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September is World Alzheimer’s Month

In Hearing Loss by Zach Kenealey, HIS

September brings the worldwide initiative, World Alzheimer’s Month. This campaign is designed to raise awareness around the world about the disease as well as address the stigma that surrounds it. Alzheimer’s disease is a brain condition that impacts areas which control thought, memory, emotion and language. Dementia is a decline in mental function that cannot be reversed, and Alzheimer’s disease …

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Coming to Terms with Your Hearing Loss

In Hearing Loss by Zach Kenealey, HIS

It’s notoriously difficult to come to terms with a hearing loss. That explains why it takes an average of seven years for a hearing-impaired individual to seek help for their condition. It is however important to treat it as soon as possible to mitigate the long-term effects of untreated hearing loss, and the first step is admitting your hearing loss. …

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Happy and Healthy Living with Hearing Aids

In Family & Relationships, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Mental Health by Zach Kenealey, HIS

It can be difficult to accept a diagnosis of disabling hearing loss, especially later in life. The idea of beginning a new lifestyle and relearning your sense of hearing can be daunting, but when you consider the benefits of your overall health, you can live a happier—and wealthier! —life. When disabling hearing loss is treated with hearing aids, cochlear implants, …

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Hearing Loss & Fatigue

In Hearing Loss, Signs & Symptoms by Zach Kenealey, HIS

Yawn! Does it ever seem like just listening to people wears you out? Well, if you deal with hearing loss, that just might be the case! Our hearing may not seem like it takes a lot of muscle, but when we struggle to hear, it actually strains our whole body and can leave you feeling exhausted. If you manage hearing …

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May is Better Speech and Hearing Month!

In Hearing Loss by Zach Kenealey, HIS

[May is Better Speech and Hearing Month. Every year, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) dedicates this month to raising awareness of conditions which impede communication, such as speech disorders and hearing loss. For 2019, the theme is “Communication Across the Lifespan.” The organization wants to highlight the importance of maintaining communication skills from childhood up to old age. We hope …

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Proposed Accessibility Legislation in Seattle

In Hearing Loss, News by Zach Kenealey, HIS

The next time you catch a game at a sports bar in Seattle, Washington, you might just notice something slightly different. Businesses there with TVs are now required to turn on closed-captioning, as part of a recent law passed by the Seattle City Council. In what is seen as a major victory for the Deaf and hard of hearing communities, …

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As an Invisible Disability, Hearing Loss Often Goes Ignored

In Hearing Loss by Zach Kenealey, HIS

[Helen Keller is credited with writing that “Blindness cuts us off from things but deafness cuts us off from people.” This is incredibly accurate and is often unrecognized by those around us. Hearing loss can have a significant impact on both your social and professional life. Coping with hearing loss is different from other disabilities as it is invisible; even …

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Tips for Better Communication with People with Hearing Loss

In Hearing Loss by Zach Kenealey, HIS

[Individuals suffering from hearing loss may find communicating with others to be stressful, frustrating, and discomforting. While there is a portion of those with hearing loss who are quite open about their struggles by asking you to make adjustments to help during a conversation, many people in fact either don’t realize that their hearing is declining or they choose not …

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Great Things to Hear this Holiday Season in Seattle, WA

In Hearing Loss, News by Zach Kenealey, HIS

The holiday season is upon us and that means there are a lot of great activities to put on your calendar. Seattle is an excellent city to engage in all of the sights—and sounds—of the holiday spirit. Here are some things that you might want to consider as you begin planning how to spend the end of 2018 with your …