Need Help Paying for that Hearing Aid? Here’s How to Get it

95% of Americans with hearing loss could benefit from the use of hearing aids.

(ARA) – “No one should go without a needed hearing aid because of an inability to pay,” says Dr. Sergei Kochkin, executive director of the Better Hearing Institute (BHI).

That’s why BHI has just published Your Guide to Financial Assistance for Hearing Aids – the first comprehensive guide on how people can obtain financial assistance to purchase hearing aids.

According to BHI, two out of three adults with hearing loss do not use hearing aids because of financial constraints.

“Of the thousands of annual inquires we receive, the most frequent topic concerns financial assistance for hearing aid purchases,” Kochkin says.

For the free hearing guide, go to www.betterhearing.org and click on “Request Hearing Loss Guides.” It will help you quickly and easily identify charitable foundations, private organizations, insurance plans, corporate benefits and government programs that can help you get the hearing healthcare you need.

Of the more than 34 million Americans with hearing loss, at least 95 percent could benefit from hearing aids.

When left untreated, hearing loss reduces earning power, disrupts relationships, causes a wide array of psychological problems, impairs cognitive functioning and even has negative health effects. Those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal. Hearing loss is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today. And six out of 10 Americans with hearing loss are below retirement age.

Hearing loss can impact one's personal and professional life, leading to isolation and withdrawal.

Untreated hearing loss is linked to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions. Advances in digital technology have dramatically improved hearing aids in recent years, making them smaller with better sound quality. Designs are modern, sleek and discreet. Clarity, greater directionality, better speech audibility in a variety of environments, better cell phone compatibility, less whistling and feedback than hearing aids of the past and greater ruggedness for active lifestyles are common features.

“Many Americans of all ages with unaddressed hearing loss can benefit from the use of hearing aids,” says Kochkin. “We hope that this financial guide will help people get the hearing aids they need to appropriately address their hearing loss and improve their lives.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Open Fit Hearing Aids Provide Debate for Audiologists

In the following clip, Dr. Gwen Kandula gives a simple explanation of how open fit hearing aids work and who they work for. She explains that they are small, worn behind the ear, and carry high frequency sound down to the ear canal through tubing the size of fishing line. But how do audiologists feel about the different types of open fit hearing aids? Read on to find out.

In April, 2009, The Hearing Journal published a round table discussion on open-canal hearing aid fittings. Audiologists weighed in on open fit hearing aids. They provided non-biased insight (specific brands were actually “bleeped” out) on the advantages and disadvantages to this type of aid.

As explained by Dr. Gus Mueller, open fits hearing aids are also called “open-canal” hearing aids, or OCs. There are two types, the receiver-in-canal (RIC) and the receiver-in-the-aid (RITA).

Mueller noted that some surveys, including one published by the Hearing Journal/Audiology Online, conclude that the RIC style is the most advantageous. However, panelists believe there is not enough evidence to support this.

Some claimed that advantages to RIC include a smoother response, better sound quality, and more high-frequency gain. Disadvantages to the RIC model noted by the panelists included blockage created by debris in the ear canal.

Regardless of varying opinions, one thing the panelists agreed upon was the fact that those fitted with OCs should wait about a week before asking a doctor to adjust their amplification. It takes at least this much time to adjust to the new, “different” sound of the OC.

For superior, well-rounded insight on open fit hearing aids, read the entire discussion here: Discussion on Open-Canal Hearing Aid Fittings

Source: The Hearing Journal, Vol. 62., No. 4, YouTube

We’ve Moved!

SAN DIEGO – February 19, 2010 – TV Ears, a manufacturer of doctor-recommended TV listening solutions, announced today its relocation to a new headquarters in order to keep up with growth on many fronts.  
 
The company’s move was triggered as a result of its recent product development expansion, the creation of a new IT department and a clear need to accommodate more employees.
 
“TV Ears has already helped more than 1 million people hear the TV more clearly and we’re going to raise that number by expanding our operations,” said George Dennis, Founder and CEO of TV Ears. “We outgrew the old location and the new space will not only accommodate our people, but our increasing technical needs as well.”
 
The new 15,000-square foot office space is nearly double the size of the previous location. In addition, the building enables the company to operate more efficiently by bringing three local warehouses together under one roof.
 
“While we process orders from a number of facilities, the majority of our direct shipments come out of San Diego. The ability to combine our three local warehouses played a part in selecting this location,” said Dennis. “It’s a really exciting move and is a strong indicator of the type of success to come.”
 
Our new offices are located at:

 2701 Via Orange Way, Suite 1
Spring Valley, CA 91978.

*Please note that all web site orders placed after 6 am PST Friday, February 19, will be shipped on Monday, February 22, 2010.

TV Ears

Cochlear Implants… Who Needs Them?

The ongoing debate about cochlear implants can be frustrating for those in need of hearing help. Currently cochlear implants are the only way to obtain help and financial reprieve for those with hearing loss. Such an invasive surgery leaves many concerned about how much they will benefit.

Age is not the best predictor of how well someone will fair with the use of a cochlear implant.

In an interview on National Public Radio, Dr. John Niparko of John Hopkins University shares that age  is not the best predictor of how well someone will fair with the use of a cochlear implant.

According to Dr. Niparko, “The duration of deafness was a much more important predictor of how the performance level would play out over time” (npr.com).

The government won’t cover the cost of hearing aids, but they will cover the cost of cochlear implants…if the need is great enough. So who qualifies? The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) reports the following groups may qualify:

• adults with severe to profound hearing loss who benefit minimally from hearing aids 
• children with profound hearing loss and little progress developing auditory skills

Listen to the entire interview reported by Joseph Shapiro at npr.org. Read ASHA’s complete “Cochlear Implants Fact Sheet” to learn more about cochlear implants.

Sources: National Public Radio, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Caution: Read Before Wearing Earbuds

Is your use of earbuds putting your hearing health in danger?

Earbuds have changed the way we listen to music: they are smaller and often more comfortable. They also block out extra noise so the wearer can hear a full range of crisp sound (Mahalo.com). But are they safe to use?

A study by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) examined the usage of earbuds and headphones by students and adults. Results determined that usage was  “detrimental to hearing health” in both groups. Students were more likely to set the volume at high, and adults were more likely to use MP3 players for an extended amount of time (Technewsworld.com). To read the full results of ASHA’s poll, click here. 

In addition to the reminder to keep the volume down, ASHA recommends some basic tips : 

1. If you can’t hear the person next to you when talking, the volume is set too high. 
2. If the person next to you can hear the music through your headphones the volume is set too high.
3. Don’t listen at high volume (85 db or more) for more than one hour a day.

I like the first two the best because I know I can follow them. It’s hard to know when you are listening to 85 db or more, but it’s easy to tell by the look on your gym partner’s face if you’re the only one broadcasting your business for all to hear. 

Sources:  TechNewsWorld, San Marcos Daily Record, ASHA, Mahalo.com