Many handbooks and training instructions to caregivers and clinicians in assessing and treating AD and other dementias remain silent on the need to assess and treat hearing loss before assessing and treating mental deficiency. In fact, too often the patient’s family is told that hearing aids will not do them any good because of their dementia!

Untreated hearing loss in the elderly can present symptoms so close to those of AD as to render any mental health diagnosis as meaningless until the loss is detected and corrected. Indeed, there are myriad other maladies and conditions — when coupled with normal aging factors — that can appear to be AD to unsuspecting health professionals.

As an example, the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) — which is considered the gold standard for AD screening — consists of 30 questions delivered orally and include such difficult questions as counting backwards by sevens, starting at 100, or stating the current date, asking who is the current president, and other such mental tasks which require normal hearing as well as thinking.

Add hearing impairment and normal aging factors, and the validity of the results would be suspect, if not inconclusive. Yet that is the standard to which most patients who are diagnosed and treated for AD are held. This can result in the patient being treated for AD with psychotropic drugs, and see a dramatically reduced personal independence and quality of life.

One of the most effective and pervasive ways to delay if not prevent the unnecessary advancement of the symptoms of AD for most people is to assure appropriate amplification for hearing loss.

All people who live long enough will suffer the effects of normal aging to varying degrees. Cognitive shifts will occur along with other changes in physiology. However, by taking care of an advancing hearing loss — and the earlier the better — they stand a better chance of not being over-diagnosed.

If you have hearing loss problems, don’t wait! Contact your local hearing doctor and get a hearing evaluation. HearFlorida has Hearing Care Centers located throughout South Florida. Call us today and make an appointment.

Audiology since the 1940’s has become an extremely important profession and arguably one of the most important jobs in the medical field. They work to figure out what hearing loss issue a patient may have and what the cause of it is. They must be sensitive to their patients as hearing loss is often cause for low confidence; counseling is also a part of their profession for this reason.  Audiologists work with any age patient, from birth to elderly. An audiologist is not limited to practicing in a private office; they are also part of hospital teams, university research, public schools, speech centers, nursing homes, etc. Research can be an extremely important part of an audiologist’s profession. They have a huge role in hearing aid research, and the ability to create the best of the best when it comes to hearing technology.

Audiology has a rich history that is important to anyone who suffers from hearing loss. Thankfully, with their help technology keeps getting better and better.

The findings were astonishing. The active ingredient in most of these painkillers is acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) both are linked to causing hearing loss. In men under 50, who regularly took acetaminophen two or more times a week are more than twice as likely to develop a hearing issue versus men who do/did not take these pain killers regularly.  Users of NSAID’s were also at an increased risk for developing a hearing loss issue. Young men are the most at risk.

The study followed roughly 26,000 male health professionals every two years for 18 years.  A questionnaire was used to figure out analgesic use, hearing loss and a multitude of physiological, medical and demographic factors to ensure validity. The risk doesn’t seem to be that much at first, saying users of painkillers on a regular basis experience 1 percent loss a year. When added up over a long period time, that is when you can see the risk. In ten years there is ten percent hearing loss.

Protecting your ears at the work place is important for people who work amongst loud noises. You can purchase special “earmuffs” which look like in-ear headphones to help protect your ears. They also make custom molded ear plugs which are also another great option. Avoiding areas that you know will be loud can also help. Recreational risks come from hunting, working with motors, listening to loud music over a long period of time, etc. It is advised that you try to wear ear protection as much as possible when engaging in these types of recreational risks.

Most importantly in hearing loss prevention involves having your hearing periodically tested. Hearing tests are recommended for everyone, but even more so for people who find themselves in a naturally loud environment.  Testing is the only way to achieve early detection of hearing loss. Once hearing loss has begun, it is irreversible.  Luckily, our qualified hearing doctors at the Hear Florida Audiology Group can discuss what options and/or hearing loss treatments are best for you.

Dot2 by Resound is the first instrument that provides all the benefits of a full-sized model in the smallest hearing aid available. Today, you can enjoy high performance and the best digital technology packed into one of the smallest hearing aids on the market. Different from others hearing aid devices, Dot2 by Resound does not sacrifice sound quality for cosmetics.  Its sound quality is powerful, thanks to its unique Surround Sound Processor, which offers clear sound quality even in the most difficult listening situations.

Benefits

Dot2 by Resound has many excellent features designed to help you hear more clearly and naturally. 

• Surround Sound – An innovative technology that helps the hearing aids mimics the ear and improves your hearing in noise.  It also helps you to know where sounds are coming from when you hear them. 
• Dual Feedback Cancellation – two feedback cancellation systems that work together to provide a more whistle or background noise free listening experience
• Multi Focus Adaptive Directional Microphones – An advanced directional microphone system with three different settings: 120 and 180 degrees to provide more precise hearing when you need it.  The narrower the setting, the less background noise interferes. 
• Acceptance Manager – Your hearing professional can set the hearing aids so that they automatically increase in volume over time.  This is to give your brain time to get used to the amplified sound.
• Wind Manager – When wind blows on the microphone, the hearing aids will reduce the sound after a few seconds.
• Echo Control – It helps reduce the bothersome effects of echoes in rooms.
• Automatic programming - This means it is at home in any environment, and requires no manual adjustments from you.  Dot2 adjusts to your preferences; you enjoy optimal hearing without having to do anything. This hearing aid really shines in difficult situations like restaurants or parties because of the unique personalized programming and sophisticated directional microphones.
• Out of sight design – Its unique ergonomic design also makes it lightweight and comfortable to wear. It hides behind the ear so nobody else sees it.

Dot2 by resound  gives you the opportunity to choose a combination of technology level, color and even an option to custom-mold to the ear’s shape, for a device that matches the wearer perfectly. It is available in 14 colors to fully express your individuality

For more information about our hearing aids, or to see if the Dot2 by ReSound may be right for you, Contact our hearing care professionals at one of our south Florida hearing care centers.

Alera has been touted by ReSound as the world’s first-ever truly wireless hearing aid with no strings attached. It has been recognized as the new approach to the way a hearing aid receives sound from devices such as TVs, stereos, cell phones and computers. In other words, Alera allows the users to receive sound directly from the device without cables, or wires by using its ReSound Unite accessories. This feature basically opens up a whole new range of applications.

With the Alera Unite TV streamer broadcasting directly from your television set into your hearing aids — without requiring a second device worn on the body to relay the signal into your hearing aids. Also, the ReSound Unite Phone Clip is a small device with a microphone that syncs with your mobile phone and transmits the caller’s voice directly into your hearing aids. Additionally, the ReSound Unite Remote Control hand-held unit gives users push-button control of their hearing aids to manage volume controls and program settings.

The ReSound Alera hearing aids also integrate other advanced features, including:

• ReSound Surround Sound, a sound-shaping system that optimizes amplification for understanding speech, reduces amplification of unwanted noise with personalization options in seven different environments, and suppresses feedback.
• iSolate™ nanotech coating, which covers all elements of the hearing aids with a thin protective layer that bonds at a molecular level with the internal and external components, so that liquids or moisture coming into contact with any element of the hearing aids will simply roll off without being absorbed.
• And for audiologists, the ReSound Airlink wireless fitting technology, a simple plug-in to a personal computer’s USB port that communicates wirelessly with the client’s hearing aids, enables adjustments to the hearing aid programs without being tethered wires.
• Warp sound processing: Sound processing that delivers sound that’s closer to natural hearing
• Surround Sound processor: Treats low and high frequencies to recreate the unaided ear’s natural directivity patterns.
• DFS Ultra: Groundbreaking new feedback suppression system that removes feedback excellently even during phone calls and when listening to music.
• NoiseTracker II: Reduces amplification of unwanted noise with personalization options in seven different environments.
• An exceptionally rich sound quality
• The ability to understand speech better, even when there is noise in the background
• Ability to keep a sense of what’s going on around you
• The ability to locate where sounds are coming from
• No whistling or buzzing on the phone or when you hug someone
• Music that sounds as clear and pure as it’s supposed to

Alera by Resound ensures that its careful design will assist the users in different everyday situations to make their life easier. This innovative hearing aid provides strong connections to….

