In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are protecting themselves by washing their hands, social distancing, and wearing face masks. While the day to day can already be difficult if you are struggling with hearing loss, it can be even harder with all of these health precautions. Read more to discover some tips and tricks to make communicating a bit easier.

The CDC recommends that you wear a face mask if you can, but these can get in the way of communication. Masks cover the region between the nose and mouth to minimize the spread of the virus. They are used to protect both you and others because they significantly reduce the chances of the virus spreading.

According to a survey completed by the Hearing Health Foundation, 87% of their 625 respondents are experiencing difficulty communicating at this time.¹ These face masks cover roughly half of your face, making it tricky for others to read non-verbal cues.² To make matters more difficult, if you rely on lip-reading, face masks make it much more difficult to navigate daily conversations. Of those in the survey that said that they are experiencing difficulty communicating at this time, 85% said that the inability to read lips is a problem.¹ Some face masks, like the N95, can even impact our sound level by making sounds quieter and more difficult to hear, and the frequencies of our speech are muffled making speech more difficult to understand.²

As you can see, while face masks protect our health, they also create a new communication barrier for those with hearing loss. You may be asking yourself “Okay, but what can I do to both follow CDC guidelines and communicate?”.

What can you do to help?

• “Communicator masks”
  • Some people have been wearing “communicator masks”³, which are masks with a clear panel in the front. This not only protects you and others, but it also helps you to lip-read or allow others to read your lips.*People have been making these masks at home, and if you would like to make one for yourself or loved ones find the pattern here⁴ or another one here⁵.

• Capture the attention of communication recipient
  • Do your best to face the person, gently get their attention, make eye contact, and use meaningful gestures. We forget the number of visual cues used in conversation.
• Speak slowly and enunciate
  • As you normally would when communicating with someone with hearing loss, speaking slowly and enunciating will help to improve communication. Speaking louder is not the answer.
• Rephrase when asked to repeat
  • It may help if you rephrase what you said when asked to repeat.² Certain sounds are harder to catch or distinguish, so rephrasing what you said may help.
• Reduce or minimize background noise
  • Talking in Costco at peak business hours may be difficult between the amount of people, machinery moving goods, general acoustics, and other surrounding noises. Try to separate yourselves from the noise to a quieter environment to make it easier to carry on your conversation. The same holds true for car radio and TV volumes.

You may have found other ways to improve communication not on this list that work for you, but these suggestions are definitely a good place to start. Whether you have a hearing loss or live with a loved one with hearing loss, following any number of the tips listed above can greatly help others with whom you are communicating. Be sure to follow social distancing guidelines by staying at least 6 feet away from others if you are going to lower your mask or choose not to wear one.

If you think you or a loved one may have hearing loss, take our online hearing test to determine if you should be tested by a professional!

1 https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blogs/managing-hearing-loss-in-the-time-of-covid-19?bblinkid=224128160&bbemailid=21773056&bbejrid=1511420929

2 https://www.foxla.com/news/doctor-shares-tips-to-communicate-with-those-with-hearing-loss-during-pandemic

3 https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/newsmd/coronavirus/6499465-Mask-wearing-brings-extra-challenges-for-those-with-hearing-loss

4 https://www.hsdc.org/accessible-deaf-friendly-face-mask/

5 https://www.instructables.com/id/Face-Mask-Adapted-for-Deaf-DeafBlind-and-Hard-of-H/

6 https://www.startribune.com/i-never-felt-handicapped-until-now-minnesotans-with-hearing-loss-face-a-masked-world/570419102/?refresh=true

 

 

CAN HEARING LOSS INCREASE YOUR RISK FOR FALLING?

One-fourth of Americans age 65+ will fall every year¹. If you have hearing loss, your risk for falling greatly increases. In a study² conducted at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Frank Lin assessed hearing and balance in seniors and found that those with even mild hearing loss were three times more likely to suffer from an accidental fall.

How are hearing loss and falling related?

Balance

Your inner ear is a key player when it comes to balance. It provides signals to your brain that control your spatial reasoning, range of motion, and equilibrium – all vital functions for balance. If there is an issue with your inner ear, those balance functions may not work as they should, putting you at an increased risk of falling.

Cognitive Load

Untreated hearing loss puts added strain on your brain to decipher sound signals. This is commonly referred to as ‘cognitive load.’ If your brain is using more energy to try to hear, ‘there may be fewer cognitive resources to help maintain balance,’ says Dr. Lin.

Can hearing aids reduce my risk of falling?

Yes! A Washington University School of Medicine study³ found that participants had better balance when their hearing aids were turned on vs off. Research Dr. Timothy Hullar’s hunch is that hearing aids made people more alert and helped them ‘use sound information as auditory reference points or landmarks to help maintain balance.’ Not only that, but using hearing aids also relives cognitive load, reducing the risk of falling.

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury in older adults. There are many things you can do to reduce your risk of falling, including getting treatment for hearing loss.

Think you may have hearing loss? Contact Amplifon Hearing Health Care today at 877-806-7054. www.amplifon.com

 Sources:

¹National Council on Aging – https://d2mkcg26uvg1cz.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/Falls-Prevention-Fact-Sheet-2018.pdf

²Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine – https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_linked_to_three_fold_risk_of_falling

³Washington University https://source.wustl.edu/2014/12/hearing-aids-may-improve-balance/

 

Recovering Lost Documents

Events such as the flooding caused by Hurricane Florence commonly result in the loss of important personal documents. North Carolinians can use the following resources to replace lost or damaged documents and records.

