Pasadena Hearing Care

Anne S. Carter, Ph.D.Licensed Audiologist

Bonnie GulanAudiology Assistant

Kimberly BassOffice Manager

1609 Pasadena Ave. S, Suite 2JSt. Petersburg, Florida 33707Phone: (727) 329-8852

June 2015Happy summer from Pasadena Hearing Care!! We are still putting the finishing touches on our remodel and have a few new critters swimming around! Although many of our patients/friends have gone up north for the summer, we are keeping busy. Kim celebrated her 40th birthday recently, Bonnie is gearing up for her state Hearing Instrument Specialist examination, and Anne’s daughter became a licensed driver. Watch out!

As you all know, Florida summers are HOT, and unfortunately the heat and humidity can take a toll on your hearing aids. If you are prone to moisture from being outdoors frequently or tend to perspire heavily, it is important to dehumidify your hearing instruments on a nightly basis. While you sleep, the dehumidifier removes moisture, dries earwax, and deodorizes your hearing instruments. For most users, use of a dehumidifier results in fewer repairs, better sound quality, and longer battery life. Investing in a hearing device dryer can increase the life expectancy of your hearing aids by a couple of years and improve the stability of your devices.

Pasadena Hearing Care carries both large ($35.00 each) and travel size dehumidifiers ($25.00 each). Contact the office to see which would work best for you.

The topic of this quarterly newsletter is how to improve your listening experience with the television and telephone. Over the past several months, I have found that aside from hearing better in background noise, the top priority my patients identify as a situation in which they would like to hear better, is listening to the television. There are multiple factors that play into why the television has become so difficult to understand, and it is likely some

combination of your impaired hearing ability, pitfalls of the newer TV technology, and room acoustics. Below you will find some helpful strategies and options for tackling these difficulties.

Hearing and Television

1. Close the Distance: A consequence of getting larger televisions to fill our viewing spaces is that we tend to sit farther from our sets than we used to. In fact, on average, my patients admit they sit at least 12 to 15 feet from their television set. Although the picture quality from that distance is still stunning, the audio quality suffers greatly after a distance of 8 feet. On top of that, high-frequency sounds where the majority of folks experience their hearing loss (and where the consonant sounds of speech reside), dissipate much quicker from the sound source than the lower booming pitches. This means that when you crank up the television loud enough to be able to hear the speech with more clarity at a distance of 15 feet, the bass and background music of the program has become so loud it is now distorted. Television speakers were not made to be enjoyed from such a distance, at least not without the use of a surround sound system. So to best enjoy your television, sit a distance of 8 feet or less if you have a hearing loss. This is especially important if your listening partners do not have a hearing loss.

2. Invest in Surround Sound or a Sound Bar: One of the dirty little secrets about newer, flatter, sleeker, higher-definition televisions, is that there is little room, both in the TV’s casing and in the manufacturing budget, to add a decent stereo sound system in there as well. Think about the last time you listened to the televisions you were comparing at the stores – today it’s all about the image quality. To enhance the softer, tinnier quality of sound from these newer televisions, you can either invest in a surround sound system for the room, or, if you live in a smaller space, you may want to purchase a sound bar. It mimics surround sound without the need for complex installation.

3. Bluetooth Accessory for Use with Aids: If you have relatively new hearing aids purchased in the

last 3-5 years, chances are they are “Bluetooth capable” with the use of an additional hearing aid accessory. It may be worth a phone call to find out if your hearing aids are compatible. This is a “plug and play” system that connects to the AUDIO OUT port in the back of your television and wirelessly transmits the audio signal to your hearing aids. For some hearing aids this may require an additional receiver that is exclusively paired with your hearing aids, and it allows you to listen to the signal from the television, despite the room acoustics or your distance from the television set. Bonus features: (1) you can manipulate the volume of the program independently from the level at which the television is set for everyone else; (2) the audio input has been tailored for your loss because you are receiving the signal via your hearing aids; and (3) you can hear the television clearly from up to 30 feet away.

4. Infrared Systems: If your hearing aids are not Bluetooth capable or you do not yet have hearing aids, there is an option for you as well! Although they aren’t the most discreet option, some headphones can allow you to hear the program from the television via wireless transmission and, like the above option, you can manipulate the volume independently from the level at which the television is set. This is also a “plug and play” system.

5. Closed Captioning: Although you may want to resist the idea of captions streaming across your beloved television show, using whatever you have at your disposal to improve your understanding is the priority here. In this case, using your vision to fill in what has been missed by your hearing is an excellent way to enjoy your shows. Closed captioning is a free service and should be available on any television and with every cable provider.

Take away message: Sitting closer to the television (within 8 feet), bolstering your television sound system, or making use of various assistive listening devices can help to enrich your television listening experience, with or without the use of hearing aids.

Hearing and Telephone Use

For many people with hearing loss, telephone conversations can be especially difficult. Without

seeing a person’s lips moving, it can be hard to fully understand what they are saying. In addition, phones do not transmit the full frequency range of sound. Here are some tips for tackling phone conversations with hearing loss:

Be aware which is your better ear and hold the receiver accordingly.

Too much background noise makes it hard to hear the person on the other end of the line. Always be sure to take and make your calls in quiet surroundings.

Misunderstanding can be more embarrassing and lead to more difficult situations than simply asking for help. Tell the person on the other end that you have a hearing loss and ask them to speak slowly and clearly. Do the same yourself when you call others.

Use close-ended questions that lend themselves to yes or no responses or short answers. This promotes simple and clear answers.

Do not be afraid to guess what the other person is saying. In many cases you may be able to deduce the right meaning from the context alone.

Be prepared – There is nothing worse than answering the phone and having no idea who is on the other end. Take the initiative and call your friends and family rather than waiting for their call. This puts you in charge of the conversation and can make it easier to follow and understand.

There are many different ways of using hearing aids with the phone. Understanding what features your hearing aids have and how they work is important. Things to know about your hearing aids include:

Where is the microphone on your hearing aid? Microphones on behind-the ear hearing aids usually sit at the top of the aid. This means you need to hold the phone higher than normal on your ear. You can usually hold the phone normally with in-the-ear-hearing aids.

Does your hearing aid have a telecoil? If so it will pick up a special signal from telephones that also have a telecoil.

Does your hearing aid have an automatic telephone program? In this case the magnetic field emitted by the telephone will cause the hearing aid to automatically change into a dedicated telephone program.

Sometimes the magnetic field from the hearing aid may not be strong enough to trigger the telephone program, so we can provide a small magnet to stick on your phone.

Does your hearing aid have Bluetooth? If so you may be able to purchase a streaming unit that allows you to stream the sound from the phone directly to your hearing aids. This is a better option with cell phones but can be used on landlines.

Even with the right phone and the right hearing aid setting, it may still be difficult to understand phone conversation. Be sure to call and schedule an appointment if you are experiencing particular difficulty on the phone or if you have questions regarding the features available on your hearing aids. We will work to determine the best solution for you.

Hearing Word SearchCan you find all 15 words?

Bring your completed puzzle to the office for a free pack of hearing aid batteries!

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Our mission at Pasadena Hearing Care is to improve the quality of life for all of our patients. We believe in helping our patients and their families reach their

highest communication potential. Our commitment to you is excellent customer service, exceptional professional care in a warm and trusting environment, and to always treat you with dignity and respect.

www.pasadenahearing.com