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Evergreen Speech & Hearing Clinic Transforming Lives Through Improved Communication
In this issue
1
Fall Contest Winner
2 3 4
Tips from the Coach
5
(C)APD Treatment Options
Beyond Technology
New Payment Information
Winter 2017
Not Your Father’s Hearing Aid Over the past decade we have seen remarkable technological improvements in hearing aid instrumentation. We have gone from relatively simple and slow digital amplifiers to mindblowing signal processing speeds and miniaturization. Most notably, today’s top of the line hearing instruments can now process wirelessly between the ears analyzing the location of sound in the environment and rapidly separating speech from noise and helping to maintain natural 3D spatial perception. Speech clarity is significantly improved as well as the quality of music.
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For those who are tech-enthusiasts, today’s modern instruments can be integrated in to your high tech living space through IFTTT protocols, live TV
streaming, and integrated directly to smart phone capabilities. With all the technological advances, there are significant ways to improve one’s receptive communication. However, without proper implementation these tools fall short. The skills of a Doctor of Audiology are essential to best tailor your device for your particular listening experience. Your audiologist here at Evergreen will perform outcome analyses such as real ear microphone measurements, speech in noise testing, and subjective assessments of hearing aid benefit and satisfaction. Working with your Audiologist allows you to get the best performance out of these innovative technologies. Call today to set up your technology review.
(C)APD Treatment Options…. The assessment and treatment of Central Auditory Processing Disorder (C)APD is a common question among our patients, which is why we want to tell you more about the treatment options ESHC Audiologists are able to provide. After a diagnosis of (C)APD is made by an audiologist, certain treatment choices are available through a speech pathologist who works with patients of all ages. Treatment of APD generally focuses on two primary areas: changing the learning or communication environment (“top-down” training) and remediation of the auditory deficit itself (“bottom-up” training). Continued page 3.
Beyond Technology – A Communication Coach’s Perspective By Jessica Lasser, SLP
Here at ESHC, we don’t just treat hearing loss, but also assess and treat communication challenges that come along with it. We look at each person individually and the context in which they are communicating, and work to improve our patients’ total communication abilities so that they become able to maintain relationships and participate in life activities. That’s why we offer additional services to ensure that our patients are achieving their highest level of success in terms of their communication with their family and friends.
What does person centered care look like at ESHC?
Small Group Sessions We offer communication classes once a month for patients and their loved ones. These sessions are facilitated jointly by an audiologist and a communication coach. The class gives patients a chance to meet other people who are also dealing with hearing loss and allows them to learn from each other’s successes and challenges. We discuss ways to manage the listening environment as well as communication strategies for the listener and the speaker. Computer-Based Auditory Training We also offer computer-based auditory training exercises that patients can do at home on their own time. These “listening games” are a fun way to train your brain to interpret auditory information that it may not be accustomed to processing. These sessions can help you listen to speech in the presence of background noise, understand people who speak fast, and make educated guesses about words that you missed. One-on-One Communication Coaching We also offer one-on-one sessions with a specially trained communication coach. Each session is unique to the patient and their family’s needs and can help to really dive in to their challenge areas to maximize their success. Patients can practice self-advocacy strategies, repair strategies, auditory memory skills, and much more. The clinicians at ESHC are dedicated to addressing all of our patients’ communication concerns. If you are interested in any of the services mentioned above, don’t hesitate to contact our office. We look forward to working with you!
Join us for our SPECIAL 3-DAY EVENT Feb 28th, March 1st, and March 2nd Reserve your time with one of our Doctors and learn how today’s NEW 3D hearing technology can better support your brain’s communication and memory abilities. Call today as spaces are limited. This is a No Risk event, so you have Everything to Gain, and Nothing to Lose Kirkland – 425.899.5050 | Redmond – 425.882.4347 | Bellevue – 425.454.1883
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In August, Evergreen Speech & Hearing Clinic teamed up with PatientPay, which allows all of our patients to receive statements from us by email to easily manage and pay bills. PatientPay provides easy and secure online access to save you time and money. We strongly encourage all of our patients to start using PatientPay instead of using online statements through your employer, such as ConnectCare. PatientPay will provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date statements. This will not only help you receive your most recent bills, but also help us in processing your payments more effectively and efficiently. BENEFITS OF USING PatientPay: • It is absolutely free • You receive paperless statements • You can pay bills with one easy click • It maintains records for you to keep track of your payments • It helps you see exactly what you are being charged, your insurance benefits and any outstanding payments HOW DOES IT WORK? Once you provide our clinic with your preferred email address (that’s all it takes!), you will begin receiving reminders that a bill is due. By clicking the link in the email you will get access to PatientPay’s secure site You’ll need to register for the service which will only require your name, email and date of birth Once you are registered, your statements will come directly to your email inbox. You’ll be able to see all the charges from the practice and always have access to your statements as well. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We are happy to help you transition to our new and improved billing process! We appreciate your time and continued business.
(C)APD Treatment Options, Continued. Top-down training works to help patients function in challenging listening environments by helping them learn strategies to promote “active” listening to maximize success. An example would be listening to key words in a message and knowing the main topic. Bottom-up training works to strengthen the neural pathways for auditory information and addresses (C)APD at the neurological level. It works to “rewire” the brain to efficiently process auditory
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signals. An example of this is a computer based program called CAPDOTS which trains the patient to listen dichotically (with both ears together) and can be utilized by patients as young as 5 years of age. Our program provides individualized care for each patient. The speech pathologist will design a treatment program targeted towards the patient’s specific needs, collaborate with the audiologist, and provide additional recommendations, if appropriate.
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Winner – “How ESHC Has Changed My Life” Contest Essay “We often don’t appreciate something until we don’t have it any longer.” It applies to me, too. Several years ago, I began to recognize that my ability to hear as usual had changed. Our forty – plus – year marriage was being strained by frequently asking my wife to “please repeat that” – not much fun for her, either. I also noticed in counseling couples in my Marriage/Relationship work I had trouble getting all the details correct. After checking out a few hearing aid service offices in Bellevue I was impressed with Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic’s level of professionalism and range of services. I hadn’t thought about educating family members about interacting with someone with a hearing loss. ESHC hadn’t missed that aspect of the issue. They were also aware of accompanying issues and could deal with them as a part of their services. After being fitted with a set of Oticon hearing instruments my work became more focused and less distracting for clients. My wife didn’t have the irritation of having to repeat things. As I see it, I want to know and understand people. That requires listening, with brain and heart. But it begins with the ears – you have to hear it correctly before running it “through the mill.” For others who have to repeat, it can cause them to lose their train of thought. ESHC meant more to me than hearing aids – they are hearing enablers and offer hearing empowerment. Their professionalism and pleasant service made it comfortable to deal with my hearing issues. Bottom line, ESHC has given me a level of quality of life that I hadn’t imagined! Len Smolen, M.S.Ed.
