... Significant hearing loss should be suspected.
This test was devised as a means to assess hearing performance for individuals who suspect that they need to seek hearing care options. This test is not sensitive to all types or degrees of hearing loss and should not be considered a diagnostic test. Only a full audiological evaluation will show the complete nature of hearing loss.
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
For more Self Assessments Hearing Tests or Online Hearing Tests or Screenings visit
Better Hearing Institute
ASHA
Hearing Loss Association of America
HealthyHearing.com
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Temporal Bone Donation
There is much to be learned about the human ear and sense of hearing. The research that is done to understand the diseases of the human ear and the causes of hearing loss and deafness are limited by the inability to surgically investigate the structures of ear without further damaging the organs of hearing and balance. Therefore, temporal bone donation offers a unique opportunity to help further the research on hearing loss and deafness. I encourage you to learn more about this by visiting NIDCD National Temporal Bone, Hearing and Balance Pathology Resource Registry
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center. For more information about HearWell Center please visit our website www.hearwellcenter.com
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Buying a Hearing Aid - From the PA Attorney General's Office
Buying a Hearing Aid
Unfortunately, the Attorney General's office would not give me permission to reprint the article. You can read the "Buying a Hearing Aid" article at the following web address. (go to page 10)
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploadedFiles/Consumers/bcp_book.pdf
For a paper copy write to:
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
717-787-3391
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center, Pittsburgh PA.
About HearWell Center
HearWell Center, located in Forest Hills, PA, provides the highest standard of care to patients with, or at high risk to hearing and vestibular disorders, in a respectful, friendly and professional environment. Audiologist Dr. Yoder maximizes the patient experience and enhances quality of life through individual-based audiology services including hearing tests, diagnostics, education, counseling, treatments, rehabilitation and devices (such as hearing aids, hearing protection assistive devices and alerting devices). To learn more: http://www.hearwellcenter.com/
Unfortunately, the Attorney General's office would not give me permission to reprint the article. You can read the "Buying a Hearing Aid" article at the following web address. (go to page 10)
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploadedFiles/Consumers/bcp_book.pdf
For a paper copy write to:
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
717-787-3391
This information is brought to you by Dr. Yoder of HearWell Center, Pittsburgh PA.
About HearWell Center
HearWell Center, located in Forest Hills, PA, provides the highest standard of care to patients with, or at high risk to hearing and vestibular disorders, in a respectful, friendly and professional environment. Audiologist Dr. Yoder maximizes the patient experience and enhances quality of life through individual-based audiology services including hearing tests, diagnostics, education, counseling, treatments, rehabilitation and devices (such as hearing aids, hearing protection assistive devices and alerting devices). To learn more: http://www.hearwellcenter.com/
Friday, March 14, 2008
Hearing Aids Explained
Hearing aids now accommodate some of the biggest complaints consumers have with hearing aids: Feedback, Background Noise, and Unnatural Sound Quality
Feedback/Whistling
Hearing aids of the past had a tendency to whistle (called feedback), especially for people with more severe hearing loss. Technology today helps eliminate feedback in nearly all situations. Several hearing aids employ feedback cancellation to allow for greater power (amplification) without whistling.
Background Noise
Consumers of hearing aids in the past have struggled to hear in background noise (such as a noisy restaurant). Hearing aids today nearly always come standard with noise management and directional microphones. Both features help cut down on background noise while making it possible to have a conversation. Some hearing aids even do this automatically (others have a button to push).
Unnatural Sound Quality
Another great advancement in hearing aids is the ability to fit challenging hearing loss such as high frequency (high pitched) hearing loss. This hearing loss is very common in the older generation but can also be a result of noise-induced hearing loss found in all age groups. Previously, hearing aids had a tendency to “turn up” all frequencies (pitches) even if the wearer only needed help in the high frequencies. This often made hearing aids sound very unnatural. Today’s high frequency hearing aids allow for natural hearing while amplifying only the frequencies necessary for better hearing.
In addition to the above features hearing aids have even more flexibility with Automatic features, Datalogging and More channels/bands in the frequency resolution of the amplifier.
Automatic Features
Hearing aids can be ordered customized to your needs. You may want a hearing aid that automatically senses background noise and reduces it for your comfort. You may be looking for a hearing aid that will switch over to a phone setting automatically when the phone is placed up to the ear (no whistling). Or you may be looking for a hearing aid that can do both and more by sensing all types of sounds in the environment and making changes for you accordingly. This is a more expensive option, so make careful consideration of your needs for this type of feature. It may be more important for someone who is very active or needs to have use of their hands for other activities (and cannot be stopping to switch the hearing aid manually).
Datalogging
This feature, datalogging, is very new. The hearing aids on the market this year are introducing datalogging as a way for the hearing aid to keep track of your environment and the hearing aid’s activities. This eases the patient responsibility for remembering every time they changed a program or made a volume control adjustment. Because the hearing aid records all the activity on the computer chip, the audiologist can pull this information from the hearing aid and see how it was working for you from day to day and what type of environments you were in. This increased the ability of the audiologist to understand your needs and make adjustments to the hearing aids accordingly. Let’s face it, we don’t go around with a notebook all day and record our listening environments.
More Channels/Band
As the hearing aids advance they are better able to add clarity through increased numbers of channels or bands. This offers a better fitting aid because it can be more closely tuned to your hearing loss. Whereas the aids use to have one or two channels (low or high usually) now they can have anywhere from six to sixteen channels. Think off it as being able to choose how much low, mid and high pitch you want to a degree that is very fine tuned. In everyday terms, this gives you the ability to adjust the hearing aid to your best satisfaction.
What does “Digital” Mean?
With the move to digitization, most hearing aid on the market today are digital. You can compare this to your entertainment center. Try to think back to the quality of an audio tape versus a CD. Most of us probably agree that the CD offers better sound quality. Hearing aids also benefit from the change to digital technology with more stable sound quality and better utilization of extra features and programming. Digital means more possibilities, more possibilities means higher patient satisfaction
Please find other info enclosed. Be careful of the internet resources as there are many false claims online. If you ever have a question regarding these issues, it is best to contact your audiologist.
Written by: Suzanne Yoder, Au.D., HearWell Center
Suzanne Yoder, Au.D. is a doctor of audiology and founder of HearWell Center. She owns and operates a HearWell Center location in Forest Hills, PA (Pittsburgh). Please feel free to respond to this blog by emailing her at info@hearwellcenter.com. You can learn more about HearWell Center by visiting www.hearwellcenter.com
Feedback/Whistling
Hearing aids of the past had a tendency to whistle (called feedback), especially for people with more severe hearing loss. Technology today helps eliminate feedback in nearly all situations. Several hearing aids employ feedback cancellation to allow for greater power (amplification) without whistling.
Background Noise
Consumers of hearing aids in the past have struggled to hear in background noise (such as a noisy restaurant). Hearing aids today nearly always come standard with noise management and directional microphones. Both features help cut down on background noise while making it possible to have a conversation. Some hearing aids even do this automatically (others have a button to push).
Unnatural Sound Quality
Another great advancement in hearing aids is the ability to fit challenging hearing loss such as high frequency (high pitched) hearing loss. This hearing loss is very common in the older generation but can also be a result of noise-induced hearing loss found in all age groups. Previously, hearing aids had a tendency to “turn up” all frequencies (pitches) even if the wearer only needed help in the high frequencies. This often made hearing aids sound very unnatural. Today’s high frequency hearing aids allow for natural hearing while amplifying only the frequencies necessary for better hearing.
In addition to the above features hearing aids have even more flexibility with Automatic features, Datalogging and More channels/bands in the frequency resolution of the amplifier.
Automatic Features
Hearing aids can be ordered customized to your needs. You may want a hearing aid that automatically senses background noise and reduces it for your comfort. You may be looking for a hearing aid that will switch over to a phone setting automatically when the phone is placed up to the ear (no whistling). Or you may be looking for a hearing aid that can do both and more by sensing all types of sounds in the environment and making changes for you accordingly. This is a more expensive option, so make careful consideration of your needs for this type of feature. It may be more important for someone who is very active or needs to have use of their hands for other activities (and cannot be stopping to switch the hearing aid manually).
Datalogging
This feature, datalogging, is very new. The hearing aids on the market this year are introducing datalogging as a way for the hearing aid to keep track of your environment and the hearing aid’s activities. This eases the patient responsibility for remembering every time they changed a program or made a volume control adjustment. Because the hearing aid records all the activity on the computer chip, the audiologist can pull this information from the hearing aid and see how it was working for you from day to day and what type of environments you were in. This increased the ability of the audiologist to understand your needs and make adjustments to the hearing aids accordingly. Let’s face it, we don’t go around with a notebook all day and record our listening environments.
More Channels/Band
As the hearing aids advance they are better able to add clarity through increased numbers of channels or bands. This offers a better fitting aid because it can be more closely tuned to your hearing loss. Whereas the aids use to have one or two channels (low or high usually) now they can have anywhere from six to sixteen channels. Think off it as being able to choose how much low, mid and high pitch you want to a degree that is very fine tuned. In everyday terms, this gives you the ability to adjust the hearing aid to your best satisfaction.
What does “Digital” Mean?
With the move to digitization, most hearing aid on the market today are digital. You can compare this to your entertainment center. Try to think back to the quality of an audio tape versus a CD. Most of us probably agree that the CD offers better sound quality. Hearing aids also benefit from the change to digital technology with more stable sound quality and better utilization of extra features and programming. Digital means more possibilities, more possibilities means higher patient satisfaction
Please find other info enclosed. Be careful of the internet resources as there are many false claims online. If you ever have a question regarding these issues, it is best to contact your audiologist.
Written by: Suzanne Yoder, Au.D., HearWell Center
Suzanne Yoder, Au.D. is a doctor of audiology and founder of HearWell Center. She owns and operates a HearWell Center location in Forest Hills, PA (Pittsburgh). Please feel free to respond to this blog by emailing her at info@hearwellcenter.com. You can learn more about HearWell Center by visiting www.hearwellcenter.com
HearWell Center in the News
HearWell Center was recently in the Valley Mirror announcing the opening of the Forest Hills, PA location.
Dr. Suzanne Yoder was pictured on the front page and an article reviewed the services offered at HearWell Center.
We are very happy to have this office up and running.
Dr. Suzanne Yoder was pictured on the front page and an article reviewed the services offered at HearWell Center.
We are very happy to have this office up and running.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Captioned Movies
Did you know you can go to the movies and watch the latest films captioned?
Many people are not aware that the local theaters provide captioned movies. I have enjoyed captioned movies for a number of years here in Pittsburgh, PA. The movie selection is limited and they only play the captioned movies a few days out of each month, but the experience is worth some inconvenience. It is so neat to understand every word said in the movie and just sit back and enjoy it for once. I often see the same movies twice just so I can take advantage of the opportunity.
If you want to learn more about captioned movies in the theater go to Insight Cinema http://www.insightcinema.org/ or call your local movie theater.
I encourage everyone who is interested to call their favorite theaters and let them know of your interest in captioned movies and ask for the movies you want to see. The more consumer input the theaters receive, the more likely they are to accommodate.
Don't forget to try the hearing assistive devices at the theater, too. I'll write more on that topic another time.
Many people are not aware that the local theaters provide captioned movies. I have enjoyed captioned movies for a number of years here in Pittsburgh, PA. The movie selection is limited and they only play the captioned movies a few days out of each month, but the experience is worth some inconvenience. It is so neat to understand every word said in the movie and just sit back and enjoy it for once. I often see the same movies twice just so I can take advantage of the opportunity.
If you want to learn more about captioned movies in the theater go to Insight Cinema http://www.insightcinema.org/ or call your local movie theater.
