For Better Care for Older Adults, Think Hearing Loss.

Katherine Bouton #HLAA, effect of #hearing loss on medical care, Healthy Hearing, hearing loss, Hearing Loss and dementia

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

Katherine Bouton Healthy 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

Katherine Bouton FDA and hearing aids, Healthy Hearing, telemedicine

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

Katherine Bouton Genetic hearing loss, Healthy Hearing, 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

Let’s Make Hearing Loss a Visible Disability

Katherine Bouton Healthy Hearing, Hearing Loss as a Disability , ,

Hearing loss is often referred to as an invisible disability, because there are no telltale markers -- no wheelchair, no white cane. It’s invisible even compared to Deafness, with its vibrant silent language. For a long time, people with hearing loss wanted to keep it invisible. They wanted hearing aids no one could see, they … Continue reading Let’s Make Hearing Loss a Visible Disability

Thanksgiving TLC

Katherine Bouton Hearing Loss Association of America, Holidays and Hearing Loss

It’s Thanksgiving, the beginning of the holiday season. In rapid succession come Christmas and Hannukah, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, not to mention office parties. Like many with hearing loss, I approach the holidays with some trepidation. The most difficult situation for me is a large holiday dinner.  Here’s my advice. Practice a … Continue reading Thanksgiving TLC

Emergency Preparedness for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Katherine Bouton emergency preparedness, Healthy Hearing

This past summer, people all over the world experienced floods, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes and terrorist attacks, not to mention a host of other catastrophes. This is an old column but I thought it was worth reposting. . It goes without saying that everyone should be prepared with an emergency plan. But for people with hearing … Continue reading Emergency Preparedness for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Vertigo, Redux

Katherine Bouton dizziness, Migraine Associated Vertigo, Vertigo, Vestibular Vertigo

I haven’t posted for a while not because I was on a restful summer holiday but because I’ve been experiencing bouts of vertigo and dizziness over the past few weeks. Not only do these sideline me, they also affect my brain. They affect my memory, for starters. As I began to write this post I … Continue reading Vertigo, Redux

About Those OTC Hearing Aids

Katherine Bouton Healthy Hearing, OTC Hearing Aids

Thanks to Gael Hannan for inviting me to write about Over the Counter hearing aids for her column this week, on Hearing Health and Technology Matters. http://hearinghealthmatters.org/betterhearingconsumer/2017/4790/ This puts together much of what I have written previously on the subject, in one tidy package.

Great News for People With Hearing Loss

Katherine Bouton Healthy Hearing

Today the Senate passed the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act, which HLAA has actively supported, in the belief that this will bring relief to millions of Americans who do not now have hearing aids and improve hearing services for people with all levels of hearing loss. You can read HLAA's press release here: Senate Passes the … Continue reading Great News for People With Hearing Loss