N.C. Birth and Death Certificates: 919-733-3000   http://vitalrecords.nc.gov/order.htm

N.C. Marriage Certificate: 919-733-3000  http://vitalrecords.nc.gov/order.htm

N.C. Driver License: 919-715-7000  http://www.dmv.org/nc-north-carolina/replace-license.php

Vehicle Titles: 919-715-7000  https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/vehicle/title/replacement/

Bank Checks, ATM/Debit Cards, or Safe Deposit Boxes: 1-877-275-3342  www.fdic.gov

Credit Cards:  Contact the issuing institution:

• American Express: 1-800-528-4800  https://online.americanexpress.com/myca/mobl/us/static.do?page=un_lostorstolen
• Discover: 1-800-347-2683   www.discover.com/credit-cards/help-center/
• Master Card: 1-800-622-8372  www.mastercard.com/cgi-bin/emergserv.cgi
• Visa: 1-800-847-2911 https://usa.visa.com/support/consumer/lost-stolen-card.html

Credit Reports (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion): 1-877-322-8228  www.annualcreditreport.com

Social Security Card: 1-800-772-1213  www.ssa.gov

Medicare Cards: 1-800-772-1213   www.socialsecurity.gov/medicarecard/

Green Card: 1-800-375-5283  https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/replace-green-card

Passport: 1-877-487-2778  http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/lost-stolen.html

U.S. Savings Bonds: 1-800-722-2678 or 800-553-2663   http://www.treasurydirect.gov/

Tax Returns:1-800-829-1040   http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506.pdf

Military Records: 1-866-272-6272     www.archives.gov/contact/

Insurance Documents: Contact your own insurance agent

SNAP Card (Food Stamps): 1-866-719-0141  http://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/dss/local-county-social-services-offices

EBT Card: 1-888-622-7328  http://www.ebtcardbalance.com/north-carolina-lost-ebt-card-el27

Real Estate & Property Records (Mortgage Documents, Deeds, etc.): Contact your own real estate agent or your county Register of Deeds office:  http://propertydeeds.org/lost-property-deed-replacement-procedure/

Medical and Prescription Records: Call your own doctor; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.

Other Family Records:  http://www.archives.gov/preservation/disaster-response/guidelines.html

Individuals, including homeowners, renters, and business owners, in the designated counties who suffered loss or damages due to Hurricane Matthew may register for assistance online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by downloading the FEMA mobile app, or by calling  1-800-621-FEMA (3362). For those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), the number is also 1-800-621-3362.  For people using TTY, the number is 1-800-462-7585.

Source: WNCT.com (September 2016)

Over-the-counter Hearing Devices.   A solution?

Independence is a great thing – we love being able to snap our fingers and have the solution to our problem.  Unfortunately, when it comes to our health – we should take a less direct approach. Our hearing deserves the best attention it can receive – once we lose it, we cannot every fully get it back.

You may have heard news the last few years around solutions to improve the affordability and access for hearing aids and hearing healthcare.  Our very own Dr. Tom Tedeschi along with Janette Kihm conducted a study, “Implications of an Over-the-Counter Approach to Hearing Healthcare: A Consumer Study”.  The proposed solution to increasing accessibility while lowering cost is to develop a “separate category of ‘basic hearing aids’ approved for over-the-counter (OTC) sales for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.”

In order for the OTC model to be successful, individuals require tools to properly and accurately self-diagnose and classify their level of hearing loss and selecting and using a Personal Sound Amplification Product (PSAP) or ready-to-wear hearing aid.  The first part of this study was for the participants to do exactly that.  The second phase was for each participant to go to a provider to be professionally tested and have a product recommendation provided, if applicable.

The results were not surprising with only 1 in 4 being able to correctly self-diagnose their degree of hearing loss. Even with correct diagnosis, the overall satisfaction rates of the device quality and the overall benefits participants received from the devices was very low. Secondarily, it was quite clear that participants were not clear on important technical features to maximize the personalized benefits of the devices.

Here’s some Q&A of common questions we receive:

Q: Why are your hearing aids so much more expensive?
A: OTC devices typically amplify sound but can’t actually help your brain process sound which is the most important part of addressing hearing loss.

Q: OTC hearing devices are going to work for me the same way that my old ones do so why would I pay more?
A: OTC hearing aids can be extremely uncomfortable in the ear, and for many patients they’re difficult to manage because they are not properly fit by the hearing professional.

Q: OTC hearing devices are more convenient to get a hold of and will help me be able to hear again for a lot cheaper.
A: OTC hearing aids can actually be the cause of hearing damage or make existing damage even worse with improper use and adjustment.

Q: The new OTC bill says I don’t need to see a licensed audiologist/hearing professional so why would I?
A: OTC hearing aids bypass the crucial steps of professional testing, programming, fitting and follow-up to rule out hearing problems and ensure the device is appropriate for your ears which is what our program offers.

Q: I just don’t understand why I would go through your program when OTC devices are less expensive and do the same thing.
A: When you factor in office visits such as fittings, adjustments and cleanings that would not be included with OTC devices – our discounted pricing would prove to be more than cost effective and more effective in addressing both short term and long term hearing loss.

You can check to see if your insurance covers hearing aids and services or you can find a clinic near you and get a hearing test.

Read the full study report here.

Amplifon’s Hearing Health Care Program is an NCRGEA member benefit. 

Adult Care Homes

Fire Safety Check List

In Pamlico County yesterday, an elderly woman lost her life in a house fire and her daughter was badly burned trying to help her get out. According to fire department officials, the blaze was ultimately blamed on an electrical heater that was in close proximity to combustibles in the house.

NCRGEA would like to remind you to be safe from fire as the winter temperatures get colder.

To help you, here is a Fire Safety Checklist provided by the Raleigh Fire Department. Please read and be safe. If you have any questions or concerns about issues in your home, you can call your local fire department.