Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textMay is Better Hearing and Speech Month On Episode 10 of The Hearing Matters Podcast, Dr. Gregory Delfino, CCC-A and Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS celebrate Better Hearing and Speech Month. Dr. Gregory Delfino, CCC-A and Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS work full time at Audiology Services with locations in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Audiology Services is a family owned and operated hearing healthcare clinic dedicated to reintroduce patients to a new hearing world. Each May, Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM) provides an opportunity to raise awareness about communication disorders and the role of ASHA members in providing life-altering treatment. The BHSM theme for 2020 is "Communication at Work."ASHA has revised its plans for BHSM to reflect the impact of the COVID-19 virus. All consumer/public resources will now be topical to the coronavirus and will feature guidance for preventing or managing communication disorders at this challenging time."Since 1927, the month of May has been dedicated as Better Hearing and Speech Month in the United States. Across the country, organizations dedicated to promoting hearing health join together, serving to not only bring awareness and understanding to hearing health but to shine a spotlight on the issues faced by those with hearing loss." Common Signs of Hearing LossFriends or family say you turn the television or radio up too loudYou struggle to understand speech, especially in noisy environmentsYou have difficulty hearing people on the phoneYou are not sure where sound is coming from, known as localizationYou often ask people to repeat themselvesYou find yourself avoiding social situationsYou feel exhaustion after attending social eventsWhy You Should Get Your Hearing Tested A hearing test is painless and takes less than an hour. Hearing loss may be an early warning sign or red flag for other health conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.If your hearing test shows your hearing is normal, you can tell your friends to get off your back.The Mayo Clinic recommends baseline hearing tests for adults.Untreated hearing loss increases your chance of developing dementia.Most hearing clinics serve free cookies and coffee. Untreated hearing loss increases your chances of falling.Treating hearing loss with hearing aids is proven to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.Untreated hearing loss is known to contribute to depression and social isolation.Hearing loss treatment has been shown to improve earning power.What is an audiologist? Audiologists are experts who can help to prevent, diagnose, and treat hearing and balance disorders for people of all ages.Audiologists provide professional and personalized services to improve persons' involvement in important activities in their lives and better their quality of life. Audiologists' services can help with managing issues effecting hearing and balance, including:Hearing Loss – Evaluate and treat hearing, balance, and tinnitus disordConnect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a text Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textThe Hearing Aid Recommendation Process Welcome to the Hearing Matters Podcast with Dr. Gregory Delfino, CCC-A and Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS of Audiology Services. The show that discusses hearing technology, best practices, and a growing national epidemic – hearing loss. On episode 8, we discuss the hearing aid recommendation process. On this episode, we discuss the factors the influence the hearing aid recommendation process.The hearing aid recommendation process is an intimate process. The audiologist or hearing healthcare provider is making a data driven decision as to which level of technology will be best for you. What Influences the Hearing Aid Recommendation Process? The patient's type and degree of hearing loss The patient's speech discrimination scores The patient's speech in noise scores The patient's dexterity The patient's social activity level Does the patient want bluetooth connectivity? The patient's budget If you or a loved one is experiencing hearing loss, make an appointment with an audiologist or hearing healthcare provider. It is essential to visit a professional. At Audiology Services we believe that hearing technology should be fit by a licensed professional. Questions? We encourage our listeners to forward any questions or comments to the following email address: Blaise@audiologyservicesllcpa.com Learn more at https://audiologyservicespa.comLIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hearingmatterspodcastFOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearing_matters_podcast/Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textIn this episode, Dr. Delfino and Blaise Delfino Discuss: The emotions and anxieties patients often experience prior to their hearing evaluationWhat a comprehensive audiological evaluation looks like The battery of tests essential in making an accurate hearing loss diagnosis Making the initial appointment for a hearing evaluation can be overwhelming: "Who can I trust?" "What if I actually have hearing loss?" "My friends wear hearing aids and they don't really like them. I'll just wait." "I can wait another few years, I get by just fine!""I can hear, people just mumble!"These are statements and challenges that we hear in the clinic on a daily basis. If you're listening to this podcast episode, you need to commend yourself! Taking this important first step towards better hearing is essential! With over 35 years of experience as an audiologist, Dr. Delfino has diagnosed and treated thousands of patients. In this episode, he brings us through the process of a comprehensive audiological evaluation. Episode References: Katherine Bouton: Katherine Bouton is an advocate and educator for the deaf and hard of hearing. Her most recent book is “Smart Hearing: Strategies, Skills and Resources for Living Better with Hearing Loss” (October 2018).  