1 00:00:01,034 --> 00:00:03,970 Ladies and gentlemen, 2 00:00:03,970 --> 00:00:07,674 this is America's Healthcare Advocate broadcasting 3 00:00:07,674 --> 00:00:09,609 coast to coast across the USA. 4 00:00:09,609 --> 00:00:10,844 Cary, it's a pleasure to be with you. 5 00:00:10,844 --> 00:00:14,114 And I do have to say, you are the most knowledgeable 6 00:00:14,114 --> 00:00:17,117 about health policy just superlative. 7 00:00:17,350 --> 00:00:21,354 And now America's Healthcare Advocate, Cary Hall. 8 00:00:21,721 --> 00:00:22,455 Hello, America. 9 00:00:22,455 --> 00:00:25,792 Welcome to America's Healthcare Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast 10 00:00:25,792 --> 00:00:29,229 across the USA here on the HIA Radio Network. 11 00:00:29,229 --> 00:00:33,166 Thank you for joining us, for making us one of the most listened to talk shows 12 00:00:33,166 --> 00:00:34,200 throughout the United States. 13 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,771 We thank each and every one of you in our listening audience and all of you 14 00:00:37,771 --> 00:00:41,074 to join us on our podcast and also on our YouTube channel. 15 00:00:41,274 --> 00:00:46,746 I want to give a little shout out to 98.7 WBFD in Bedford, Pennsylvania. 16 00:00:46,980 --> 00:00:48,648 They are our newest affiliate 17 00:00:48,648 --> 00:00:52,185 for on their Saturday mornings, I believe at 9:00, if I'm not mistaken. 18 00:00:52,519 --> 00:00:55,088 But welcome to the America's Healthcare Advocate family. 19 00:00:55,088 --> 00:00:56,823 We're happy to have you on board. 20 00:00:56,823 --> 00:00:59,926 And hello to all the folks in Pennsylvania listening to us. 21 00:01:00,393 --> 00:01:03,963 America's Healthcare Advocate is a show, but we separate fact from fiction 22 00:01:03,963 --> 00:01:05,532 on the subject of health care. 23 00:01:05,532 --> 00:01:08,535 Today's show is going to be one in the series that we have done 24 00:01:08,835 --> 00:01:10,003 on hearing issues 25 00:01:10,003 --> 00:01:14,240 as they affect everybody, not just those of us that are seasoned citizens. 26 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:18,011 So Shannon Schneller is joining us from Focus Hearing, welcome back. 27 00:01:18,044 --> 00:01:18,845 Thank you for having me. 28 00:01:18,845 --> 00:01:21,014 She is the owner of Focus Hearing. 29 00:01:21,014 --> 00:01:23,016 He's been in his business for 25 years. 30 00:01:23,016 --> 00:01:27,187 And we're going to talk about all things associated with hearing and hearing loss. 31 00:01:27,220 --> 00:01:29,089 Now, you know, here's something interesting. 32 00:01:30,323 --> 00:01:32,692 They actually are able to connect with and help 33 00:01:32,692 --> 00:01:38,565 about 12% of the people in this country that have a significant hearing loss. 12%. 34 00:01:38,965 --> 00:01:40,433 So, you know what that means. 35 00:01:40,433 --> 00:01:44,838 Conversely, 78% of the people are not getting help, okay? 36 00:01:45,038 --> 00:01:49,142 They're not doing anything to solve their hearing loss problem. 37 00:01:49,242 --> 00:01:52,112 You know, I wear two hearing aids, both of which came from Focus 38 00:01:52,112 --> 00:01:53,213 Hearing, by the way, 39 00:01:53,213 --> 00:01:56,049 and they do a wonderful job of testing and getting you set up 40 00:01:56,049 --> 00:01:57,851 and doing everything you need to do. 41 00:01:57,851 --> 00:02:01,221 But, you know, I got to tell you it, for a lot of years, I didn't do this. 42 00:02:01,221 --> 00:02:04,724 And I, you know, my wife would say, can you turn the TV down? 43 00:02:04,757 --> 00:02:09,429 It's really loud or I wouldn't hear somebody in a restaurant like I needed to. 44 00:02:09,963 --> 00:02:10,964 And the problem was, I was. 45 00:02:10,964 --> 00:02:14,100 I still have hearing, but it wasn't what it used to be. 46 00:02:14,134 --> 00:02:16,102 Well, I got tested and found out. 47 00:02:16,102 --> 00:02:17,370 You know what? You've got a problem. 48 00:02:17,370 --> 00:02:19,839 And I was able to get to great hearing aids. 49 00:02:19,839 --> 00:02:23,977 A company called Phonak that that, Shannon connected us with. 50 00:02:24,010 --> 00:02:27,447 And they actually installed these horse guards set up on our computers. 51 00:02:27,447 --> 00:02:30,383 The whole nine yards. And they made a huge difference. 52 00:02:30,383 --> 00:02:33,453 I hardly do anything without these hearing aids now, so 53 00:02:33,753 --> 00:02:35,421 I thought we'd talk a little bit about that. 54 00:02:35,421 --> 00:02:38,424 It's just amazing to me that when I ask you 55 00:02:38,458 --> 00:02:41,461 what what the number of people with hearing loss 56 00:02:41,461 --> 00:02:45,431 and how how many people are getting help and how many are 12%, right, 57 00:02:45,431 --> 00:02:46,232 that's not good. 58 00:02:46,232 --> 00:02:50,503 No, that's our market penetration and averages 12, 15, 16. 59 00:02:50,670 --> 00:02:54,541 We just can't ever seem to get over that hump, whatever that factor is. 60 00:02:54,908 --> 00:02:57,310 But of all of the population that has hearing loss, 61 00:02:57,310 --> 00:03:00,313 that's the percentage is actually stepping up to get help. 62 00:03:00,513 --> 00:03:01,381 You know? 63 00:03:01,381 --> 00:03:04,350 And here's the thing you don't want to think about this is 64 00:03:04,350 --> 00:03:08,288 this is like any other handicap, but you can't see it doesn't it? 65 00:03:08,321 --> 00:03:11,457 I'm so, so if you had you know, if you had drop foot. 66 00:03:11,591 --> 00:03:12,091 Okay. 67 00:03:12,091 --> 00:03:16,663 Or if you had, you know, some other physical malady that you could see, 68 00:03:17,096 --> 00:03:20,166 then you would obviously you'd want, you would want to get it taken care of 69 00:03:20,166 --> 00:03:21,634 for a whole host of reasons. 