Gael Hannan

Gael Hannan is an author, speaker and advocate on hearing loss issues. In addition to her weekly blog at the Better Hearing Consumer, which has a passionate international following, Gael has written two acclaimed books, “The Way I Hear It: A Life with Hearing Loss”and “Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss”, written with Shari Eberts. She is regularly invited to present her uniquely humorous and insightful work to appreciative audiences around the world. Gael has received many awards for her work that advocates for individuals to become more knowledgeable and successful at dealing with their hearing loss and a more inclusive society for them to live in.

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Metz’s Medicine and Audiology – Part 2

by Mike Metz Getting back to our roots, James Jerger’s editorial in a recent trade publication (Jerger, J, Audiology Today, Is It Time to Panic? Sep/Oct, 2016), raises some issues that may prove pivotal to the field. And impending changes to the scope and practice of audiology may get some help from a peculiar source, especially in light of

Featured image for “Does Medicine Need Audiology? Part 1”

Does Medicine Need Audiology? Part 1

By Mike Metz A friend recently asked me for an audiology referral because he had a unilateral hearing problem along with some other rather vague symptoms. I sent him on but then began thinking of the differences in audiology now versus audiology in years past. Many audiologists work in a medical office setting, overseen by a physician. This group may

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The New Voices in My Head

Technology can be life-changing – and weird. Guest writer David Drake, who last year wrote about upholding the family hearing aid tradition, shares his experiences with a new hearing aid/cellphone combination. by David Drake This past year, I started hearing some new voices in my head when I’m on the phone. My new set of hearing aids

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How Does Your Hearing Spouse Rate?

If you have hearing loss, do you wish that your partner did, as well? Communication would still have its challenges, but at least the frustration wouldn’t include “you don’t understand what I’m going through”. It would be more like, “if you can’t hear me through walls, what makes you think I can?” I’m in a mixed marriage myself; my husband is

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When Father and Son Both Say “Pardon?”

Jerry Russell is an online friend in the community of people with hearing loss who share their common challenges, frustrations, and words of encouragement. Jerry tells his story of when hearing loss is a family affair. I’m rehearsing in my head what I’m about to say to my dad as I approach him. He’s sitting in his favorite chair

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When You’re Going Through Hell…

“…keep going.” I came across this delicious bit of inspiration on a particularly bad day: tinnitus and hyperacusis were battling for supremacy inside my cranium. It was hard not to focus on the hellish noise, but these words caught my attention. They even made me smile, because they reflected exactly how I felt at that moment—hellish. And ka-ching! Suddenly my

Featured image for “Best of Better Hearing Consumer: Face Me, Doc, I’m STILL Hard of Hearing”

Best of Better Hearing Consumer: Face Me, Doc, I’m STILL Hard of Hearing

I’m taking a short break this week. But before I go: last week, I re-posted the first blog in a two-parter about navigating the health system. Last week’s was about waiting to see the doctor. This week’s follow up, first published November 1, 2011, is what happens when your name is finally called. Having escaped from the waiting room

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Locked Hearing Aid Software — Additional Comments

by Mike Metz A short time ago, I wrote a post regarding lack of access to the software of some hearing aids. My comments arose from conversations with other dispensing audiologists. They saw patients that were having problems with hearing aids purchased from large distributors — Big Box stores primarily. Evidently, patients believed that they were not getting sufficient benefits from

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The Boomers are Coming! Part 2 – Ideas to Think About

by Steve Eagon, MA In part 1 of this two-part series, I mentioned how we’ve all heard about the Baby-Boomers flooding our offices, and the unique challenges they bring. In this article, I’m going to make suggestions based upon what I’ve seen from various hearing care professionals around North America who are addressing these Boomer characteristics. These new approaches

Featured image for “Speak Up, Doc, I’m Hard of Hearing (2016)”

Speak Up, Doc, I’m Hard of Hearing (2016)

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. I plowed through the delights of turkey, stuffing, veggies and pie, just two days after a visit to the dentist. His advice to “enjoy your feast, but chew very carefully”, made me nervous eating anything thicker than gravy. And since it was a holiday, I decided to repost an article, slightly updated, but which still resonates today: navigating