What if you could accurately test your own hearing in your own living room at no cost and in complete confidentiality. Would you do it? That opportunity exists. The National Hearing Test is a telephone test developed by researchers at Communications Disorders Technology and the University of Indiana, based on an existing Dutch model. The research was funded … Continue reading Test Your Hearing — In Your Own Home.

Thanks to fellow blogger Shari Eberts for this nice review. Source: Interesting Reads -- Living Better With Hearing Loss By Katherine Bouton

October is National Audiology Awareness Month, which seems a good time to ask: Do you know how to find an audiologist to test your hearing or help you choose a hearing aid? If you’re unsure — or shaking your head no — you’re not alone. In a short video I saw last weekend at a … Continue reading Do You Know How to Find an Audiologist?

The ads call them “invisible hearing aids,” describing them as “discreet,” “well-hidden” and “virtually undetectable.” Perhaps that sounds appealing, but it also sends an unintended and damaging message: Hearing aids are shameful and something to be hidden. You might as well wear a bag over your head. The ads also reinforce the notion that wearing … Continue reading Invisible Hearing Aids’ Misguided Message.

Here’s another reason to limit the use of common painkillers: a higher risk of hearing loss. Many of us pop up to eight pills a day of aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil) or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) in accordance with the daily maximums noted on the pill bottles. These are over-the-counter drugs after all, presumed safe. … Continue reading Common Painkillers Could be Harming Your Hearing.

Hearing Loss Solutions Need More Technology, Federal Support With only a fraction of the 30 million Americans with age-related hearing loss (out of 48 million of all ages) using hearing devices, “the time is ripe for a technology solution that could be helped along by federal action,” said geriatrician Christine Cassel, M.D., last week in a … Continue reading Straight Talk on Hearing Aids from a Federal Commission

It clearly was a moving memorial service for a longtime friend who had died after a long illness, but I sat in silence, unable to hear the poignant stories and loving words from family and friends. The problem was something I’ve encountered all too often before: A house of worship without the technology to allow … Continue reading Frustrated by Silence at a Funeral

Posted: 09/09/2015 by Katherine Bouton | 0 Comments Are restaurant owners finally getting the message that dining out shouldn’t come with a giant helping of noise? This summer, articles appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the New York Times and Bloomberg.com extolling the efforts some upscale restaurants are  making to tone down the din. Many of … Continue reading Noisy Restaurant? How to Hear Better

Posted: 09/02/2015 It’s a boon for people with hearing loss, widely used in northern Europe, and yet in this country it still remains relatively unknown and under-utilized by millions who could benefit from it. I’m talking about induction looping, which has been available in the U.S. for years. For those unfamiliar with this ingenious device, … Continue reading Why is This ‘Technological Godsend’ Still a Secret?

No disability? Guess what. You benefit from the Americans With Disabilities Act every single day. Let’s start with wheelchair access. Parents pushing strollers, travelers with rolling suitcases, bicyclists (who should be walking the bike, not riding), workers with hand trucks, shoppers with carts full of groceries — none of these are the intended beneficiaries of wheelchair … Continue reading How The ADA Benefits All of Us — Yes, YOU!