70 00:03:21,634 --> 00:03:23,836 This one you can't see. 71 00:03:23,836 --> 00:03:27,774 And and, you know, it's remarkable to me that people don't rate. 72 00:03:27,774 --> 00:03:31,010 And I know some people who actually refuse to do this. 73 00:03:31,344 --> 00:03:33,012 And most of it is vanity. 74 00:03:33,012 --> 00:03:36,015 Just happens to be a couple of women I know that won't do it. 75 00:03:36,482 --> 00:03:38,718 And, and and it's unfortunate 76 00:03:38,718 --> 00:03:42,355 because you're, you're creating a huge series of problems for yourself. 77 00:03:42,689 --> 00:03:43,590 So let's talk about. 78 00:03:43,590 --> 00:03:45,358 Well, let's talk about your personal experience. 79 00:03:45,358 --> 00:03:47,393 What were some of the reasons why you waited? 80 00:03:47,393 --> 00:03:49,929 Well, first of all, as you know, I'm deaf in one year 81 00:03:49,929 --> 00:03:53,399 because he had a brain tumor back in 1985, and I lost all that hearing. 82 00:03:53,700 --> 00:03:57,971 So I'm already handicapped enough, because I can only hear on one side 83 00:03:58,171 --> 00:04:00,840 and I can't hear on the other. And that's a real nightmare. 84 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,444 If you're in a restaurant setting and you're sitting at a circular table, 85 00:04:04,644 --> 00:04:06,379 or you're sitting in a place where you got somebody 86 00:04:06,379 --> 00:04:08,414 next to you and you've got other people across you, 87 00:04:08,414 --> 00:04:11,351 and you can't hear one of them because they're all the wrong side of you. 88 00:04:11,351 --> 00:04:14,320 Or when I go to eat at the restaurant, I have to sit on the side 89 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,090 where the waiter is going to come so that I can hear what they're saying. 90 00:04:17,090 --> 00:04:18,424 Not now. 91 00:04:18,424 --> 00:04:20,426 And I only be like, here's the other thing. 92 00:04:20,426 --> 00:04:21,894 I was so stubborn about this. 93 00:04:21,894 --> 00:04:24,397 I know you're laughing because you know I was going to say this. 94 00:04:24,397 --> 00:04:28,034 I only would I would only wear one hearing aid for the longest period of time. 95 00:04:28,067 --> 00:04:31,771 You convinced me to try the second hearing aid, which now, 96 00:04:31,771 --> 00:04:35,642 even though I don't have hearing in this ear, moves the sound that I 97 00:04:35,675 --> 00:04:38,378 hear on this side of my head over to the hearing on this side. 98 00:04:38,378 --> 00:04:40,213 So it solved that problem. 99 00:04:40,213 --> 00:04:43,249 So for me, you know, I it's funny because the other day 100 00:04:43,249 --> 00:04:47,520 I had three back to back Zoom conferences and I forgot to put the hearing aids in. 101 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,757 I literally stopped one of the conferences and said, 102 00:04:50,757 --> 00:04:52,392 I gotta run upstairs to get my hearing aids. 103 00:04:52,392 --> 00:04:54,027 I'll be like that, right? 104 00:04:54,027 --> 00:04:54,994 Because... 105 00:04:54,994 --> 00:04:58,064 I can hear them, but I couldn't make out the words, well, 106 00:04:58,164 --> 00:05:00,833 you know, and the other thing is, I can take this phone 107 00:05:00,833 --> 00:05:04,170 and this app that I have, which is absolutely amazing. 108 00:05:04,370 --> 00:05:07,707 This is the Phonak app and now I can actually adjust 109 00:05:08,041 --> 00:05:09,709 just so the camera sees this. 110 00:05:09,709 --> 00:05:11,611 You see where it says speech and noise. 111 00:05:11,611 --> 00:05:13,012 I'm doing a radio show. 112 00:05:13,012 --> 00:05:16,983 So I set it on the speech noise so I can hear and enunciate. 113 00:05:17,583 --> 00:05:18,951 It helps me and my speaking. 114 00:05:18,951 --> 00:05:22,355 I can also hear everything Shannon saying to me or Dave and Garner. 115 00:05:22,355 --> 00:05:26,526 So that's that's one of the marvels of this system, the way it works. 116 00:05:26,826 --> 00:05:30,396 So for me, it's been a godsend because it's made a huge difference. 117 00:05:30,396 --> 00:05:31,230 Absolutely huge. 118 00:05:31,230 --> 00:05:34,434 You know, here's the other thing that you're talking to, folks 119 00:05:34,434 --> 00:05:37,437 that, you know, have a hearing issue, mostly seasoned citizens, right? 120 00:05:37,704 --> 00:05:40,707 Hey, do you do you do closed captioning all the shows that you watch. 121 00:05:41,274 --> 00:05:43,109 Well, I don't have to do closed captioning Mark 122 00:05:43,109 --> 00:05:45,211 because I actually know what the hell they're saying, right? 123 00:05:45,211 --> 00:05:49,582 So, you know, it's just there's a whole series of things that surround this issue. 124 00:05:50,283 --> 00:05:54,987 And you, you speak the truth about the physical load, the mental load 125 00:05:55,321 --> 00:05:58,491 to pull off your hearing loss instead of just fixing it. 126 00:05:58,891 --> 00:05:59,359 Yeah. 127 00:05:59,359 --> 00:06:01,828 It's like you don't realize over time the things you have to do 128 00:06:01,828 --> 00:06:02,829 to accommodate your hearing 129 00:06:02,829 --> 00:06:05,998 loss, the lip reading, the leaning, oh, I've got to sit on this wall. 130 00:06:05,998 --> 00:06:08,634 I've got to be here. I'm just not even going to go because I don't hear well, 131 00:06:09,736 --> 00:06:10,503 all those things 132 00:06:10,503 --> 00:06:13,940 that arise from just not treating it. Yeah. 133 00:06:13,940 --> 00:06:18,678 And the sad part is, I mean, in reality, this is simple to fix this. 134 00:06:18,811 --> 00:06:19,879 Yeah. 135 00:06:19,879 --> 00:06:21,180 It can be. 136 00:06:21,180 --> 00:06:22,982 Yeah. Yeah it is. 137 00:06:22,982 --> 00:06:26,018 And I hear a lot of my clinic about a patient in front of me. 138 00:06:26,018 --> 00:06:28,588 Well, I'm not that bad. 139 00:06:28,588 --> 00:06:31,090 You don't want to get to that bad 140 00:06:31,090 --> 00:06:33,526 because then you're making this huge jump back to normal. 