Hearing News Watch

By David H. Kirkwood WASHINGTON, DC–Consider all the reasons why hearing aid sales should have risen through the roof over the past decade or two. For one thing, there have been dramatic improvements in technology, fueled largely by the introduction of digital signal processing in the 1990s. Powerful 21st century hearing aid hardware and software provide consumers with far more

ROCHESTER, NY–Robert F. Panara, a pioneer in deaf education who was a founder of both the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) and the National Theater of the Deaf in Connecticut, died here on July 20 at age 94. Despite losing his hearing when he was only 10 as a result of spinal meningitis, the Bronx, NY, native’s strong

By David H. Kirkwood   This post was updated on July 31. CENTENNIAL, CO—People with hearing loss have long complained that Medicare doesn’t cover the cost of hearing aids. Now, older Americans who need help with their hearing face the loss of coverage for another type of treatment, osseo-integrated (or bone-anchored) devices, such as the Cochlear™ Baha Implant System, which have been

  INDIANAPOLIS—Pit bulls get a lot of bad press, much of it undeserved. However, Ace, a pet owned by 13-year-old Nick Lamb of Indianapolis, did a lot to improve his breed’s image recently when he saved his master’s life. According to an AP report, Nick, who was born with a severe hearing impairment, was sound asleep on the night of

WASHINGTON, DC–The Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) got a much-needed boost earlier this month when Starkey Hearing Technologies, in conjunction with Widex USA, Inc., announced that they would provide $160,000 to the commission over the next three years, 2014-2016. ACAE is an independent non-profit organization that accredits university graduate programs in audiology. It was created by audiology organizations to

Pete Townshend of the Who, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath (and the hit “reality” TV show, The Osbournes) have all told the world about suffering hearing loss during their long careers as rockers. So have their fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Eric Clapton, Neil Young, and Jeff Beck. And the list

By David H. Kirkwood LONDON–A report issued July 9 by the British Commission on Hearing Loss further confirms the enormous economic toll that untreated hearing loss takes on those with the condition–as well as the rest of society. It also explores why in the United Kingdom, where hearing aids are free, only 20% of the 10 million people with hearing

ST. PAUL, MN—The biggest annual fundraising event in hearing health care will take place here this Sunday evening, July 20, when the Starkey Hearing Foundation holds the 2014 So the World May Hear gala. A highlight will be the presentation of awards to a number of remarkable humanitarians honoring their dedication to improving the lives of others. Those singled out

By David H. Kirkwood  July 13 update German’s victory over Argentina this afternoon in the final of the 2014 World Cup adds further evidence that, contrary to Hear the World’s theory (see below), the team whose fans are quieter than its opponent’s has the advantage because its members have less noise-induced hearing loss. Or, just possibly, the Germans were better

  POMONA, CA—How much of the day are American workers exposed to loud noise—loud enough that someone in their workplace has to raise his or her voice to be heard? The answer to that depends on whom you ask—employees or employers. When Pomona-based EPIC (Ear Professionals International Corporation) Hearing Healthcare commissioned a company to ask that question as part of