Group Support Programs Benefit Hearing Aid Wearers and Their Families

Feb. 2, 2012 - PRLog -- It is usual for the American public today to think that hearing loss is easily brought back to normal with simple amplification with a hearing device.  But in reality it is much more complicated.  With the help of a hearing professional, patient expectations need to set appropriately and rehabilitation programs can go a long way in doing this and more.  A Hearing Group Support Program, or Audiologic Rehabilitation (AR) has been shown to have many benefits for the hearing impaired and their families.  These benefits include:
•   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 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 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.



Founded in 1990, Treasure Valley Hearing & Balance has clinics in Boise and Nampa, with outreach clinics in Weiser, Emmett and Cascade with the focus of diagnosing and treating hearing loss.  They are also dedicated to protecting hearing (www.treasurevalleyhearing.com/protecting_your_hearing.php) through outreach education and miscellaneous custom molded hearing plugs for different activities.  Information on these plugs can be found at www.treasurevalleyhearing.com/earplugs.php.

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An audiology clinic specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss as well as protecting people's hearing.