141 00:06:33,526 --> 00:06:36,129 That really is unnecessary if we just catch it earlier. 142 00:06:36,129 --> 00:06:37,430 Well, here's the other problem. 143 00:06:37,430 --> 00:06:41,567 And it is that if you don't take care of it, and I've had this conversation 144 00:06:41,567 --> 00:06:44,804 with several people, it gets progressively worse. Yes. 145 00:06:45,438 --> 00:06:46,939 You know, explain a little bit about that. 146 00:06:46,939 --> 00:06:48,474 We go to break here in about three minutes. 147 00:06:48,474 --> 00:06:48,808 Okay. 148 00:06:48,808 --> 00:06:50,943 Let's talk about how untreated hearing loss, 149 00:06:50,943 --> 00:06:53,880 what effects that has affects your cognitive function 150 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,916 your social overall just relationships and interactions. 151 00:06:57,583 --> 00:07:01,754 And it really is your overall well-being because you're reducing your ability 152 00:07:02,455 --> 00:07:05,625 to actively be around people and engage. 153 00:07:05,792 --> 00:07:08,761 So then you start to isolate, withdraw. 154 00:07:08,761 --> 00:07:12,231 And I know we'll discuss that a little bit further about how all of that 155 00:07:12,231 --> 00:07:13,866 can affect you and your overall well-being. 156 00:07:13,866 --> 00:07:14,300 But early 157 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:18,638 detection really can be so important because you can catch things earlier. 158 00:07:19,172 --> 00:07:22,742 So much easier to dig yourself out of a hole when you're only knee deep 159 00:07:22,742 --> 00:07:24,177 than when you're chesty. 160 00:07:24,177 --> 00:07:26,012 And that's a good correlation to hearing loss. 161 00:07:26,012 --> 00:07:29,849 It's like a smaller step back to normal is just an easier transition for you. 162 00:07:30,383 --> 00:07:33,219 But again, you know this this is my understanding. 163 00:07:33,219 --> 00:07:34,587 If you don't treat it. 164 00:07:34,587 --> 00:07:37,590 Here's what Lori was told that if she didn't treat this, 165 00:07:37,857 --> 00:07:40,860 that she was going to have a continuing further loss 166 00:07:40,860 --> 00:07:44,197 of hearing by treating it, you're stopping that, correct? 167 00:07:44,197 --> 00:07:46,732 Okay. That to me that's critical. 168 00:07:46,732 --> 00:07:49,869 So not only are you creating all these additional problems 169 00:07:49,869 --> 00:07:52,872 for yourself, isolating yourself, all the things that we talked about, 170 00:07:52,939 --> 00:07:56,142 you know, not going to an event for having a problem, understanding people 171 00:07:56,375 --> 00:07:59,145 on top of all that, you're continuing to degrade. 172 00:07:59,145 --> 00:08:02,648 You're hearing that it gets to a point where maybe you can't do a lot about it. 173 00:08:02,648 --> 00:08:04,750 And to me, that's a real tragedy. Correct. 174 00:08:04,750 --> 00:08:06,018 Because this is not 175 00:08:06,018 --> 00:08:08,955 you know, this is not you have to go in for a surgical procedure. No. 176 00:08:08,955 --> 00:08:12,592 Or or you're wearing some cumbersome device that you know, that, 177 00:08:12,792 --> 00:08:15,361 that you can't even see these things. Okay. 178 00:08:15,361 --> 00:08:16,896 So to me, 179 00:08:16,896 --> 00:08:20,032 it's very unfortunate that people to understand that and take that part. 180 00:08:20,032 --> 00:08:22,635 And I think that's part of why we're doing these shows. 181 00:08:22,635 --> 00:08:23,569 Untreated hearing loss. 182 00:08:23,569 --> 00:08:24,871 It just leads to that atrophy 183 00:08:24,871 --> 00:08:27,874 of that neurological pathways between the air in the brain. 184 00:08:27,907 --> 00:08:31,744 So if if sat there not being used and stimulated the brain gets a little lazy. 185 00:08:32,044 --> 00:08:34,146 So then we do reactivate it with the hearing aid. 186 00:08:35,348 --> 00:08:36,582 We need to know what that 187 00:08:36,582 --> 00:08:39,585 result can be because if it sat there for years and years and years. 188 00:08:40,052 --> 00:08:42,788 Sometimes we can't get you back to normal, 189 00:08:42,788 --> 00:08:45,925 and that's just part of the expectations we need to set for you. 190 00:08:46,292 --> 00:08:47,460 Like how long have we waited? 191 00:08:47,460 --> 00:08:49,095 How long is this atrophy? 192 00:08:49,095 --> 00:08:50,730 What can we get you to? 193 00:08:50,730 --> 00:08:53,099 And you know, the sad part is it doesn't have to be that way 194 00:08:53,099 --> 00:08:55,568 because the whole point, that's why we're doing the show today, 195 00:08:55,568 --> 00:08:56,135 we're going to talk 196 00:08:56,135 --> 00:08:59,805 a lot more about these issues and how it affects cognitive health. 197 00:09:00,273 --> 00:09:00,573 Okay. 198 00:09:00,573 --> 00:09:02,074 And if you're a seasoned citizen, that's 199 00:09:02,074 --> 00:09:04,477 certainly something you want to be concerned about 200 00:09:04,477 --> 00:09:08,047 and certainly something that you need to take into consideration 201 00:09:08,281 --> 00:09:10,316 on whether or not you're treating your hearing loss. 202 00:09:10,316 --> 00:09:13,052 If you want information, if you'd like to connect with Shannon, 203 00:09:13,052 --> 00:09:18,124 you can do so at myFocusHearing.com, 913-380-4200. 204 00:09:18,124 --> 00:09:19,492 They have two locations. 205 00:09:19,492 --> 00:09:22,361 You can easily get to them and they'd be happy to help you. 206 00:09:22,361 --> 00:09:23,729 We'll be right back after the break. 207 00:09:23,729 --> 00:09:27,066 Your listening to America's Healthcare Advocate broadcasting 208 00:09:27,066 --> 00:09:31,304 here on the HIA Radio Network host Coast Cross, USA. 209 00:09:31,337 --> 00:09:32,972 Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. 210 00:09:44,216 --> 00:09:44,817 Welcome back. 211 00:09:44,817 --> 00:09:45,952 You're listening to America's 212 00:09:45,952 --> 00:09:49,322 Healthcare Advocates Show, broadcasting coast to coast across the USA. 213 00:09:49,522 --> 00:09:50,823 My producer today, Mr. 214 00:09:50,823 --> 00:09:52,892 Garner Cowdrey, who is behind the microphones here 215 00:09:52,892 --> 00:09:56,796 at our Cumulus Studios in Overland Park, Kansas, and Dave Thiessen, man 216 00:09:56,796 --> 00:09:59,799 behind the cameras, who puts all these shows together, 217 00:09:59,832 --> 00:10:04,036 puts them up on all of our on our YouTube channel and on all 17. 218 00:10:04,036 --> 00:10:06,472 We're now on 17 podcast channels. 219 00:10:06,472 --> 00:10:08,641 So Dave does all that work. 220 00:10:08,641 --> 00:10:11,310 And if you want to see one of these shows, you want to share this with somebody. 221 00:10:11,310 --> 00:10:14,313 Hey, maybe you've got a husband who's stubborn, 222 00:10:15,147 --> 00:10:17,016 kind of like I was, okay? 223 00:10:17,016 --> 00:10:18,551 And, you know, is having a problem. 224 00:10:18,551 --> 00:10:21,220 You might want to have him listen to this broadcast and find out. 225 00:10:21,220 --> 00:10:21,887 You know what? 226 00:10:21,887 --> 00:10:23,289 You got a real problem, pal. 227 00:10:23,289 --> 00:10:25,424 And, there's a simple way to fix it. 228 00:10:25,424 --> 00:10:27,059 This is a great way to do it. 229 00:10:27,059 --> 00:10:29,795 Contact the people at Focus Hearing the website is 230 00:10:31,297 --> 00:10:35,534 myFocusHearing.com 913-380-4200. 231 00:10:35,735 --> 00:10:37,470 They are more than happy to help you. 232 00:10:37,470 --> 00:10:42,608 913-380-4200 you know, we were talking break there for a minute 233 00:10:42,608 --> 00:10:46,746 and you were your talk about gradual losing of hearing. 234 00:10:47,013 --> 00:10:49,081 And I kind of look at that. 235 00:10:49,081 --> 00:10:53,419 You don't really realize that this is going on and the effects around you. 236 00:10:53,419 --> 00:10:56,088 So in other words, you don't know what you don't know. 237 00:10:56,088 --> 00:10:56,422 Correct. 238 00:10:56,422 --> 00:10:57,790 Because you don't know 239 00:10:57,790 --> 00:11:01,627 that you're not hearing this or that you're not getting all the conversation. 240 00:11:01,827 --> 00:11:05,431 Or maybe it's something actually important to do with your work, or, 241 00:11:05,498 --> 00:11:09,301 you know, your family or planning or whatever the case may be, and you think 242 00:11:09,301 --> 00:11:13,039 you heard one thing, when in reality something completely different was said. 243 00:11:13,039 --> 00:11:16,142 So let's just talk about that, because that's that's kind of interesting. 244 00:11:16,642 --> 00:11:20,346 Well, hearing loss, the nature of the beast is because it's so gradual. 245 00:11:20,713 --> 00:11:22,548 You don't realize where you're at. 246 00:11:22,548 --> 00:11:25,217 It's very common for a first time hearing test, the patient come in 247 00:11:25,217 --> 00:11:27,953 and we're already at moderate hearing. Loss, which is where I was. 248 00:11:27,953 --> 00:11:30,022 And that's because of how it happens. 249 00:11:30,022 --> 00:11:31,657 You just don't have a reference to normal. 250 00:11:31,657 --> 00:11:34,794 Your everyday degradation where you exist is your normal. 251 00:11:35,394 --> 00:11:36,996 And then your loved ones are complaining. 252 00:11:36,996 --> 00:11:38,464 Your spouse, your partner. 253 00:11:38,464 --> 00:11:42,568 Now I said 10 not 2 and then it just kind of comes into your mind like, 254 00:11:43,135 --> 00:11:46,472 maybe I'm really not hearing the way that I could be. 255 00:11:47,239 --> 00:11:50,209 And then by the time you you realize where you're at, it's 256 00:11:50,209 --> 00:11:51,744 typically at moderate hearing loss. 257 00:11:51,744 --> 00:11:53,646 So we touched on this a minute ago. 258 00:11:53,646 --> 00:11:55,481 Let's go into this a little further. 259 00:11:55,481 --> 00:11:59,185 If you let this go, the 78% of you out there 260 00:11:59,185 --> 00:12:01,487 that are not paying attention to this issue, 261 00:12:01,487 --> 00:12:05,124 if you let this go and you're 45 years old and you're starting to have a problem 262 00:12:05,124 --> 00:12:08,861 or 50 years old, where are you going to want to put your 65 to 70? 263 00:12:09,829 --> 00:12:11,731 I can't help you as much as I 264 00:12:11,731 --> 00:12:15,468 could before because it's all about, where can I take you? 265 00:12:15,501 --> 00:12:18,404 What does that neurological pathway between your ear in your brain look like? 266 00:12:18,404 --> 00:12:20,506 Once we get a hearing aid on it. 267 00:12:20,506 --> 00:12:23,509 And that's why it's so important to catch it early. 268 00:12:23,642 --> 00:12:26,612 The impact on your mental health, untreated hearing loss. 269 00:12:26,746 --> 00:12:30,416 We all know the links between hearing loss, untreated depression, 270 00:12:30,416 --> 00:12:34,353 anxiety, isolation, and just addressing your hearing. 271 00:12:34,353 --> 00:12:35,287 It just 272 00:12:35,287 --> 00:12:39,325 overall improves your quality of life, your your interactions with your family. 273 00:12:39,725 --> 00:12:41,460 You know, you're you're wanting to engage, 274 00:12:41,460 --> 00:12:43,696 you're wanting to have that social interaction. 275 00:12:43,696 --> 00:12:45,531 And when you're frustrated 276 00:12:45,531 --> 00:12:49,135 and it becomes so much work to pull that off, what's your first reaction? 277 00:12:49,135 --> 00:12:51,737 You just kind of want to pull away. 278 00:12:51,737 --> 00:12:54,240 I'll just not going to go or don't. 279 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:55,241 I'll catch you next time. 280 00:12:55,241 --> 00:12:57,743 So I'm standing in my son in law's, 281 00:12:59,345 --> 00:13:02,181 mother's farm up in Washington 282 00:13:02,181 --> 00:13:06,685 and my daughter and his two children are there in the room, 283 00:13:07,052 --> 00:13:10,623 and she's talking to me, and I'm not even hearing this. 284 00:13:10,623 --> 00:13:12,024 She does the before I get the hearing aids. 285 00:13:12,024 --> 00:13:13,893 I'm not even hearing that she's talking to me. 286 00:13:13,893 --> 00:13:18,297 And Sean goes, Cary, Cary, Evelyn's talking to you, right? 287 00:13:18,330 --> 00:13:21,400 Oh, and there she was standing right in front of me, talking to me. 288 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,702 And I had no idea she was talking to me. 289 00:13:23,702 --> 00:13:25,371 That was kind of a wake up call. 290 00:13:25,371 --> 00:13:28,574 Okay, you know, I've got six grandkids, all right? 291 00:13:28,574 --> 00:13:34,613 And whether it's Clara or Evelyn or Jack or or or or Jonah or, 292 00:13:34,647 --> 00:13:37,750 you know, whoever it may be, or Skye, you know, they all have. 293 00:13:37,750 --> 00:13:39,852 They all want to talk about something. Okay. 294 00:13:39,852 --> 00:13:42,054 And when you can't hear them, okay. 295 00:13:42,054 --> 00:13:45,057 Or worse yet, if you hear them and you can't understand. 296 00:13:45,090 --> 00:13:47,493 But that was another problem. I can hear them. 297 00:13:47,493 --> 00:13:48,828 They don't speak that clearly. 298 00:13:48,828 --> 00:13:52,164 Especially they're all under the age of of seven. 299 00:13:52,698 --> 00:13:54,433 If that gives you any idea. 300 00:13:54,433 --> 00:13:57,303 So having said that, it's, you know, they don't 301 00:13:57,303 --> 00:14:00,573 necessarily speak that clearly well trying to understand what they are saying. 302 00:14:00,806 --> 00:14:04,944 If you can't understand it, distinguish it and hear it, then you got it right. 303 00:14:04,944 --> 00:14:06,278 You've got a compounded problem. 304 00:14:06,278 --> 00:14:09,548 Well, there's a big difference between hearing and understanding. 305 00:14:09,548 --> 00:14:10,416 Okay. 306 00:14:10,416 --> 00:14:14,687 You know, most of my patients can hear, but can they understand the conversation. 307 00:14:14,687 --> 00:14:15,421 Absolutely not. 308 00:14:15,421 --> 00:14:17,857 And it's just like with your glasses you take your glasses off. 309 00:14:17,857 --> 00:14:20,359 I can still see. I'm not that bad. 310 00:14:20,359 --> 00:14:23,796 But when you put your glasses on oh my gosh, I can read that sign over there. 311 00:14:23,796 --> 00:14:26,832 And it's just adding that clarity in that layer of understanding. 312 00:14:27,700 --> 00:14:30,603 Going back to that conversation that you missed, 313 00:14:30,603 --> 00:14:32,972 they might be thinking, oh, grandpa was just ignoring me. 314 00:14:34,940 --> 00:14:35,674 Yeah. 315 00:14:35,674 --> 00:14:36,175 Correct. 316 00:14:36,175 --> 00:14:38,143 You know, it's not that you 317 00:14:38,143 --> 00:14:39,144 chose to ignore them. 318 00:14:39,144 --> 00:14:40,713 You just didn't hear them. 319 00:14:40,713 --> 00:14:42,781 On the flip side of that, well, he's not engaging with me. 320 00:14:42,781 --> 00:14:44,950 Maybe I just won't have that conversation with him. 321 00:14:44,950 --> 00:14:45,851 Yeah. 322 00:14:45,851 --> 00:14:47,386 That's terrible for your relationships. 323 00:14:47,386 --> 00:14:50,189 Yeah, and we can. It's easy to fix. 324 00:14:50,189 --> 00:14:54,093 The hard part is self-reflection and realizing where you're at 325 00:14:54,426 --> 00:14:57,529 and being honest with yourself about it, you really need help, and of coarse 326 00:14:57,529 --> 00:15:00,532 99% of the process is getting your toes on my carpet. 327 00:15:01,066 --> 00:15:04,336 Yeah, because if you can't accept what's going on, 328 00:15:04,336 --> 00:15:07,339 it makes it a hard treatment process. 329 00:15:07,473 --> 00:15:09,308 Yeah, it really does. 330 00:15:09,308 --> 00:15:12,678 And believe me, okay, if you're listening to this, 331 00:15:12,711 --> 00:15:14,480 you've got the problem and you're not treating it. 332 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,982 You know who I'm talking to? Okay? 333 00:15:16,982 --> 00:15:18,317 You know, you're hearing it from your wife. 334 00:15:18,317 --> 00:15:19,618 You're hearing it from your children. 335 00:15:19,618 --> 00:15:21,353 You're hearing it from your grandchildren. 336 00:15:21,353 --> 00:15:25,591 Maybe the guys you go to the VFW with, or maybe the ladies at the women's 337 00:15:25,591 --> 00:15:29,595 church social, whatever the case may be, if you're not paying attention to this, 338 00:15:29,595 --> 00:15:32,598 you know you're getting the signs that there's a problem, 339 00:15:32,631 --> 00:15:36,502 and then you have to take the initiative to do, you know, I guess with the 340 00:15:36,769 --> 00:15:39,738 from the quality of life standpoint, I would have to say 341 00:15:39,738 --> 00:15:42,741 that the difference it's made for me has been night and day. 342 00:15:42,875 --> 00:15:45,177 I, like I said, I can't operate without these things. 343 00:15:45,177 --> 00:15:48,180 Now I can show here, I can take them out of here. 344 00:15:48,414 --> 00:15:49,848 But it's not the same. 345 00:15:49,848 --> 00:15:52,851 It's not the same clarity, it's not the same volume. 346 00:15:52,885 --> 00:15:55,854 You know, I can adjust this when I go into a restaurant. 347 00:15:55,854 --> 00:15:57,756 There's a setting on here. 348 00:15:57,756 --> 00:16:01,193 It says restaurant and I just set it for restaurant. 349 00:16:01,193 --> 00:16:04,530 and it tones the sound down significantly so that I'm not. 350 00:16:04,763 --> 00:16:09,335 If I'm sitting at a table, I'm not hearing everybody's conversation around me, 351 00:16:09,368 --> 00:16:10,803 which is a real problem. 352 00:16:10,803 --> 00:16:12,504 If you ever hearing aid at a restaurant, 353 00:16:12,504 --> 00:16:14,707 you're listening to somebody two tables over. 354 00:16:14,707 --> 00:16:15,874 You're talking about something. 355 00:16:15,874 --> 00:16:18,978 It has no no relationship to what you're in the restaurant for. 356 00:16:18,978 --> 00:16:23,282 So so to me, you know, this particular one and we'll talk about this. 357 00:16:23,282 --> 00:16:26,485 We come back from the break this particular hearing aid 358 00:16:26,485 --> 00:16:29,488 because of all these fabulous settings that it has. 359 00:16:29,488 --> 00:16:33,158 And the way that it works, like I said, it's I can't be without it. 360 00:16:33,158 --> 00:16:36,095 The minute I don't have it on, I'm like, 361 00:16:36,095 --> 00:16:38,630 or if I drive out of the house and I forget to put them on, I'm like, 362 00:16:39,598 --> 00:16:41,533 I've got to go back, I forgot. 363 00:16:41,533 --> 00:16:42,868 Yep. Yeah. 364 00:16:42,868 --> 00:16:45,871 And you live in a great time hearing aids now technologically advanced. 365 00:16:46,271 --> 00:16:48,907 I mean the things that we have now, we didn't have five, six years ago. 366 00:16:48,907 --> 00:16:50,676 This particular one, the Phonak, 367 00:16:50,676 --> 00:16:54,346 and we can talk about this after we come back from the break, to me is amazing. 368 00:16:54,346 --> 00:16:56,648 And I had other hearing aids. 369 00:16:56,648 --> 00:16:58,283 They did not work like this. 370 00:16:58,283 --> 00:17:02,121 They were okay but they didn't give me the kind of control that this gives me. 371 00:17:02,121 --> 00:17:02,421 Right. 372 00:17:02,421 --> 00:17:05,424 And what I and I can adjust the volume on this down. 373 00:17:06,058 --> 00:17:07,726 You know, I can do a host of things that just. 374 00:17:07,726 --> 00:17:08,894 I couldn't do before. 375 00:17:08,894 --> 00:17:12,164 That, you know, it was worth every nickel that I spent on this. 376 00:17:12,765 --> 00:17:13,932 And I wouldn't be without it. 377 00:17:13,932 --> 00:17:15,034 Because this works so well. 378 00:17:15,034 --> 00:17:17,703 Well, you're not having to accept the best average anymore. 379 00:17:17,703 --> 00:17:19,905 Everywhere you go, you can go That’s interesting, I didn’t think about that. 380 00:17:19,905 --> 00:17:20,672 You can go in. 381 00:17:20,672 --> 00:17:24,243 Oh, I mean, I want this, I want this, and the next table over 382 00:17:24,243 --> 00:17:26,612 next visit you have what I need this and this. 383 00:17:26,612 --> 00:17:28,447 We didn't have that before. 384 00:17:28,447 --> 00:17:31,450 So I understand the stigma that hearing aids weren't very good. 385 00:17:31,517 --> 00:17:34,386 When I first started doing this, I had a “trim potentiometer screwdriver”. 386 00:17:34,386 --> 00:17:35,220 That's all we could do. 387 00:17:36,422 --> 00:17:37,956 So to think about where we are 388 00:17:37,956 --> 00:17:41,794 now and the ability that we have to help with your issues. 389 00:17:41,794 --> 00:17:44,663 And it's a great time to wear hearing aids because of technology. 390 00:17:44,663 --> 00:17:45,364 Yeah, it is. 391 00:17:45,364 --> 00:17:48,467 And, you know, there's this setting on here for TVs. 392 00:17:48,767 --> 00:17:50,669 There's a setting on here for music. 393 00:17:50,669 --> 00:17:53,505 So there are all kinds of different settings on here that help you adjust 394 00:17:53,505 --> 00:17:56,508 these hearing aids to whatever situation you find yourself in. 395 00:17:56,508 --> 00:18:00,279 If you want information, the website is myFocusHearing.com. 396 00:18:02,114 --> 00:18:05,050 Phone number 913-380-4200. 397 00:18:05,050 --> 00:18:07,586 You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate 398 00:18:07,586 --> 00:18:10,522 broadcasting here on the HIA Radio Network. 399 00:18:10,522 --> 00:18:12,391 Coast to coast across USA. 400 00:18:12,391 --> 00:18:13,225 We'll be right back. 401 00:18:13,225 --> 00:18:16,228 Don't go anywhere. 402 00:18:25,671 --> 00:18:26,305 Welcome back. 403 00:18:26,305 --> 00:18:27,873 You're listening to America's Healthcare 404 00:18:27,873 --> 00:18:31,376 Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast to coast USA. 405 00:18:31,610 --> 00:18:33,812 Here on the HIA Radio Network. 406 00:18:33,812 --> 00:18:36,081 You can find out more about us by going to our website. 407 00:18:36,081 --> 00:18:39,218 America's Healthcare Advocate.com I just got an email 408 00:18:39,218 --> 00:18:42,955 the other day, lady who's got a son she needs health insurance for. 409 00:18:43,188 --> 00:18:45,691 If we can help you with that, please send us an email. 410 00:18:45,691 --> 00:18:49,528 I'll refer you probably to the folks over at RPS Benefits by Design. 411 00:18:49,795 --> 00:18:50,762 They do a great job. 412 00:18:50,762 --> 00:18:53,765 They can handle anything anywhere in the country 413 00:18:53,966 --> 00:18:55,868 and they are extremely competent people. 414 00:18:55,868 --> 00:18:56,902 So once again, 415 00:18:56,902 --> 00:18:58,770 if you do have questions about health insurance, 416 00:18:58,770 --> 00:19:00,772 if you have a question about anything else, 417 00:19:00,772 --> 00:19:02,374 if it's a medical issue, 418 00:19:02,374 --> 00:19:04,977 they need to know where to get treatment or whatever the case may be. 419 00:19:04,977 --> 00:19:06,211 Send me an email. 420 00:19:06,211 --> 00:19:08,180 I'm happy to help in any way that I can. 421 00:19:08,180 --> 00:19:12,217 The website America's Healthcare Advocate.com once again in studio 422 00:19:12,217 --> 00:19:15,787 with me, Shannon Schneller here from Focus Hearing. 423 00:19:16,021 --> 00:19:19,024 You know, I always tell you when I'm doing the Medicare shows 424 00:19:19,224 --> 00:19:22,394 don't call the number on TV, don't call Joe. 425 00:19:22,394 --> 00:19:23,795 Nameth’s phone number. 426 00:19:23,795 --> 00:19:24,163 Okay. 427 00:19:24,163 --> 00:19:27,166 Don't call William Devane if he isn't selling gold coins. 428 00:19:27,332 --> 00:19:29,935 Okay. Don't don't call. You know, 429 00:19:31,503 --> 00:19:34,206 because you're going to get a call center somewhere 430 00:19:34,206 --> 00:19:37,442 with somebody that doesn't know anything about your geographic area 431 00:19:37,442 --> 00:19:40,646 in terms of providers, what's available, what makes most sense? 432 00:19:40,812 --> 00:19:45,450 Well, you know, those TV ads for hearing aids, it's the same thing all over again. 433 00:19:45,551 --> 00:19:46,485 Let me explain. 434 00:19:46,485 --> 00:19:49,922 You're going to go by something sight unseen off the TV because 435 00:19:50,355 --> 00:19:51,623 you think it's cheap, 436 00:19:51,623 --> 00:19:54,626 and they're telling you it's going to be a really great hearing aid. 437 00:19:54,626 --> 00:19:57,863 You're not being tested, you don't know how to adjust it, how 438 00:19:57,863 --> 00:20:00,866 it's going to work, and you've got nobody to walk you through the process. 439 00:20:01,099 --> 00:20:02,968 Why is that not a good idea? 440 00:20:02,968 --> 00:20:04,670 Well, it's an answer. 441 00:20:04,670 --> 00:20:07,105 It's not the best answer. Okay. 442 00:20:07,105 --> 00:20:10,209 It's really about we need to know what you're hearing levels are. 443 00:20:10,442 --> 00:20:13,011 The hearing tests. So you do the test. Of course. Of course. 444 00:20:13,011 --> 00:20:15,747 We need to know exactly what we're dealing with. Is it volume? 445 00:20:15,747 --> 00:20:17,883 Is it clarity, speech understanding. 446 00:20:17,883 --> 00:20:19,651 How well do you hear in crowds? 447 00:20:19,651 --> 00:20:22,321 Those are all completely different situations and issues. 448 00:20:22,321 --> 00:20:26,225 So we put all that information together to make a recommendation, pairing 449 00:20:26,225 --> 00:20:28,160 that with where you go, what you do, 450 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,163 how socially active are you, what's important to you. 451 00:20:31,363 --> 00:20:33,732 Those two hours at church, is that the highlight of your week? 452 00:20:33,732 --> 00:20:36,635 Are you playing cards? Am I going to the casino? 453 00:20:36,635 --> 00:20:38,136 What's important to you? 454 00:20:38,136 --> 00:20:40,472 What do we really need to address? 455 00:20:40,472 --> 00:20:43,475 That is the key factor to getting you here. 456 00:20:43,742 --> 00:20:46,678 Because if I can't help the things that are important to you, then 457 00:20:46,678 --> 00:20:47,913 what's the point? 458 00:20:47,913 --> 00:20:50,949 But getting a hearing test is key, because when you have a prescription 459 00:20:50,949 --> 00:20:52,651 and I know exactly how to fix it, 460 00:20:52,651 --> 00:20:55,721 if we don't have that, you're just got a straight amplifier. 461 00:20:55,721 --> 00:20:57,022 Everything's turned up, turned down. 462 00:20:57,022 --> 00:20:57,489 You're over 463 00:20:57,489 --> 00:20:59,191 amplifying where you may not need it, and then 464 00:20:59,191 --> 00:21:01,293 you're not getting enough amplification where you do. 465 00:21:01,293 --> 00:21:02,227 It's just not ideal. 466 00:21:03,228 --> 00:21:03,729 And so it 467 00:21:03,729 --> 00:21:06,732 affects the effectiveness of what you're doing. 468 00:21:06,865 --> 00:21:10,369 And then it just it keeps a stigma of hearing aids don't work. 469 00:21:10,469 --> 00:21:11,370 And then yeah. 470 00:21:11,370 --> 00:21:13,205 And Dave’s telling us off 471 00:21:13,205 --> 00:21:17,442 air during the break of you know family members that, you know, either 472 00:21:17,442 --> 00:21:20,445 have a hearing aid that doesn't work or don't have hearing aids at all. 473 00:21:20,579 --> 00:21:23,515 And, and the ones that have it that don't work, you're telling me 474 00:21:23,515 --> 00:21:24,182 they're all no good? 475 00:21:24,182 --> 00:21:26,518 They're not any good. The bit they're buying up off TV. Right. 476 00:21:26,518 --> 00:21:28,787 So you know what I'll say to you? 477 00:21:28,787 --> 00:21:31,056 You're not necessarily going to save more money. 