Smart Hearingis an up-to-the-minute guide to the rapidly changing world of  hearing aids, including over -the-counter hearing aids., “hearables”, cochlear implants and assistive hearing devices.  Many of these new devices not only help you hear better but allow you to communicate wirelessly with your smart phone and household devices.She is also the author of “Shouting Won’t Help,”(2013), a memoir  of losing her hearing in midlife and how it affected her, and of “”Living Better with Hearing Loss” (2013).  Katherine’s books are available at Amazon.com or at your favorite independent bookstore.Her 40 year career in journalism began at The New Yorker and concluded with 22 years at The New York Times. She travelled the world as a free-lance magazine writer in the years between her employment at those two institutions.Katherine is a frequent speaker on hearing loss issues, and speaks to both professional groups and hearing loss groups. She can be reached at katherinebouton@gmail.com.She is President of the New York City Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America and is a member of the national Board of Trustees of HLAA.Connect with Dr. Gregory Delfino, CCC -A and Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS: Website: https://audiologyservicespa.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hearingmatterspodcast/Email: Blaise@audiologyservicesllcpa.com Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textChief Audiologist, Dr. Gregory Delfino, and CEO and Co-Founder, Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS, discuss COVID-19's impact on Audiology Services. On March 17, 2020, Audiology Services temporarily closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Wolf encouraged all non-essential businesses to temporarily shut down. Two days later, Governor Wolf mandated that all non-life-sustaining businesses shut down until further notice. Audiology fell under the non-life-sustaining category. While Audiology Services has been shut down for one-month, our team/family has been active responding to patient emergencies and preparing our clinic for when we re-open. We look forward to seeing our patients in clinic in a few short weeks. If you have any questions about your hearing healthcare, please do not hesitate to contact our team at: Blaise@audiologyservicesllcpa.comAudiology Services is a family owned hearing healthcare clinic with three locations located in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Let's Connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hearingmatterspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearing_matters_podcast/Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a text"Approximately 38 million people in the United States have hearing loss.The inability to understand speech-in-noise (SIN) is one of the main complaints of people with untreated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), as well as many people who wear traditional hearing aids. It is also estimated that an additional 26 million American adults possess hearing thresholds within the range of normal limits (WNL), but they, too, complain of hearing difficulty (HD) and SIN problems, as will be reviewed below.These additional 26 million adults with HD and/or SIN problems (ie, suprathreshold auditory deficits) often report experiencing a reduced quality of life (QOL) due to their auditory problems. When these individuals seek help from audiologists, they are often informed that their hearing thresholds are WNL and are subsequently counseled about advantages that can be derived from better lighting, use of visual redundancy, sitting closer to the person speaking, and other advice given to persons with hearing loss in traditional auditory rehabilitation programs. However, it is likely that many of these individuals are not being tested thoroughly or that traditional audiometric tests are not sensitive enough to determine their actual SIN ability. It is also likely that these people are not being informed of commercially available tools that could improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and, thus, address their listening and communication needs and potentially lead to positive benefits. Indeed, Tremblay and colleagues asked why people with normal hearing sensitivity (ie, pure-tone thresholds WNLs) still complain of HDs and/or trouble understanding SIN.The article below reviews published benefits that are associated with improving the SNR for some adults and children who present with hearing sensitivity and thresholds which are generally accepted as within normal limits (WNL) but have HD and/or trouble understanding SIN. We also review and speculate on benefits that some people receive from enhanced SNRs which are delivered through sophisticated hearing aids and remote microphone (RM) systems, and technologies that can be wirelessly coupled to personal hearing aids and other devices." Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a text Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a text Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textConnect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a text Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast