Gardner Audiology 2015 Hearing Update Newsletter

Gardner Audiology Hearing Healthcare News

An overview of 2015

Hearing loss now proven impact the brain.

We at Gardner have always known that hearing loss somehow affects a person’s memory and attention span. Now there is proof that brain activity reorganizes with even mild hearing losses. Gardner Audiologists Jodi Conter and Angela Schenk recently attended a lecture by Dr. Anu Sharma from the University of Colorado. She showed MRI studies which prove that hearing loss starves a lower level of brain activity but taxes the frontal lobe of the brain which stores memory.

Florida Hearing Loss Association announces new web site.

The internet is rife with misinformation about hearing aids, surgical implants, and hearing healthcare providers. The Hearing Loss Association of America is the largest nonprofit volunteer organization serving people with hearing loss. They have thousands of members in Florida who are looking for honest information and advice on how to solve their hearing problems. Our Audiologist/CEO, Dan Gardner, is one of the Florida state board members and has been assigned the task of revamping their website. The goal of this new website is advocate for people with hearing loss and their families. The Florida Chapter website is http://hla-fl.org/. Call Dan at our corporate office (1-800-277-1182) if you have suggestions for content on this new website.

Gardner Audiology 2015 research results for Tampa Bay

During 2015, Gardner Audiology loaned Starkey Z Series hearing aids to 233 people in exchange for their opinion. Participants resided in the Florida counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Citrus.

Participants of the Z Series hearing aid study were offered free loaner hearing aids in exchange for their opinion on pre and post fitting questionnaires. They could choose the technology level they wanted to study. The hearing improvement that participants experienced with the Zi110 and Zi90 in noisy environments was some of the best that we have measured over the years. New users (having never worn an aid) had an average 103% improvement in their ability to hear in noisy environments such as restaurants and parties. On average, previous hearing aid users had an 86% improvement over their old hearing aids.

Our study validates Starkey’s original BETA testing of this family of hearing aids and many of our participants purchased their study aids.

Siemens international hearing aid division sold

Siemens, a well-known corporation, has abandoned their attempts to salvage the profits of their hearing aid division. Siemens manufactured hearing aids and owned retail sales companies such as HearX and HearUSA. They sold the hearing aid division to a couple of wealthy European families. So far we have not seen any negative effects to the consumer but will update you if the new buyers disintegrate the assets. For more information read the article at this link: http://www.hearingreview.com/2014/11/siemens-purchased-eqt-strungmann-family/

Call Gardner Audiology at 1-800-277-1182 if you have questions about hearing products or services. We want to improve your life with the best possible hearing.