Benefits of Hearing Loss Treatment: Better Relationships!

Benefits of Hearing Loss Treatment: Better Relationships!

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Communication, Family & Relationships, Hearing Health, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Treatment

Relationships are an essential part of our lives. They bring us joy, nurturance, and happiness. Our relationships with family, friends, and partners provide meaning and are often described as the most important part of life. We spend so much of our time with other people, including in our professional lives with coworkers. Hearing loss can strain these relationships, causing your …

The Benefits of Being Social for Older Americans

The Benefits of Being Social for Older Americans

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Brain Health, Cognitive Health, Communication, Family & Relationships, Hearing Health, Lifestyle & Leisure, Mental Health, Research, Tips & Tricks

Social engagement is often identified as extremely important for children and their development. This emphasis on social interaction during early stages of identity development often overlooks the importance of remaining socially active as one continues to age. Social activity continues to shape who we are and who we are becoming as we are always learning, growing, and changing throughout our …

A man straining to hear

Why Pretending to Hear Doesn’t Help

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Communication, Hearing Loss, Tips & Tricks

Everyone has encountered situations where they have not been able to follow a conversation whether in a noisy room or understanding the speaker’s voice. It’s normal in our society to pretend to understand, even when you do not. You might feel it is impolite to stop the conversation or you don’t want to make a spectacle and ask the speaker …

May is Better Speech and Hearing Month!

May is Better Speech and Hearing Month!

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Communication, Hearing Health, Hearing Loss, Mental Health, News, Research

We all know that May is the month of some pretty important events, including Star Wars day, National Hoagie Day and National Clean Your Room Day (seriously), but the whole month is also dedicated to highlighting the communication problems people face. This the aim of The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), who have launched their Better Speech and Hearing campaign this …

Improving Communication with Your Family

Improving Communication with Your Family

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Communication, Family & Relationships, Tips & Tricks

Helen Keller once remarked, “Blindness separates people from things, but deafness separates people from people.” With hearing loss, we can easily be isolated from those who are closest to us. This isolation comes from the difficulty in understanding the words of family members.  You might have noticed it when you repeatedly ask your family members to repeat themselves, or complain that they …

Ensuring That Your Meetings are Accessible to People with Hearing Loss

Ensuring That Your Meetings are Accessible to People with Hearing Loss

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Communication, Hearing Loss, News, Tips & Tricks, Workplace & Economy

Do you run a lot of meetings at the office? Do you sometimes feel like not everyone is on the same page, or that some people on your team are struggling to hear? Roughly 60% of those with hearing loss are in work or educational settings, and as a leader at your workplace, it’s important that your meetings are accessible …

Nonverbal Cues to Help You in Meetings

Nonverbal Cues to Help You in Meetings

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Communication, Hearing Loss, Tips & Tricks, Workplace & Economy

Do you struggle to hear around the conference table during a meeting? If you attend a lot of meetings, or find yourself leading discussions, you know that hearing loss can have a huge impact on your work. While the words your colleagues are saying are important, learning to pick up on the subtle nonverbal cues can help you follow conversations …

Encouraging a Loved One to Take a Hearing Test

Encouraging a Loved One to Take a Hearing Test

Leanne E. Polhill, LHAS, BC-HIS, BA Communication, Family & Relationships, Hearing Health, Hearing Loss, Hearing Testing, Tips & Tricks

Did you know it takes the average person with hearing loss seven years to seek treatment for their condition? Yet, when hearing loss arises the sooner a person seeks treatment the more effectively they can rehabilitate their hearing. Sometimes denial, embarrassment and procrastination get in the way of a person seeking help for hearing issues, and delayed attention can worsen …