Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textHappy Better Hearing and Speech Month! To celebrate better hearing month, we wanted to share Starkey Sound Bites latest podcast episode. Our team has listened to this episode a few times now, and we really appreciate the message. In this episode, Starkey President and CEO, Brandon Sawalich, and Dr. Dave Fabry  highlight growing opportunities for hearing healthcare professionals to help more people than ever before. This May, which is the first Better Hearing and Speech Month since the FDA created a new category for OTC hearing aids, Sawalich reflects on how hearing healthcare professionals can take advantage of OTC as a steppingstone towards greater awareness about hearing health. He and Dave also chat about Starkey’s latest hearing technology, Genesis AI, and how it stands up to the competition.Link to Full Transcript.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textHearingTracker was launched in 2013 as the world’s first truly-independent shopping resource for hearing aid consumers. Prior to HearingTracker.com, there was no online resource that allowed consumers to provide written feedback and ratings on specific hearing aid models. Information was very limited, and at the time, consumers had almost no way to do their own product research. HearingTracker is comprised of a small passionate team who live and breathe all things hearing healthcare. Collectively, they bring a unique balance in their professional and consumer backgrounds; Abram is a Doctor of Audiology, Martin is a former manufacturing insider, and Dave is a bilateral cochlear implant wearer.Over the past few years, HearingTracker.com has welcomed millions of people—from all over the globe—to provide their input and participate in their online community. Along with providing consumers information regarding the latest hearing technology, they recently announced their partnership with HearAdvisor. There is much confusion surrounding hearing aids, all the options, and which devices work best. In this episode, we discuss how a team of audiologists and PhD's came together to create a way for you to hear and compare hearing aids online. Watch to learn more about Hear Advisor, their test lab, how they make recordings, the metrics they use to predict hearing aid performance, and more! Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textHAPPY BETTER HEARING AND SPEECH MONTH!!!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.For 2023, ASHA'S theme is “Building a Strong Foundation”Our team urges anyone concerned about their hearing (or that of a loved one) to seek a hearing evaluation from a certified audiologist. Private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare generally cover evaluations. People can take this step even if they think they can’t afford hearing aids or other hearing services. Audiologists can advise people on ways to make hearing aids more affordable, and various organizations offer financial assistance.Aside from hearing aids, audiologists can also identify other ways to improve a person’s listening and communication skills. They can also help families support loved ones with hearing loss.Signs of hearing loss in adults include the following:Difficulty following conversationsDifficulty hearing in noisy environmentsHearing ringing, roaring, or beeping in one or both earsFailure to respond to spoken wordsMuffled hearingConstant frustration hearing speech and other soundsAvoidance of conversation Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textDo you...Frequently ask others to repeat themselves? Turn the TV or radio to a volume others find loud? Struggle to hear on the phone?Have trouble understanding conversations in noisy places?Answer or respond inappropriately in conversations?Have difficulty hearing women and children's voices?Feel like others are mumbling or garbling their words?Miss important information in meetings? Avoid social situations that you once found enjoyable?Are your regularly told by others that you should get your hearing checked? Hearing loss has many causes, but when it comes on gradually, the signs can be difficult to identify as our bodies adjust over time. If you experience any of the signs of hearing loss we discussed in this episode, schedule your annual hearing evaluation with your local hearing healthcare provider. Not sure where to start? Feel free to send us an email and we will connect you with a trusted local hearing healthcare provider to assist you on your new hearing journey!  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textWhen a patient suspects they have a hearing loss, they often enter the grieving process. But, what does this mean exactly? Do patients navigate through the grieving process and THEN purchase hearing aids? Do patients still grieve even after they're fit with hearing aids? You see, grief is not linear. This means that patients do not enter the denial stage, then anger stage, then bargaining stage, etc. In this episode, Blaise reviews the five stages of grief and connects Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development to the hearing aid fitting and counseling process. The five stages of grief, thanks to the wonderful work of Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross include: Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance Why is the mind-brain connection so important when you're fitting patients with hearing aids? As humans, we don't necessarily respond well to change. When a patient suspects they present with hearing loss, enters the grieving process, and is then fit with hearing aids...well...this is a lot of change at once! As hearing care providers, we need to continue to place heavy emphasis on the hearing aid counseling process and understand what the mindset of the patient is. If you suspect that a patient needs additional assistance and you need to refer to a clinical psychologist or therapist, be sure to have that conversation with your patient. If you are interested in listening to Dr. Andrew Huberman's podcast episode on grief, you can do so by clicking here. If you are a current or future hearing aid user, give yourself grace. If you need assistance finding a hearing healthcare provider in your area, please send us an email and we will connect with you a trusted hearing healthcare provider.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textAbout Dr. Mindy Staller I first met Mindy at my family's private practice in 2012-2013. The first conversation I ever had with Mindy was about career planning, the importance of your "why," and the different settings that make up the hearing healthcare industry (manufacturing, private practice, education, etc.). Years later, Mindy and I still stay in touch. The first conversation I had with her made a lasting impression and positively influenced my own career in hearing healthcare. Mindy is a hearing aid user and has worn many hats in the hearing healthcare industry. However, she has a passion for training apprentice hearing aid fitters. She reports how much she loves to see the progress they make in 6-12 months time. Proper training, especially in the hearing healthcare industry, impacts patient outcomes! Mindy cannot stress enough the importance of best practices.  