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.
Areas of interest for hearing improvement
Choose an area of interest to explore ways to improve your hearing
From the chronicles
The Case for LACE
LACE (Listening and Communication Enhancement) The LACE auditory program was co-invented by two audiologists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Robert Sweetow and Jennifer Henderson Sabes developed LACE specifically for adults with hearing loss. LACE training can help you to hear better in background noise. A UCSF study by Dr. Sweetow […]
Hear Better and Improve Your Memory
Did you know about the links between memory and hearing? When background noise levels are high—making it difficult to hear—working memory takes a hit. Research shows that people with a better working memory hear better in noise. There’s also a link between hearing loss and dementia. It’s intriguing, too, that processing speed and working memory […]
Better Listening Can Result in Better Appointments
Running used to be a big part of my life. That is, until I got plantar fasciitis. I tried to get rid of it. Massage, rest, taping, cortisone shots, an ankle-foot brace while sleeping, acupuncture, gait analysis, orthotics, motion-control shoes, strength training, and on and on. At one point I was referred to a well […]
Dementia and Hearing Loss Links
Imagine yourself at a fund-raiser for a posh literary magazine. The room is buzzing with conversations and the excitement of meeting a well-known author. You’ve read his books, and you’d love to discuss his latest best-seller. But your mind goes blank. You can’t remember the name of the latest book. As you muddle through your […]
How Hearing Loss Benefited Me
About a year ago, I had a conversation with a parent of a young girl with hearing loss. She said of her daughter: “Hearing loss does not define her.” I agreed. I think this is true of most people who successfully manage hearing loss. I thought, however, the statement was incomplete. From my life experiences […]
Find Your Turning Point
In a recent Hearing Strategies class, the time came to review last week’s homework. The homework assignment was to notice when you are bluffing, and stop yourself at least once. Anthony’s turn arrived and he drew a blank. “Give me a minute,” he said. “I’ll think of something.” We moved on to the next person. […]
Strategies to hear better
As we get older we have more difficulty hearing in noise. This applies even to people with normal hearing. If hearing becomes more difficult even with normal hearing, there must be something beyond hearing loss that makes hearing in noise harder. We now know what that something is: our brains change as we age. Our […]
My Hearing Aids Don’t Work So Well Anymore
If your hearing aids worked well for several months or years, and now something has gone wrong, this post is for you. Dr. Bob Martin, audiologist, started off this conversation. He pointed out that the first thing you need to do is find out if the problem is with your hearing aids or if your […]
Be Direct About Hearing Loss
You may have heard of JR Martinez. He joined the army after high school, and at 19 years old, was deployed to Iraq. The Humvee he was driving hit a land mine, and he was trapped inside the burning vehicle. JR suffered severe burns to over a third of his body. JR was in the […]
Why Do I Need Auditory Training?
Hearing aids are a good first step in hearing loss rehabilitation. But hearing aids are not the only step. If you have hearing aids, auditory training is critical to help you meet your potential. If you don’t have hearing aids yet, auditory training is just as important. Auditory training has been described as physical therapy […]