• People and surroundings: The rich surround sound experience in Resound Alera allows patients to enjoy conversations and at the same time stay aware of what’s going on around them.
• Individual needs and preferences: Every detail of Resound Alera has been meticulously thought out to help people to stay connected without having to think twice about it.
• A professional experience: Hearing care professionals can adjust the hearing aid without the use of any cable, so patients can remain comfortable and concentrate on their new hearing experience.

For more information on hearing aids, visit www.heraflorida.com or contact the hearing care professionals at one of the Hear Florida south Florida hearing care centers, and they will be able to provide more information about the Resound Alera hearing aid.

The ReSound Alera hearing aid is suitable for people with mild to profound hearing loss, and ReSound Alera hearing aids come in three price categories and two types of hearing aid models, both are behind-the-ear hearing aids.

If you suffer from hearing loss, contact our hearing care professionals at one of our south Florida hearing care centers, and they will be able to provide more information about the quality hearing aids we offer including the ReSound Alera Hearing Aid.

Children often find only one other person in their school or neighborhood who is deaf or hard of hearing. The same goes for adults with hearing loss. Joining a hearing loss support group and attending meetings ensures that you have a community of peers who understand what you’re going through.

At certain hearing loss support group, you can get information on the latest hearing aid technology. Technology in the hearing industry advances quite rapidly. Support group members can share knowledge about hearing devices they’ve tried and recommend hearing professionals like audiologists, otolaryngologists, cochlear implant surgeons, speech pathologists, etc – which they’ve dealt with. Support groups often offer speakers, panels and programs on a wide range of hearing loss related topics. Ideally, support groups can provide an information base which can help you make important decisions about your hearing care.

Also, kids going through the teenage years can use a friend who really understands what it is like to have hearing loss. The same can be said of adults and parents. People need friends for support at various times in their lives.

Looking for a hearing loss support group in your area? Two top national organizations offer local chapters. Check out the state chapters available nationwide from the Hearing Loss Association of America. The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has chapters in 32 states. Online support groups can serve as friendship, support and networking sites for people who are unable to attend or unable to locate local programs.

Here are a few other hearing loss support groups:

• Listen Up
• CI Hear
• Hands and Voices
• National Association of the Deaf
• Dangerous Decibels
• EAR Foundation
• H.E.A.R.
• League for the Hard of Hearing

Movie theaters use loudness expansion. With expansion, loud sounds are louder than normal. This is exactly the opposite of what people with hearing loss need. Specifically, hearing impaired people need loudness compression which is reduced amplification of loud sounds. Moreover, filmmakers often use multiple microphones to record speech from several people at the same time. Add background music to this situation and you have the recipe for a difficult listening environment for those with hearing loss.

Whether you are listening to the radio, telephone, TV or watching movies, the quality of sound and the clearness of speech has been recorded, processed, transmitted and amplified. For people with hearing loss, this difference is enough to make understanding a real challenge. I encourage anybody who is having difficulty listening in these environments to utilize the hearing aid technology that is available to improve the sound quality. For example, most movie theaters are wired for sound and allow you to utilize their own personal listening headphones. In most cases, this will dramatically improve your ability to understand speech, which is our common goal.

Having problems hearing at the movies, listening to the radio, or while watching TV? Contact one of our south Florida audiologists and let us improve your hearing ability.

• Gradual changes in your hearing may require a change in your hearing aid prescription.
• A decrease in your hearing may be related to wax build-up.
• A complaint of tinnitus (ear ringing) may be a precursor to early inner ear disease.
• A recent complaint of ear popping or ear pain may be related to eustachian tube dysfunction or middle ear infection.
• Increased difficulty understanding speech may be a sign of further hearing loss. 

Remember; don’t let your hearing fade away. Contact us for quality hearing care from the hearing professionals at HearFlorida and get a hearing test and evaluation today.