Increased Awareness of Hearing HealthcareDuring our conversation, Mindy mentions how excited she is for the current state of the industry, but also for the future of the hearing healthcare industry. Being a hearing aid user herself, she has experienced the evolution of hearing technology (Analog to Digital Technology). We dive into how there is so much more awareness of hearing healthcare than ever before. However, we have a lot more work to do. While we are scratching the surface and our patients are more open to talking about their hearing loss, we have an opportunity to continue to decrease the stigma associated with hearing loss.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textSTOP Selling, Start HELPING: Why Motivational Interviewing is Essential  The one word that describes Dr. Brad Stewart is simple - passionate. Brad believes that better hearing is served through motivational interviewing techniques to ensure trust is built between the provider and the patient. Think back to the last time you went to the doctor and didn't "jive" with the provider. Did they lack empathy? Were they just having an "off" day? Were they rushing through the appointment? Chances are, you got home and said to yourself, "Well, I think I am going to get a second opinion." In hearing healthcare, we really only have one shot to make sure that the new patients that come to our office for the first time have the BEST experience possible. Why? Because said patient waited 7-10 years to see you, the hearing healthcare provider. If they have a lackluster experience, they may just hang up their hearing cleats and say, "I'll try again in another 7 years." This is not what we want! What is Motivational Interviewing? The most current version of MI is described in detail in Miller and Rollnick (2013) Motivational Interviewing: Helping people to change (3rd edition). Key qualities include:MI is a guiding style of communication, that sits between following (good listening) and directing (giving information and advice).MI is designed to empower people to change by drawing out their own meaning, importance and capacity for change.MI is based on a respectful and curious way of being with people that facilitates the natural process of change and honors client autonomy.The In-Office Hearing Aid DemoDuring this episode, Blaise and Brad discuss the importance of demoing hearing technology during the patient's office visit. The in-office hearing aid demo is an essential element of a patient's first visit. One of the reasons office's should implement the in-office demo is because patient's have been waiting YEARS to hear with increased clarity, you want your new patient to leave your office excited about their new hearing world! (Disclaimer: of course, the in-office demo depends on the patients type and degree of hearing loss.) Brad has strong opinions about the in-office demo and states, "We have the ability during a 90 minute consultation to change that and to let them experience what hearing is like again. And for a lot of these people, it's been half a decade, a decade, 20 years since they've heard normally. And so that's like such an experience, such a light bulb moment. It's a peak experience. It's something they will remember throughout their life this time when they heard well again. And that we would just like for the sake of efficiency or time just wouldn't do that, and wouldn't allow them to experience such a transformative moment, seems crazy to me. And I have a really hard time rationalizing why you wouldn't do that." A SPECIAL thank you to our partners: SycleWeaveReduxFader Plugs  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textDr. Jackie Phillips joins us to talk about the leading cause of conductive hearing loss - impacted earwax! Dr. Phillip has over 20 years of clinical and leadership experience in the field of audiology.  In 2021,  she joined SafKan Health as their Vice President of Sales. From a young age, OtoSet's co-founder and chief technology officer has regularly had to visit his physician for ear syringing to fight excessive earwax buildup. After becoming a biomedical engineer, he invented OtoSet® to solve his own problem. As OtoSet's team of otolaryngologists and engineers began researching and developing OtoSet®, they learned the true scale of this problem and how frustrating today’s earwax removal procedure is for both patients and healthcare professionals. More than 35 million Americans are affected by impacted earwax, which is the leading cause of conductive hearing loss. Other symptoms can include pain, vertigo, tinnitus, itching, and coughing. Additionally, approximately 60-70% of all damaged hearing aids sent in for repair are simply clogged with earwax or degraded by organic materials. The earwax removal procedure is very common but has seen little innovation over the last 200 years. This has left healthcare professionals with time-consuming, messy, and antiquated options to provide relief to their patients — until now. OtoSet® is the first automated and FDA-cleared ear cleaning device for clinical use, which is available to healthcare professionals now.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textNicole Behne is an expert in creating workplace solutions for people in business who are hard of hearing.As a marketing executive with a significant hearing loss, she has learned how to adapt to challenging situations in many corporate environments utilizing technology, spatial awareness and educating her peer group on best practices for engaging with her.  Nicole is passionate about generating awareness and providing practical solutions to the ever-growing class of business professionals with hearing loss.It’s not easy to navigate the business world with a hearing loss. It can be exhausting and cause reduced productivity due to depression, social isolation, and listening fatigue. For coworkers it can create confusion, and reduce collaboration.Awareness, education, and customized solutions are the keys to improving retention and employee engagement with people who are hard of hearing.Hearing Inclusion creates workplace solutions for people in business who are hard of hearing. Connect with Nicole: Website | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textI can't believe it...The Hearing Matters Podcast has been raising awareness of hearing healthcare for almost 4 years. As we celebrate the release of our 100th episode, our team would like to extend our gratitude and thank you for your support! You carve out time in your busy schedule to hangout with us to talk about hearing aids, ear wax, and best practices...that's so cool!In celebration of our 100th episode, we wanted to reflect on the last four years in the podcasting space. I am a firm believer that podcasting is positively influencing the hearing healthcare industry. Patients can learn about best practices and what to expect at their hearing aid fitting appointment in the comfort of their home. You see, hearing healthcare and hearing aids don't have to be confusing! In fact, that's one of the many reasons we started the Hearing Matters Podcast ~ to assist patients in making an educated decision regarding their hearing healthcare. It's safe to say we're doing just that.With 100 episodes released, we've helped people in 90 different countries and 2,235 different cities. What started out as a resource to help patients at the local level turned into a global resource. However, we couldn't have helped this many people without the help of our guests! They are all incredible and we appreciate them dedicating their time. Alone we can't do much. Together we can change the world. I am looking forward to releasing another 100 episodes. Until next time, Hear Life's Story! Cheers, Blaise M. Delfino, M.S. HIS Founder and Host Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast