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drawing of Virginia Legislature buildings

State Delegate Kathy Tran (D), Virginia House District 018, has proposed an amendment to provide funding for the fiscal impact of House Bill 982.  This Bill directs the Board of Medical Assistance Services to amend the state plan to include a provision for payment of medical assistance for all medically necessary (i) adult hearing screenings, (ii) audiological examinations; (iii) initial purchases or replacements of hearing aids up to $1,500 per year, and (iv) hearing aid batteries, up to 60 batteries per year.

To show your support for this amendment, please contact your legislator at the Virginia General Assembly and be sure to refer to "Item 288 #62, Del. Tran, HB Medicaid Coverage for Adult Hearing Screenings, Exams and Hearing Aids."

Not sure who your legislator is?  Visit Virginia House of Delegates Membership.

February 24, 2017

Gallaudet University’s Doctoral Degree in Audiology Program will hold a “Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT) Assessment Day” at the University at 800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC in the Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC) building on Saturday April 1, 2017 from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM.

The purpose of the day is to help you assess your communication needs and “test drive” Hearing Assistive Technologies that can improve your communication at home, work, and leisure.

There is no cost for participation in this program, and no obligation to purchase anything from Gallaudet. However, you must pre-register for the program to participate. Register quickly: maximum capacity will be 15: five participants for each of the three sessions.

You can sign up for one of three 90-minute sessions at 8:30 am, 10:30 am or 12:30 am on Saturday April 1. Each session will begin with coffee, snacks and an informal introduction. A team of two students will work with you for up to 60 minutes to explore your communication needs and technology options.

As an added bonus, each participant will be provided with handouts of basic HAT information and an opportunity to order the purchase of desired hearing assistive technology items “at cost” to Gallaudet.

All of the students and faculty will be able to communicate with you in either ASL or spoken English, and an FM will be provided upon request.

For more information, or to register, email matthew.bakke@gallaudet.edu or call 202-651-5335 and leave a message.

 

 

THE BETTER HEARING CONSUMER
By Gael Hannan

In the hearing loss world that I live in, there are HoHs and there are Pros:

HoH: Refers to a person who has hearing loss and who may also identify as hard of hearing, hearing-impaired, or hearing aid/cochlear implant user. (This term does not refer to all those affected by a person’s hearing loss, such as the moms and dads, life partners, children, and friends.)

Pro:  Refers to someone who works in a hearing healthcare field, such as an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist, but this category also can include an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor, hearing aid manufacturer, and/or an assistive technology sales rep.

…now that we’ve got that out of the way…

If you’re a HoH, you have most likely—hopefully—met a Pro by now. You made an appointment, walked through that door and sat down to discuss your hearing with this Pro.

Read more  . . . . HOH-PRO

 

Hearing aids underused, say authors

Science Daily
Date:
September 19, 2016
Source:
JAMA
Summary:
A new study examined if the rate of age-related hearing loss is constant in the older old (80 years and older). Scientists concluded that hearing loss rapidly accelerates over the age of 90. Furthermore, authors suggest that hearing aids are underused in this population.
In a study published online by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Anil K. Lalwani, M.D., of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, and colleagues examined if the rate of age-related hearing loss is constant in the older old (80 years and older).
Read more  . . . hearing loss  . . . after age 90

 

 

Huffington Post
Shari Eberts 
08/31/2016

I love summer barbecue parties — Memorial Day Weekend, Fourth of July, or just a regular summer weekend. It is fun to gather friends and family to enjoy the summer weather, each other’s company and the casual fare. Parties can be a challenge for people with hearing loss, but barbecues are some of the easiest to navigate. Barbecues are typically outside so the noise doesn’t bounce around the room the way it can at indoor events. Being outdoors also often creates a variety of socializing spots — some might even be relatively quiet! So head to a barbecue this weekend — or host one of your own.

 

Could a sound bar speaker or the right pair of headphones help you hear the dialogue on your TV again?

Not long ago, a reader wrote to us asking for help with a common problem: Due to hearing loss, she was having a hard time watching television. Even with the volume at maximum level, she couldn't quite make out the dialogue. What could she do?

For me, the issue hit close to home.

In the later years of his life, my dad struggled to understand what was being said on TV shows. When I called or visited him, the TV was often at full blast. And yet, he complained, that really didn't help him follow the on-screen conversations. It simply added another layer of commotion.

Read more  . . . TV sound

 

Assistive Listening Device captioned video presentation at the Greenspring Community , Springfield , VA.

Presenters include NVRC's Debbie Jones, Resource and Technology Specialist and Bonnie O’Leary, Certified Hearing Loss Support Specialist, Outreach Manager

Produced at Greenspring Community - EricksonLiving.com‎

Published on Jul 25, 2016

Directed and Produced by Diane Gatsis Havinga

 

 

 

Better Hearing Consumer
By Gael Hannan
June 14, 2016

It’s the kind of news that makes the hard of hearing heart beat faster.

No, there’s been no proclamation of National 50% Off Hearing Aids Day.

No announcement of a little pink pill that will make damaged cochlear hair cells spring back to life.

No scientific proof of a twice-daily mantra that will calm the neurons firing off tinnitus cannons in our heads.

It’s more like a climate change event, with the barometer rising in the world of hearing health care.

