For Better Care for Older Adults, Think Hearing Loss.

Two scholarly papers published this month discussed the impact of hearing loss on patient communication in older adults. Both found that unrecognized hearing loss may have a serious negative impact on health care in the elderly. In the first, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on January 18, researchers Jan Blustein, a professor of … Continue reading For Better Care for Older Adults, Think Hearing Loss.

Hats, Hoods and Other Hazards to Hearing

Winter is most definitely here and that means taking special care on icy sidewalks and slippery driveways, and keeping those fingers, toes and noses warm. For people with hearing loss, there may be other safety issues. Wearing a hat that covers the ears affects how well you hear. It’s like putting your hands over your … Continue reading Hats, Hoods and Other Hazards to Hearing

In Rural Areas Where Audiologists are Rare, Telemedicine Can Help

In November, the FDA issued a ruling that will make life easier for cochlear implant recipients living in rural areas. Implant surgery and immediate follow-up for mapping and programming must be done at a medical center or specialized clinic, but the new FDA ruling would allow remote programming for later adjustments. The audiologist and patient … Continue reading In Rural Areas Where Audiologists are Rare, Telemedicine Can Help

One Step Closer to Prevention of Hereditary Hearing Loss

Almost half of all hearing loss has an underlying genetic cause. Late-onset hearing loss, which occurs after the acquisition of speech, may appear in generation after generation, often progressing to a severe or even profound loss. Or it may skip generations, passing the faulty gene along to unsuspecting offspring. Those affected, even if they were … Continue reading One Step Closer to Prevention of Hereditary Hearing Loss