At Advanced Audiology Concepts The Hearing Center, patients are taking charge of their hearing health right now
By Patricia Nugent
Coming out of quarantine, as we pick and choose our way through experiences that we deem safe, the medical professionals at Advanced Audiology Concepts The Hearing Center in Mentor want you to know they are once again seeing patients.
“All along we have been taking care of our people, but in a curbside capacity, or via telehealth if a patient has a Bluetooth-enabled set of aids,” says Dr. Jane Kukula, who founded Advanced Audiology. “Now we are open and fully functional. We invite patients to call to make an office appointment.”
There are many changes to the medical office and its daily procedures that reflect the new CDC guidelines.
• Patients, as well as the staff, will be masked and sanitize hands before and after each appointment.
• If patients wish for their spouses or adult children to accompany them to a visit, they can do so by speakerphone.
• Walk-in appointments are not available at this time.
• Patients will no longer wait in the waiting room, but will be escorted directly to a treatment room where they will wait and fill out any necessary information.
• After every appointment, all surfaces in the treatment rooms will be disinfected.
• Plexiglass barrier screens have been set up in the front office.
“To further keep the environment safe, we’re also limiting the overall number of patients allowed in the office,” she continues. “For repairs and cleanings, we recommend a curbside appointment. Simply call ahead to schedule a time. Then, call us when you arrive in our lot. Someone will come out and pick up your hearing aids. When they are done, we’ll bring them back out to you.”
To be able to take care of all their patients, office hours are the same as before the pandemic, Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
May is National Hearing Awareness Month
“I hope people come to realize how closely connected their hearing is to their short- and long-term overall health and wellness,” says Dr. Jane. “For instance, more and more studies are finding an irrefutable link between hearing loss and dementia. Scientists have found hearing loss increases a person’s odds of dementia by as much as five times.”
One suggested cause for the connection is that if a person’s ears can no longer pick up as many sounds, the hearing nerves are sending fewer signals to the brain, which, as a result, declines.
“There’s also been a connection made between hearing loss and risk of falling,” she explains. “According to Johns Hopkins, elderly people with hearing loss are three times more likely to suffer from a fall than those with corrected hearing. This is a significant finding, as a traumatic fall could be costly and life-altering for seniors.”
Since age-related hearing loss usually hits in the 40s, Dr. Jane recommends having a baseline screening around age 40.
“It’s prudent to protect this sense and your overall health by getting your hearing checked before you are struggling with it,” she says.
“With advancements in technology paving the road for smaller, 100% invisible hearing aids that produce clearer sounds, younger patients seem more open to them and are seeking treatment sooner rather than later,” she says.
“Patients of all ages like the super convenience of the new Bluetooth-enabled smart hearing aids that allow us to make adjustments virtually,” she adds. “They can also stream from their televisions and cell phones, which provides crystal-clear hearing.”
Advanced Audiology Concepts is located at 8897 Mentor Avenue in Mentor. Call the office to set up an audiogram to see how healthy your hearing is, at 440-205-8848, or visit AdvancedAudiologyConcepts.com for more information.