I encourage everyone who is interested to call their favorite theaters and let them know of your interest in captioned movies and ask for the movies you want to see. The more consumer input the theaters receive, the more likely they are to accommodate.
Don't forget to try the hearing assistive devices at the theater, too. I'll write more on that topic another time.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Air Travel (Part II)
My experience at the airport was more of the usual. Busy, Chaotic, and mostly Unfriendly. I know that over the years I have modified my behavior and I made a point to "observe myself" (if there is such a thing) and really think about how I was accommodated at the airport.
My arrival in the car was uneventful. My husband dropped me off. I had already logged into the airline website and had my ticket. So, all I had to do was check my luggage. I went to the desk and the lady behind the desk said "Mmm hmm mhhh *muffle* *muffle*" and she was not looking directly at me. I was lipreading and anticipating that she would talk to me. So I knew that she was asking how I was. I anticipated that she would also ask the usual questions about my luggage like "have you had your luggage within your control at all times?" I vaguely remember that the first time they asked this very strange question I had no idea what they were trying to say and had them repeat it like 20 times. This trip, there were no questions about my luggage. *whew*
I took my luggage over to the ramp for the xray and the staff took it from me without much interest. I think I initiated a question about whether or not they needed me to stand by or if I should continue to the security check line. I again anticipated the answer and did some lipreading.
I am realizing that I maintain my independence by lipreading and anticipating. I knew this but only partially realized the extent of my reliance on experience. Anyone new to flying would be neglected in a lot of ways at a public airport.
I got to security and knowing that I don't want to cause alarm I immediately told every security staff and office that I was hard of hearing and pointed to my ears. I make a point to do this with exaggeration so that they pay attention. Lots of people point to their ears even if they are not hard of hearing because of noise levels or inattention. So pointing to your ears doesn't necessarily identify your hearing loss. I thought for a moment that I should have worn my pin (face me I read lips) but I rarely think it works with most people, so I resort to the pointing and telling instead.
I got through security check without issue and there is never a problem with my hearing aids and the detector devices.
I then went to catch the tram to transit over to the gates. The tram had some outlandishly loud announcement that said "HOLD ON" and I could have heard that without my aids. But it would still be a concern for those with profound hearing loss and those with loss of clarity. I found myself wishing that the cars were staffed or at least had bright visuals.
I arrived at my gate and spent some time walking about the airport. I noticed as the time drew near for my flight that people were walking out of the gate and heading elsewhere. I had time, so I followed the "herd" and when I arrived at the new gate I asked the attendant if I was indeed at the right location. I was and the airline had switched gates. That happens alot. So, I anticipated it and watched others for reactions. But I didn't know from any announcement. I was not able to understand the announcements. However, knowing my abilities, I made a conscience effort to be aware of my surroundings, ask frequently when I was unsure and refer to the Arriving/Departing flight boards which give the status of the flights and the gate numbers.
When it got close to boarding time I assessed the group to determine if I would need to tell anyone I was hard of hearing. But the airline had boarding corrals and so, I knew when my line started to move, I was going to be boarding. When I stepped onto the plane I immediately spoke to the attendant who was welcoming us and explained that I would not be able to hear on the flight. I hoped that they would accommodate me by getting my attention when necessary. I probably could have gone into more details, but being a frequent flyer I determined that was unnecessary... plus it was a short trip.
The flight went well and I actually was in "hard of hearing bliss" with my hearing aids turned off. I didn't have to hear the babies and small children screaming the whole way down or the loud engine noise. I just enjoyed my book and when the drink cart came around I gave my order (I anticipated this, of course).
I missed all the airline instructions and announcements because my hearing aids were turned off. I don't recommend that a new flyer ignore these very important pieces of information.
When it was all said and done, my experience was good. But I realize that it was only good because my expectations were lowered. I anticipated everything and I knew what signs to look for and how to advocate for myself. There is much to improve on and I think all the industries can learn from our experiences. I encourage all of you to write to vendors and companies that you interact with and give your feedback. I hope that you can learn from my experience and hopefully be a little more prepared for your next trip to the airport.