On June 2nd, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) issued what is considered a ground-breaking report: Hearing Health Care for Adults: Priorities for Improving Access and Affordability.  A powerhouse expert committee, comprised of members from all stakeholder groups, assessed the state of hearing health care, its affordability and accessibility for adults in the United States.

Read more . . . Don’t Make Us Beg

 

 

Fredericksburg.com
Posted: Sunday, June 12, 2016
Associated Press |

WASHINGTON—Treating hearing loss shouldn’t be such a pricey hassle. That’s the message from a prestigious government advisory group that’s calling on Medicare and other agencies to find ways to make better hearing more affordable and accessible for millions of older Americans.

One proposal: Allow over-the-counter sales of simple devices for mild hearing problems as an alternative to full hearing aids—much like consumers with vision problems today choose between drugstore reading glasses or prescription bifocals.

The report says action is important because hearing loss isn’t just a struggle for individuals but a growing public health problem, putting untreated seniors at extra risk of social isolation, depression, even dementia.

Read more  . . . government advisory group

 

 

The National Academies Of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine hearingHealth_cover

Date:  June 2, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Americans Need Easier Access, More Affordable Options for Hearing Health Care, Says New Report; FDA Should Remove Regulation for Medical Evaluation to Purchase Hearing Aids and Create New Category of Over-the-Counter Hearing Devices 

WASHINGTON – Hearing loss is a significant public health concern, and efforts should be made to provide adults with easier access to and more affordable options for hearing health care, especially for those in underserved and vulnerable populations, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.  The committee that carried out the study and wrote the report called for greater transparency and changes in the cost of hearing health care and expanded treatment options given the number of Americans who have hearing loss and the high cost of hearing health care.  It recommended that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration remove the regulation requiring adults to have a medical evaluation or sign an evaluation waiver to purchase a hearing aid, as well as establish a new category of over-the-counter, wearable hearing devices – separate from hearing aids – that could assist adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.  The report does not address surgical devices, such as cochlear implants, and related services.   Read more  . . . Press Release June 2 

Related Links to report:

 

 

Examiner.com
LIFE | HEALTH & FITNESS | HEALTHCARE
May 9, 2016

 

Why is there such a stigma about hearing loss? Are hearing aids taboo? One in 3 people between the ages of 65 and 74 suffer from presbycusis; the slow loss of hearing as we age. The National Council on Aging suggests that those who do not wear hearing aids are 50% more likely to experience depression, anxiety, paranoia and balance issues and less likely to participate in organized social activities, compared to those who wear hearing aids. A new research from Johns Hopkins University shows that hearing loss may increase your risk of developing dementia. Several studies have shown that those with untreated hearing loss are 3 times more likely to suffer falls than those without.

So why are there such a low percentage of seniors being tested? The average amount of time between noticing hearing loss and seeking treatment is 10 years. The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) believes that the cost of hearing aids is one factor.

Read more  . . . Hearing Aids

 

 

ELITE DAILY
Laura Friedman
Apr 10, 2016

Attention deficit, developmental delays, processing disorder: These were the words my parents heard about me from a half dozen doctors, audiologists and speech-language pathologists. But both my parents (and grandmother) work in the medical field, and these diagnoses just didn’t fit what they saw. When my attention was grabbed, I had no issues sitting still or focusing. Simply put, I was not speaking or responding to sounds.

After 18 months of being tested and retested with one misdiagnosis after the next, someone advised my mother to take me to the school district for testing. This was after a year’s worth of constant speech and language therapy. Fearing I would be labeled, my mother initially objected, but eventually she relented, and within minutes of my being tested, the school district informed her I had hearing loss. I was 3 at the time, and this was only the beginning of a long road ahead.

The diagnosis finally made sense. The doctors started talking about hearing aids, schools for the deaf and sign language, and they told my parents I would never be able to function in the hearing world. My parents were devastated; their world was flipped upside down.

Read More  . . . Laura Friedman

 

 

PHOENIX — At the AudiologyNow! convention here last week, visitors stood next to blowing electric fans to experience how a new hearing aid could screen out wind noise. They donned goggles to attend a virtual reality dinner party to learn how new technology made it easier to hear conversations around them.

But the elephant in the room, as it were, was what was happening outside the convention hall.

The consumer electronics industry is encroaching on the hearing aid business, offering products that are far less expensive and available without the involvement of audiologists or other professionals. That is forcing a re-examination of the entire system for providing hearing aids, which critics say is too costly and cumbersome, hindering access to devices vital for the growing legions of older Americans.

 

 

Some batteries may last two weeks, others just two or three days

How to keep your hearing aid batteries functional for longer. — Andras Csontos

There are few things more annoying than the unexpected beep in your ear that means your hearing aid battery is about to go dead. This is especially true if you don't happen to have any spares.

Even in controlled studies, the life of a hearing aid battery has proven unpredictable. A 2013 report on wireless hearing aids in Audiology Online found that the real-life performance of most of the batteries tested deviated significantly from the standardized measurements reported by the manufacturers.

A battery for larger or non-wireless hearing aids may last two weeks, while another one for smaller or wireless hearing aids may last just two or three days. In some cases, the battery may be defective, but battery life also depends on the kind of hearing aid you have, how you use it, the kind of batteries you buy, and the assistive-listening devices you may use.

Read more . . .  Batteries

Other AARP Articles about Hearing Loss