Better Hearing Consumer

Have you noticed how anxious people look in the airport? With looks ranging from mild frowns to serious panic, they navigate a busy airport full of people who look just like them. I’ve worn that look myself when traveling solo. Why is this? In an article on airport anxiety, writer Jenny Bhatia lists common sources of worry such as not

Last week I had one of my favorite speaking gigs: talking to audiologists, both those already practicing and those in training to become one. As a person with congenital hearing loss, I’ve been under the care of hearing care professionals (HCP) of all stripes for my entire life. I don’t think I’ve ever met an audiologist who wasn’t passionate about

I’m an admirer of human head decorations – head bling of all types. Purple hair, funky eyeglasses and jewellery – whether attached to the head with magnets, clips or piercings. I admire both the artistry and the artistic spirit of the wearers. And I adore earrings; my earlobes are never naked! Speaking of those things on the sides of our

I have written in glowing terms about my hearing aids and sound processors. How they lift me from a place of missed words, undecipherable sounds, and misplaced meanings. How they alert me to movement and action. How they connect me to people. I love my devices; I respect and even revere them. Except when sometimes, somehow, they go off the

This morning, the Hearing Husband looked at me and said I love you. I know he said this even though I wasn’t up to speed technically; it was early and I had only one of my two hearing devices attached to my head. I am, however, a crackerjack speechreader and I saw him say it. After  I said it back

As a teenager with hearing loss, I often wondered “Why me?” It’s tough enough being a teenager, let alone one with a communication challenge. My friends didn’t need to sit at the front of the class in school. They could whisper secrets. I felt left out, even embarrassed at my difference. But over a long period of time (we’re talking

(Note: I’ve adapted this blog from my 2016 article, Drinks, Dementia and Hearing Loss. A great title, but as I don’t want to confuse Google, I’ve tacked on a couple of important words.) For those who have hearing loss and/or chronic tinnitus, news of breakthrough cures or treatments makes our hearts beat faster. Then it becomes: yeah, yeah, tell us

Ask me how my summer has been, and I will be honest: it’s been a mixed bag. Some great fun, sure, but it’s also the summer when I got a new hearing aid AND a new cochlear implant sound processor. AND new apps on my phone that stream them. All within a few weeks! Summer stress: device adjustments, sound levels,

I’ve been writing about telecoils and looped things for a long time now. So has almost every hearing health advocate I know, especially the indomitable Dr. Juliette Sterkens. Why do we keep shouting and writing about it? Because we’re passionate about their beneficial, positive impact on our quality of life. Because too many hearing care providers still pooh-pooh telecoils as

Don’t you just hate the “entertaining” clickbait that exists solely to gather our personal information and sell questionable products?  You won’t believe what this big star looks like now! Drink this every day for a week and you’ll have the flattest belly in town! And there’s the hearing loss and tinnitus clickbait:             One pill a day will stop that