1. An Introduction to Understanding Hearing Loss & Its Effects on Quality of Life
Presented by:
Jamie F. Marotto, Au.D., CCC-A
SW CT HLAA Chapter Meeting
September 13th, 2016

2. Lecture Outline How prevalent is hearing loss in the U.S.?
What are some of the consequences of untreated hearing loss?
What are some treatment options available for different types of hearing loss?
Understanding your hearing loss – how does it affect your life?
What should you do when there is a communication breakdown?
What are some ways you can advocate for yourself and others with hearing loss?
Can you train your ears to hear better?
What does the future hold for adults with hearing loss?

3. The Prevalence of Hearing Loss
“Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the United States, affecting more than nine million Americans over the age of 65 and 10 million Americans age 45 to 64. But about three out of five older Americans with hearing loss and six out of seven middle- aged Americans with hearing loss do not use hearing aids.” The American Academy of Audiology, 2016
MAJOR public health issue

4. The Prevalence of Hearing Loss
According to The Better Hearing Institute, 2016:
3 in 10 people over age 60 have hearing loss
1 in 6 baby boomers (ages 41-59), or 14.6%, have a hearing problem
1 in 14 Generation Xers (ages 29-40), or 7.4%, already have hearing loss
At least 1.4 million children (18 or younger) have hearing problems
It is estimated that 3 in 1,000 infants are born with severe to profound hearing loss.
MAJOR public health issue

5. Hearing Loss Projections

6. Consequences of Untreated Hearing Loss
Social Isolation
Depression
Fatigue
Frustration
Higher Risk of Falls
Cognitive Decline?
Specifically, a pair of studies out of Johns Hopkins found that hearing loss is associated with accelerated cognitive decline in older adults and that seniors with hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop dementia over time than those who retain their hearing.
A third Johns Hopkins study revealed a link between hearing loss and accelerated brain tissue loss. The researchers found that for older adults with hearing loss, brain tissue loss happens faster than it does for those with normal hearing.

7. Treatment options for every type and degree of hearing loss
Hearing Aids (HAs)
Cochlear Implants (CIs)
Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA)
Middle Ear Implants (MEIs)
Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI)

8. Hearing Aids
CROS
Masker for tinnitus

9. Cochlear Implants

10. Bimodal Hearing

11. Bone-anchored hearing aids

12. Middle Ear Implants
The Vibrant Soundbridge utilizes a hearing technology that directly drives the ossicular chain (middle ear bones), bypassing the ear canal and tympanic membrane. It consists of two major components:Internal receiver and the tiny floating mass transducer
The implant, called the Vibrating Ossicular Prosthesis™ (VORPTM), and,
The externally-worn receiver, called the Audio Processor™ (approximately the size of a quarter).
The Soundbridge is a direct drive device which mechanically vibrates the bones in the middle ear without surgically altering the structures of the middle ear.
The tiny Floating Mass Transducer™, attached to the incus bone in the middle ear, is approximately the size of a grain of rice. It is 100 percent digital and is programmed by an Audiologist eight weeks after the implant procedure to fit the user's specific hearing loss. The Soundbridge converts sound into mechanical energy which is directly transmitted to the auditory ossicles.
The external audio processor picks up the sound from the environment and transmits it across the skin to the receiver of the VORP. The signal is then transmitted to the Floating Mass Transducer (FMT) causing it to vibrate. The FMT mechanically stimulates the ossicles, mimicking the natural process of hearing. The VORP is surgically implanted under the skin behind the ear. The FMT is attached to the long process of the “incus” bone during the surgical process. The ossicular motion creates a movement in the cochlea, stimulating the hair cells. The hair cells provide stimuli to the auditory nerve, which is interpreted as sound by the brain.
are diagnosed with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss.
cannot tolerate foreign bodies in the ear canal for medical reasons, e.g., chronic ear canal inflammations or ear canal eczemas.
require a free ear canal for personal or professional reasons, e.g., musicians, singers or physicians who wish to hear harmonics free and undistorted by the occlusion effect.
rely on good perception of high frequency sounds.

13. Auditory Brainstem Implant

14. Oftentimes, obtaining a hearing device will only be one piece of solving the puzzle of your hearing loss…

15. Understanding your hearing loss
What is the impact of hearing loss on your life?

16. Communication Breakdowns
Communication is a two-way street!
What do YOU do when communication breaks down?
Do you find ways to repair the situation?
Do you bluff and let the situation pass by?
Do you get angry that you couldn’t understand what was said?

17. Communication Strategies
Defined as a course of action taken to enhance communication
When a person with hearing loss is having a conversation, some of the rules of conversation might need to be adapted
Disrupted taking of turns
Modified speaking and listening styles
Modified conversational style
Less rich imagery
Inappropriate topic shifts
Superficial content
Frequent clarification
Violation of implicit social rules
Disrupted grounding

18. Communication Strategies
Adaptive strategies
Counteract maladaptive strategies
Anticipatory strategies
Methods of preparing for a communication interaction
Constructive strategies
Optimize the listening environment for communication
Instructional strategies
When the listener asks the talker to change the delivery of the message
Message-tailoring strategies
A way of phrasing one’s remarks to constrain the response of a communication partner
Repair strategies
Specific and non-specific

19. Auditory Training

20. Speechreading Training
Speechreading is a technique for recognizing spoken words by watching the speaker’s lips, face, and gestures. Most people with a hearing loss already speechread naturally to some extent.
Speechreading training can be done in a variety of settings
Training starts by learning to associate the lip shape with a particular sound, you will begin to lipread. For example, the vowel /o/ is formed with rounded lips, while the consonant /m/ is fashioned by pressing the lips firmly together. Not all sounds are visible on the lips.

21. Self-Advocacy
Positive attitude
Patience
Persistence

22. Future Predictions Prevalence of hearing loss is on the rise
Technology will continue to improve
Utilizing communication strategies will still be necessary
Auditory Training programs become more accessible
Hearing loss becomes more accepted in society
Will there ever be a cure for hearing loss?

23. Questions?
Phone:
Office: Cambridge Campus at Sacred Heart University, Office # 2-E-13