Shop owner invites staff to experience hearing problems for a day

Ken Wood wanted his employees to better understand the struggles and frustration people with a hearing loss encounter every day. So about three years ago, at a staff training, Wood outfitted them with custom earplugs and silenced their world. Wood, born with a hearing defect, believes people can sympathize with a physical handicap because they see the person in a wheelchair or the blind person walking down the street with cane. “But it’s hard to understand somebody with hearing loss,” said Wood, who’s owned UpState Hearing in Redding since 1990. The company provides hearing aids and other instruments to assist the hearing-impaired.

Link: http://ow.ly/eHXR2

The Hunt for an Affordable Hearing Aid

Last year, when her decade-old analog hearing aid started making popping sounds, Tricia Romano knew she had to replace it. But because hearing aids are so costly and generally aren’t covered by insurance, she put it off. She would soon learn that in the last 10 years, purchasing a hearing aid had become even more difficult and confusing than buying a new car — and almost as expensive.

Tricia has worn hearing aids for more than 30 years; she’s had profound hearing loss in her right ear and moderate loss in the left ear, the one where she has worn the aid, since 5 years of age. This article shares her experiences in searching for an affordable hearing aid and the roller-coaster that many like her have to ride in their hunt for more affordable listening devices and options. 

Link: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/22/the-hunt-for-an-affordable-hearing-aid/

EPFL and Harvard Seek to Uncover Details Behind Hearing Loss

What actually causes hearing loss in humans? And what are the best therapeutic approaches to this problem? Modern medicine hasn’t yet been able to provide doctors with the right answers in many cases, because there has been no way to observe the tissue of the inner ear, without destroying it.

Harvard Medical School and EPFL partner are working to uncover details behind hearing loss and causes in humans.

Link: http://ow.ly/eFXo0

NICHQ Highlights Success Stories of Louisiana, New Mexico, and Kentucky

States across the country are improving diagnosis, early intervention (EI) services and support for families with infants who have hearing loss. In the U.S., approximately 63,000 newborns out of 4 million born each year fail their hearing t

est. In 2009, approximately half of these newborns had no record of receiving a follow-up test or treatment. 

The Improving Hearing Screening and Intervention Systems (IHSIS) project is proud to report on the success of the Louisiana, New Mexico and Kentucky teams, which have made great strides in improving coordination of care for infants with hearing loss.

Link: http://www.nichq.org/resources/IHSIS-Oct2012.html

Participate in the Healthy People 2020 Process: Now Open for Public Comment!

Public comments are a cornerstone of Healthy People 2020. There will be
opportunities for public input periodically throughout the decade to
ensure that Healthy People 2020 reflects current public health
priorities.

You are now able to (a) comment on proposed new objectives to be added
to the Educational and Community-Based Programs and Social Determinants
of Health Topic Areas, and (b) propose new objectives to be included in 1
of the 42 existing Healthy People 2020 Topic
Areas.

To participate in the public comment period, visit the
online public comment database
. Comments began to be accepted on October 15, 2012 and will continue to be accepted through 5:00pm ET on November 2, 2012.

Link: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/publicComment.aspx?source=govdelivery

Live Videocast on Telemedicine, an update from ATA

ATA’s public policy team will provide
a one hour review of the latest news and opportunities in the field of
telemedicine, with a special emphasis on state policy developments and
the impact of the 2012 elections.

This videocast is free and open to both ATA members and non-members. Pre-registration is NOT required.

When: Tuesday, October 30;  2:00pm-3:00pm ET

Presenters:
  • Jonathan Linkous, Chief Executive Officer, American Telemedicine Association
  • Gary Capistrant, Senior Director of Public Policy, American Telemedicine Association

TO ACCESS THIS VIDEOCAST:

  1. Open the following URL in your browser:
    http://services.choruscall.com/links/ata121030.html
  2. When prompted, enter code 35465

For technical assistance, please contact ChorusCall at: (412) 858-1395.

Link: http://services.choruscall.com/links/ata121030.html

Troubleshooting Common Hearing Aid Problems

There’s nothing more frustrating than technology that doesn’t work
correctly – especially when it’s something you depend upon, like your
hearing aids. But before you take those hearing aids into the repair
center, take a moment to read this article. You may be able to solve the
problem all by yourself.

Link: http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/articles/Hearing-aids/Types/50736-Troubleshooting-common-hearing-aid-problems

We have posted a new paper regarding the effectiveness of tele intervention: Satisfaction with telemedicine for teaching listening and spoken language to children with hearing loss

We’ve posted a new paper regarding the effectiveness of Tele-intervention. This study took place in Australia and the results demonstrate the potential of telemedicine service delivery for teaching listening and spoken language to children with hearing loss in rural and remote areas.

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org/ti-guide/docs/Constantinescu-2012-Satisfaction-with-telemedicine.pdf

The Chronicle: Breaking the Silence on Hearing Loss for Educators

The stigma associated with hearing loss is one reason for
educators being reluctant to seek out assistance, a study has found. Another common
reason is that faculty members worry about costing their departments money if
they request assistance in combating their hearing challenges. 

Jane Brody, the Personal Health columnist for The New York Times, wrote earlier this
year, “Hearing loss, a disability currently untreated in about 85 percent of those
affected, may be the nation’s most damaging and costly sensory handicap.” Isn’t
it time for educators to move out of their silent worlds and get the assistance they need?

Link: http://ow.ly/ekNfi