• Hearing impaired individuals may experience reduced anxiety and increased success with their devices and their ability to communicate.
• Quality of life is affected when AR includes psychosocial and informational content.
• Greater feeling of satisfaction with their hearing devices and with the clinic providing the AR.
• Greater amount of time spent focused on retraining than a patient would get in a traditional setting where hearing aids are dispensed and the audiologist addresses communication strategies only as part of a limited-time appointment.
• Generally hearing aid wearers require fewer follow-up appointments when attending AR sessions.

According to the article “Group Audiologic Rehabilitation for Adults:  Ten Reasons to Add This Service to Private Practice” by Linda M. Thibodeau, PhD, CCC-A/SLP & Jennifer A. Alford, BA, a perfect analogy to better understand the overall effects of AR is this:  “A [hearing professional] that includes hearing aid dispensing without an option for group AR sessions to address communication strategies, speech-reading, and coping skills is like giving a novice photographer an expensive camera without the instruction manual:  the fledgling photographer will not get the full benefits of the camera’s features.”

A licensed audiologist ordinarily conducts these classes.  He may facilitate the group so that participants become mentors for each other.  In fact, studies show that when this methodology is used, participants generally get the greatest rewards from the sessions.

These classes are now being conducted in the Treasure Valley.  As part of Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance’s mission to ensure every patient gets the most out of their investment in their hearing aids, they have recently started offering regular Hear Well ~ Live Well Communication Skills classes.  Led by Dr. Mel Miller, Ph.D., CCC-A, they are designed to

Dr. Mel Miller, Ph.D., CCC-A

guide people with hearing difficulties to a better understanding of the intricacies of the hearing process and to help them develop strategies for handling difficult listening situations.  Participants are encouraged to assume responsibility for managing their communication settings and will be shown how to get the most out of their assistive devices.  These classes are also designed to help family members and friends understand the challenges of hearing loss and to demonstrate techniques to make communication more effective.  They are open to the public at no charge, and should be especially helpful for:  a) new users of hearing instruments; b) veteran users of hearing instruments who want to increase their communication skills; c) people who have tried hearing instruments, but were unsuccessful with them; d) people who currently do not wear hearing instruments, but are experiencing communication difficulties.

The classes are offered at two levels and are well suited for both the hearing impaired and their significant others, including family members and friends.  Class A is for patients who have either just been fitted with hearing aids or who are contemplating devices but don’t yet wear them. The class will provide a backdrop as to how the ear works, why you may be experiencing hearing loss, what it is like to live with hearing loss, goals and expectations of hearing instruments, “care and feeding” of hearing instruments and basic communication strategies.

Class B is a follow-on class for those having just attended Class A, or for those who are a bit more sophisticated already in the wearing of hearing devices. Non-hearing aid wearers can also benefit from this class.  It will go over more advanced strategies for effective communications for those with hearing loss as well as for those communicating with someone with hearing loss.  Analyzing communication problems and learning appropriate actions toward them will be covered.

The class schedule is generally:

Class A:  3^rd Thursdays of each month, 1 PM

Class B:  2nd & 4^th Thursday of each month, 10AM & 1PM respectively

In February 2012, Class B will be held on Tuesday February 14 as an exception to the rule.

The schedule can be checked at anytime at www.treasurevalleyhearing.com/news.php.

Classes are held at Unity Health Center at 745 S. Progress Ave. in Meridian.

Register with Debbie by calling 208-377-0019.

Here is a little video of the action:

Jacquie Elcox with Integrity Counts! Award

The Better Business Bureau has an annual award the call Integrity Counts! It is an award given to businesses the exhibit the best examples of Integrity in their business practices.  We applied for this award in 2003 and were finalists and wanted to try again for 2012.  We tried and were selected as finalists again the second time around and were honored at an award ceremony on September 29th this year.  There were 65 businesses that were nominated in 2011.  Out of those, 26 businesses were honored.

If you are wondering what goes into applying and receiving such an award, let me explain.  We had to create an informational binder for each committee member that detailed out:

1. Company Philosophy – explaining why we chose integrity an important ingredient in our company structure and behavior.
2. Integrity in Action – short narratives were provided identifying how principal management and staff acted with integrity in at least two of the following situations:  Customer/User relationship, Vendor/Supplier relationship, Employee relationship, Community partnership.
3. Testimonials – we submitted testimonial letters from each of the groups above reflecting our relationship between our company and these groups.
4. External Communication – specific examples of how our company communicates its core values to employees, vendors & suppliers.

Without our great customers, we would have never achieved this award.  We thank all of you who have thanked us over the years and continue to do so.  We encourage all our customers to offer us feedback, both good and bad, about your relationship with us at any time.

Sarah Redmond at PF Chang's

Here are the rules of the contest:

Step 1: If you haven’t already, “like” our Facebook page. You can find it here.

Step 2: On Facebook, vote “Boy” or “Girl”, by replying to any post about the contest.

We will put all names that “like” and “post ‘boy’ or ‘girl’” into a random drawing for a $25 gift certificate to PF Chang’s.

The winner will be announced (along with the baby’s sex) after the birth.

Hope you all have fun, and best of luck in the drawing!

How do you REALLY know if you have a hearing problem?

208-377-0019

Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance is one of only two AudigyCertified™ practices in Idaho.  AudigyCertified professionals possess the highest credentials and are among the country’s most experienced hearing care professionals.  Their expertise is measured by their commitment to patient satisfaction, continuing education, and the application of current technologies.

Remember When You Fully Connected?

Do these photographs bring you back to a time that makes you smile once again?  In those days you may have had many of these thoughts:

• I’m hip!
• Life is fun!
• You can’t stop me!
• My life is fully ahead of me!

How about those invisible thoughts.  The ones where you “just knew” you were well connected with your family, your friends, your workmates, you community.

How do you feel about those today?  If your invisible thoughts (maybe no longer so invisible thoughts) stem around how you WISH you could be that connected, and the reason you are not is because you are experiencing hearing loss, you are not alone.  1 in 6 Americans suffer from this.  1/3 of them are less that 45 years of age.  And you, like many Americans, can STILL be connected.  Take a look below at a few of our examples of people REMAINING connected through the active wearing of hearing devices.

Julia Townsend

Julia Townsend, Hearing System User, DMV Employee, Golfer, Harley-rider, Golfer

Julia is in the picture above on the right (with the scarf).

Bill Downs

Bill Downs, Hearing System user, Church Administrator, Auctioneer

Jacquie Elcox

Jacquie Elcox, Hearing System User, Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance Founder, Golfer

Jacquie is with her dad in the photo at the top of this post.

Did you Know?

• Individuals with untreated hearing loss have higher incidences of health issues such as depression, hypertension and diabetes.
• Studies have shown a link between untreated hearing loss and dementia.
• After just 6 weeks of using a hearing system, people have shown significant improvements in psychological functions such as depression and isolation.

Other consequences of untreated hearing loss:

• Inattentiveness
• Reduced income
• Reduced participation in social activities
• Gaps in communication
• Growing irritability with others
• Difficulty working as part of a team

If some of these issues are present in your life, let us show you how you can improve your lifestyle today!

Attend one of our FREE Educational Seminar & Tech Demos on Hearing

• Listen to presentations by
  • Jacquie Elcox, BS-HIS, Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance Founder
  • Dr. Mel Miller, Ph.D., CCC-A, Audiologist
  • Dr. Jason Dria, Au.D., Audiologist, Oticon USA Factory Representative.

• Talk to some of our current patients about their experiences with hearing devices and with Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance.  Each seminar will have several of them there.
• Touch and feel the latest technology at our Mini Product Fair.

Refreshments will be served!
Prizes will be handed out!

We’ll be sure to show you a good time!

Call today to reserve your spot at one of these events!

208-377-0019

As all our lives have progressed, so has the experience of our providers to be able to assist you.  As part of the elite Audigy Group, Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance is one of the premier clinics in the area, in terms of:

• Unsurpassed patient satisfaction
• Excellence through continued education
• Effective analysis an diagnosis of hearing conditions
• Solutions that integrate speech and comprehension back into people’s lives.

Learn About the Latest in Hearing Technology at our Tech Demo

AGX9Pro

• Works in harmony with your brain to let you hear hear voices and sounds clearly.
• Lets you follow conversations by protecting speech information and reducing distortion.
• Stylish and comfortable – so small, no one will even notice you’re wearing a hearing device.

AGX9is

• 100 % custom, invisible when worn, digital and fully programmable.
• Works for many who aren’t candidates for other deep canal products.
• Natural sound and virtually feedback FREE – no more whistling or buzzing.
• Can be removed daily.

Other models of hearing devices also on display at the Tech Demo.  The styles above are just a sampling.

Also at the Tech Demo:

• Assistive Listening Devices – devices that help you hear better, such as:
  • TV Ears
  • Phones for the hearing impaired
• All styles of custom molded ear plugs for activities such as hunting, swimming, MP3 player-wearing, motorcycle riding and many more.

About our Seminar Guest, Jason Dria:

A factory representative, Dr. Dria will be speaking about Oticon technology at our September event.

Dr. Dria has extensive experience in diagnostic audiology, patient counseling and hearing aid dispensing. He holds a Master’s degree in Audiology from Ohio State University and a Doctor of Audiology degree from the University of Florida.