Chronicles of a deaf Audiologist
Rehabilitation beyond hearing aids and cochlear implants: lipreading instruction, brain/auditory training and communication strategies.
Success for Hearing Better
HEARa is dedicated to the idea that people need the right information, at the right times, to be successful with hearing loss. HEARa’s mission is to reach out to adults with hearing loss and say—keep going. Learning about your hearing loss should be a lifelong process.
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From the chronicles
How to find the best hearing aids?
How to find the best hearing aids? I wouldn’t advise asking on Facebook what other people think of brand X or Y. I frequently see this on social media. I am researching Over-the-Counter hearing aids for a presentation at the symposium for Alberta Association of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta. I am struck by the […]
The link between exercise and hearing loss
Older adults with hearing loss are less physically active. This may mediate the association between hearing loss and other adverse outcomes. Recognition of this potential association is essential (Assi et al, 2024). The connection between exercise and better hearing has challenged the assumption that hearing loss is an inevitable part of aging. Research has consistently […]
Hearing aids are not like glasses: there’s an adjustment period!
If you are like the average person, you’ve waited seven years before getting hearing aids. Seven years! When years pass by without hearing some sounds (such as high-pitch sounds), the brain changes. Here is what we think happens: if you have a high-pitch hearing loss, you won’t be able to hear soft high-pitch sounds. The […]
Vocabulary can help you to hear
Vocabulary is significantly related to inference ability (such as reading between the lines) and listening comprehension. An expanded vocabulary will give us more context. Context can be important in adverse listening situations, in that we can use the context to make educated guesses about what we see and hear.
Hearing loss can strain relationships, if both parties don’t put in the work
As an audiologist and someone who has hearing loss, I’ve seen how even a little bit of hearing difficulty can affect a relationship. It can start with small things, such as missing jokes or quick comments. Common adjustments that happen gradually as we get older are watching TV in different rooms and socializing less and […]
Learn how to read lips No. 10
Context is important when you’re learning how to lipread. This is a shared responsibility; if the other person gives you enough context, you will better understand what they say. The person with hearing loss (PWHL) can also share the responsibility by asking for context. Context includes the topic, where you are, who you are with, […]
People with hearing loss often get accused of having selective hearing
By its very nature, hearing loss results in selective hearing. People with hearing loss have to pay attention and expend a lot of effort when listening. And nobody can pay attention 100% of the time. So the person with hearing loss has to “select” when to hear. Hearing loss is also selective in that we […]
Why you shouldn’t call a person with hearing loss from another room
Significant others and family members often speak to a person with hearing loss (PWHL) from another room. It’s not realistic to try to have a conversation when you are in different rooms, for two reasons: 1) consonant sounds can’t be properly transmitted over this distance and 2) there are no visual cues available, such as […]
“I can’t hear because of tinnitus”
Many people who have both tinnitus and hearing loss blame their tinnitus for their hearing problems. ~Dr. James A. Henry, Tinnitus Research Scientist The Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (THS) was developed as a tool to differentiate hearing problems from tinnitus problems.
Why I became an audiologist
I was asked why I became an audiologist. When I watched myself talking about it on camera, I felt a bit sheepish…