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Enhancing the lives of women and youth
in our community and the world.
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President Paula welcomed everyone to this morningʻs meeting. We met on Zoom to negate any travel issues that could have been caused by this week's storm.
Our Invocation by Lydia considered the benefits of snow, and discovered that although not numerous they are there if we look hard enough.
Guests: welcome again to Julie Cary and so lovely to see Hellen Barclay again.. it's been too long!
Sunshine: Continued thoughts on recovery for our SITSter Colleen and Lydia's daughter.
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(If you look closely at the trees in the logo you may notice they look a little different. It's actually a graphic representation of the sound waves of Dr Sandy saying 'Tahoe family Hearing Clinic' SO clever!!) | |
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This Week's Speakers
Dr. Jenelle Sandy, Au.D., CCC-A, head audiologist and owner at Tahoe Family Hearing Clinic, is an audiologist specializing in pediatrics and adults for over 10 years, working specifically with diagnosis, hearing amplification, cochlear implants and programming. Her mission is to provide professional, quality hearing health care while increasing public awareness of the importance of early identification and rehabilitation options for hearing loss. Jenelle values early intervention, follow-up care, regular patient feedback, and the social responsibility of ensuring the health and wellness of her patients. She is excited about providing for her community and strives to ensure all people achieve their full potential for health and wellbeing across their lifespan. Jenelle is a loving mother of two children, Lyla (7) and James (5). She enjoys volunteering at her kid's schools and is an outdoor enthusiast who loves camping, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing.
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Rob Sandy, Office Manager and Director of Operations at Tahoe Family Hearing Clinic, comes from a sales, marketing, and operations background in enterprise technology infrastructure solutions. Rob left his corporate career to help his wife Jenelle open and run Tahoe Family Hearing Clinic, enjoying various roles including scheduling, patient follow-up, marketing, and other office related operations. Rob is a committed father who enjoys family activities and will often be found on the golf course, in the backcountry, or skiing with family and friends.
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Signs of hearing loss are often gradual. Muffled hearing like you are under water or sounds like people are mumbling. Tinnitus also can be a sign of a change of hearing. Difficulty hearing with background noise or distance between the speakers. Needing repetition of what has been said. Raising the volume of the TV and putting on closed captioning.
There are different types of hearing loss but the most common are Sensorineural and Conductive hearing loss. Sensiorneural hearing loss from the cochlear (snail shell) tends to happen when the sensory hairs in the cochlear are damaged. Part of aging process and noise exposure. Loud environments over a long period of time. High frequencies lost first. Birds chirping etc. Clarity of speech gets lost at that time. Treatment – can’t be surgically treated. Once the hair cells are damaged that is it.
Conductive Hearing Loss – can be temporary. Conduction of sounds. Wax impaction blocking sound. Infection or fluid in the ear canal. Hole in the ear drum. Bones dislodged. Healing and antibiotics and surgery can sometimes help.
Treatment – Bone conduction devices can help.
Hearing tests are important to detect deficiencies early. Recommended to test at least once per decade. 50’s every 3 to 5 years. 60s every 1 to 3 years and then yearly after.
Certain genetic hearing loss come about in early age. Important to stay ahead of the curve. If goes untreated can lead to weakening in the brain. Social isolation, depression and early onset dementia.
Tinnitus can also be helped with a hearing device that sends a environament sound to mask the tinnitus.
25% of 60 and above have hearing loss which doubles in the 70s.
Baseline exam should be covered by most insurance.
Medication can also affect hearing as blood flow may be affected. Any changes in the body’s systems can affect the hearing. Head trauma etc. Sudden hearing loss is very important to get checked out immediately as time is of the essence to improve chances of reversing.
Hearing organ and balance system connected as the fluid in the ear affects the balance.
Speech perception and understanding is an important part of the clinic investigation. May hear the beeps on the test but understanding of speech may be impaired.
There are hearing apps to help with keeping your hearing sharp.
Many stigmas against getting hearing tested. Denial, consumer concerns and vanity of the device.
'My hearing is not that bad'... but don’t know what they are not hearing.
People around the person will be affected too. Partners will often be the ones to point out the hearing loss first. However there will often be vanity of what the device will look like.
Hearing aids are getting smaller and smaller so that should hopefully help with the vanity issue. There are also a wide range of price points and there are lots of third party assistance. Supplemental insurance may also pay for it if primary insurance doesn’t.
Over the counter hearing aids… hot topic! What it hopefully means is that someone who is waiting may make a purchase that is more affordable. There are limitations. It can’t be programmed so won’t customized to individual. Prescription hearing aids can be returned during the trial period but over the counter may not.
OTC devices are still expensive. Still advised to get hearing tested and investigate insurance options.
Cochlear implants are for further advanced hearing loss.
Some concerns when people hear ‘implant’ but still advisable to investigate options. Criteria for implants have been expanded to other kinds of hearing loss other than total loss.
The clinic would refer a patient to an ENT for the surgery then the follow up and ongoing treatment would be at the clinic.
Hearing loss and the link to dementia are well researched.
Hearing aids can take a while to get accustomed to but are well worth persevering with to make sure we are doing the most we can for our overall health.
Please click here for full slide presentation with much more detail.
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SPONSORS!
Many thanks to our latest Sponsors
Paul and Cookie Rork
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Wishing a very happy February birthday month to our SITSters!
Tina Miranda, Feb. 5
Brenda Heldoorn, Feb. 7
Nina Gralak, Feb. 8
Jean Williams, Feb. 12
Lisa Swift, Feb. 18
Theresa Papandrea Feb. 29
Our age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying us!
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
"We have two ears and only one tongue so that we may hear more and speak less."
Diogenes Laertius
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Consider beginning your Thursday with us!
Join us at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center at 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. at 7:30am on Thursday mornings for our in person meetings. We are very excited to be getting together and hope to see many bright and shining, lovely faces. To join us by zoom, simply connect here: SITS Zoom
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2022-2023 Board of Directors
President Paula Peterson
Past President Nancy Muller
Rec. Secretary Lydia Rogers
Corr. Secretary Shirley Barr
Treasurer 1 Year Lois Downy
Treasurer 2 Year Jeanne Prestella
Director 1-Year Lisa Cali
Director 2-Year Margie Maxhimer
Delegate 1-Year Shelly Martinez
Delegate 2-Year Amy Simons
Parliamentarian Wendy David
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Laurel Society Members
- Norma Poole (in memory)
- Irene Morris (In memory)
- Irene Radford (2006)
- Lucille Holmlund (In memory)
- Joanne Shope
- Dilys Evans (in memory)
- Kathy Southern
- Teruyo (Terry) Kunibe
- Marilyn Milholland
- Doris Groelz (2011)
- Wendy David (2012)
- Pat Papp (2013)
- Lydia Rogers (2014)
- Trudy Mills (2015)
- Cookie Rork (2015)
- Diane Imbach (2016)
- Lisa Huard (2017)
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Post Office Box 18727,
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96151
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