Recall the last time you were in a healthcare environment. What did it sound like? Although some clinics, offices, and particularly the private patient rooms of family practice medical facilities can be relatively quiet, many of them are not. With the beeping sounds of machines, noisy equipment, care givers discussion options, and a host of other distractions, the healthcare environment …
September is World Alzheimer’s Month
Chances are, you may know someone who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. This person may even be close to you, a family member, or a loved one. The lapses of memory, disorientation, and feelings of alienation can be devastating, sometimes making the person with Alzheimer’s disease feel that the people in the room are strangers, even if those people are family. …
Common Misconceptions about Hearing Loss
For a long time, hearing loss carried a huge stigma. People didn’t want to be seen as old and hearing aids were a visible sign that they didn’t have all their original faculties intact. These days, with prominent celebrities like Halle Berry, Jodie Foster and Bill Clinton not just wearing hearing aids but talking about them, that stigma is being …
Things People with Hearing Loss Wish You Knew
Having a hearing loss can be difficult. But trying to explain it to someone who has normal hearing can be even harder. Hearing loss is an invisible disability so it is often misunderstood, downplayed or even ignored, sometimes even by those closest to you. Hearing loss can have a huge impact on your life, and the lives of those who love you. …
Investing in Your Health: Treating Hearing Loss
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 36 million Americans have a hearing loss—this includes 17% of our adult population. The incidence of hearing loss increases with age. Approximately one third of Americans between ages 65 and 74 and nearly half of those over age 75 have hearing loss. Hearing loss is the third most …
Talking about Hearing Loss: Why Your Disclosure Method Matters
Hearing loss interferes with the ability to communicate easily and effectively. Those who have had untreated hearing loss for a while might already understand this difficulty in communication. Untreated hearing loss is a danger because communication is at the heart of all our social relationships, and if we don’t have ways of communicating with others, we become socially isolated. When …
All About Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a very common condition. About 30 million Americans have some form of tinnitus. This figure creeps up to over a quarter of all Americans aged 65 to 84 years. If you’ve ever wondered what this common condition is all about, then read on. Tinnitus is the experience of hearing a sound that is not caused by any actual physical sound …
Understanding Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), together with age-related hearing loss, is one of the most widespread types of hearing loss. It happens when we are subject to hazardous noise concentrations, whether on a long or short term basis. It is classified as a type of sensorineural hearing loss caused by damage to the internal organs of the ear. Noise-related hearing loss is irreversible, …
Tips for Traveling with Hearing Aids
Summer has arrived and you maybe planning to celebrate by hitting the road or flying above it all to visit distant friends, family and destinations abroad. If you have hearing aids, planning ahead can be essential in making sure your summer travels go off with out a hitch. Careful Planning Goes a Long Way Whether you’ve chosen your destination for …
Tips for Driving with Hearing Aids
Hearing loss can affect your life in many ways. One of the biggest impacts it can have is on your ability to drive safely. For many older people, driving is one of the best ways to stay independent. However, if you suffer from hearing loss you could also be putting yourself or others unnecessarily at risk when driving. If you …