My arrival in the car was uneventful. My husband dropped me off. I had already logged into the airline website and had my ticket. So, all I had to do was check my luggage. I went to the desk and the lady behind the desk said "Mmm hmm mhhh *muffle* *muffle*" and she was not looking directly at me. I was lipreading and anticipating that she would talk to me. So I knew that she was asking how I was. I anticipated that she would also ask the usual questions about my luggage like "have you had your luggage within your control at all times?" I vaguely remember that the first time they asked this very strange question I had no idea what they were trying to say and had them repeat it like 20 times. This trip, there were no questions about my luggage. *whew*
I took my luggage over to the ramp for the xray and the staff took it from me without much interest. I think I initiated a question about whether or not they needed me to stand by or if I should continue to the security check line. I again anticipated the answer and did some lipreading.
I am realizing that I maintain my independence by lipreading and anticipating. I knew this but only partially realized the extent of my reliance on experience. Anyone new to flying would be neglected in a lot of ways at a public airport.
I got to security and knowing that I don't want to cause alarm I immediately told every security staff and office that I was hard of hearing and pointed to my ears. I make a point to do this with exaggeration so that they pay attention. Lots of people point to their ears even if they are not hard of hearing because of noise levels or inattention. So pointing to your ears doesn't necessarily identify your hearing loss. I thought for a moment that I should have worn my pin (face me I read lips) but I rarely think it works with most people, so I resort to the pointing and telling instead.
I got through security check without issue and there is never a problem with my hearing aids and the detector devices.
I then went to catch the tram to transit over to the gates. The tram had some outlandishly loud announcement that said "HOLD ON" and I could have heard that without my aids. But it would still be a concern for those with profound hearing loss and those with loss of clarity. I found myself wishing that the cars were staffed or at least had bright visuals.
I arrived at my gate and spent some time walking about the airport. I noticed as the time drew near for my flight that people were walking out of the gate and heading elsewhere. I had time, so I followed the "herd" and when I arrived at the new gate I asked the attendant if I was indeed at the right location. I was and the airline had switched gates. That happens alot. So, I anticipated it and watched others for reactions. But I didn't know from any announcement. I was not able to understand the announcements. However, knowing my abilities, I made a conscience effort to be aware of my surroundings, ask frequently when I was unsure and refer to the Arriving/Departing flight boards which give the status of the flights and the gate numbers.
When it got close to boarding time I assessed the group to determine if I would need to tell anyone I was hard of hearing. But the airline had boarding corrals and so, I knew when my line started to move, I was going to be boarding. When I stepped onto the plane I immediately spoke to the attendant who was welcoming us and explained that I would not be able to hear on the flight. I hoped that they would accommodate me by getting my attention when necessary. I probably could have gone into more details, but being a frequent flyer I determined that was unnecessary... plus it was a short trip.
The flight went well and I actually was in "hard of hearing bliss" with my hearing aids turned off. I didn't have to hear the babies and small children screaming the whole way down or the loud engine noise. I just enjoyed my book and when the drink cart came around I gave my order (I anticipated this, of course).
I missed all the airline instructions and announcements because my hearing aids were turned off. I don't recommend that a new flyer ignore these very important pieces of information.
When it was all said and done, my experience was good. But I realize that it was only good because my expectations were lowered. I anticipated everything and I knew what signs to look for and how to advocate for myself. There is much to improve on and I think all the industries can learn from our experiences. I encourage all of you to write to vendors and companies that you interact with and give your feedback. I hope that you can learn from my experience and hopefully be a little more prepared for your next trip to the airport.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Air Travel
I was catching up on some online reading and looking over Hearing Loss Association of America's website http://www.hearingloss.org/ and the blog by Terry Portis and I was reminded of the struggle for hearing assessibility in airports. I am about to leave for a convention in Orlando, FL tonight and I'll be flying again. I think I will make it a point to really pay attention to the experience. I am a frequent flyer and so I know what to expect when I get on a plane. I have to really think back to recall the first time I flew.
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