478 00:21:31,056 --> 00:21:32,724 Maybe. Maybe not. 479 00:21:32,724 --> 00:21:35,060 Okay, but you won't know that, 480 00:21:35,060 --> 00:21:38,063 if you don't get tested and you're not going to get tested. 481 00:21:38,397 --> 00:21:41,667 So how are you going to know if you're getting the optimum value 482 00:21:41,667 --> 00:21:44,236 for what you need in terms of affecting your hearing? 483 00:21:44,236 --> 00:21:47,072 So to me, that's critical. Sure. 484 00:21:47,072 --> 00:21:49,374 I mean, some patients do better than others. 485 00:21:49,374 --> 00:21:51,877 And there's lots of factors to that. 486 00:21:51,877 --> 00:21:53,178 What is the degree of your loss? 487 00:21:53,178 --> 00:21:55,080 What are we what's the monster that we're dealing with? 488 00:21:56,081 --> 00:21:58,850 How big of a jump back to normal do we need to make? 489 00:21:58,850 --> 00:22:01,753 Bring up adaptation is a crucial factor. 490 00:22:01,753 --> 00:22:05,724 What is the duration of your hearing loss is related to how 491 00:22:05,724 --> 00:22:08,727 well you can adapt back to a normal hearing set. 492 00:22:09,828 --> 00:22:11,463 The neuroplasticity of the brain. 493 00:22:11,463 --> 00:22:14,466 How can it react to hearing better again? 494 00:22:14,466 --> 00:22:15,367 It's atrophied 495 00:22:15,367 --> 00:22:18,370 if it's out there for years and years and years, our whole system is atrophied. 496 00:22:18,570 --> 00:22:20,172 What can it do when we activate it? 497 00:22:20,172 --> 00:22:22,808 Sometimes I can't get you back to normal, 498 00:22:22,808 --> 00:22:25,677 and that's directly related because we waited too long. 499 00:22:25,677 --> 00:22:28,113 So it's my job to give you a fair expectation 500 00:22:28,113 --> 00:22:31,116 of what I can and what I can't do for you and why. 501 00:22:31,383 --> 00:22:34,186 So let's talk a little, switch gears and talk a little bit about, 502 00:22:35,220 --> 00:22:38,056 the technology and what's available now. 503 00:22:38,056 --> 00:22:40,325 You mentioned in one of the previous segments that, 504 00:22:40,325 --> 00:22:42,060 you know, five years ago you couldn't do this, 505 00:22:42,060 --> 00:22:43,695 you couldn't do that, you could do something else. 506 00:22:43,695 --> 00:22:47,466 And then off break, you said, I said, so, hey, this Phonak that I have, 507 00:22:47,466 --> 00:22:50,902 which, you know, in my opinion is an outstanding device. 508 00:22:51,236 --> 00:22:53,872 And you said, oh, there's a new one with upgraded tech, 509 00:22:53,872 --> 00:22:55,707 you know, like, I want to know what that is. Right? 510 00:22:55,707 --> 00:22:58,810 So talk about let's just talk about that in general. 511 00:22:58,810 --> 00:23:00,812 And then the different brands that you sell. 512 00:23:00,812 --> 00:23:03,815 And then and then you can chat a little bit about this for sure. 513 00:23:04,082 --> 00:23:07,953 Well if you think about this, how your cell phone changes in 5 to 6 years, 514 00:23:08,453 --> 00:23:12,691 it's very comparable to what your technology changes and hearing is. 515 00:23:13,425 --> 00:23:15,293 We have all these wonderful sound engineers 516 00:23:15,293 --> 00:23:18,163 that are constantly working on making your hearing aids better. 517 00:23:18,163 --> 00:23:20,732 So when we launch a product, that's typically something 518 00:23:20,732 --> 00:23:23,135 that's been in research and development for a good 3 or 4 years. 519 00:23:24,603 --> 00:23:27,572 So all of that time and care and technology 520 00:23:27,572 --> 00:23:30,575 and engineering that they have put into that once they launch it, 521 00:23:31,743 --> 00:23:34,312 and it's just an exciting time to be wearing hearing aids right now, 522 00:23:34,312 --> 00:23:37,215 because the things that we can do, you're going to be hearing better in crowds. 523 00:23:37,215 --> 00:23:40,218 You've got directionality, you're going to have better clarity. 524 00:23:40,352 --> 00:23:44,022 You've got your app that's that's become so huge. 525 00:23:44,356 --> 00:23:46,091 I didn't have this on my first. 526 00:23:46,091 --> 00:23:46,658 I had two. 527 00:23:46,658 --> 00:23:48,960 This is my third set of hearing aids. 528 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:53,031 The first two that I had, which I did not get at Focus Hearing, okay. 529 00:23:53,031 --> 00:23:54,933 It was one of these national places 530 00:23:54,933 --> 00:23:57,903 that I went to, and believe me, it was not the same. 531 00:23:58,370 --> 00:24:00,272 I couldn't adjust them, couldn't do anything with them. 532 00:24:00,272 --> 00:24:01,006 Drove me nuts. 533 00:24:01,006 --> 00:24:03,809 And I didn't wear them all the time because I didn't like them. 534 00:24:03,809 --> 00:24:06,578 This is a complete I found what works for me. 535 00:24:06,578 --> 00:24:07,579 Right. 536 00:24:07,579 --> 00:24:10,382 And and it's also about some patients do better than others 537 00:24:10,382 --> 00:24:13,351 because if I don't set you realistic expectations. 538 00:24:13,351 --> 00:24:15,353 I can't promise you the moon and I can't deliver it. 539 00:24:15,353 --> 00:24:16,922 So that's a conversation that we have. 540 00:24:16,922 --> 00:24:18,423 This is what we're dealing with. 541 00:24:18,423 --> 00:24:20,325 This is what we can do and what we cannot do. 542 00:24:21,393 --> 00:24:23,562 You have to use them consistently. 543 00:24:23,562 --> 00:24:25,497 My patients that do not like their hearing aids, 544 00:24:25,497 --> 00:24:27,732 they wear them three hours a week for church. 545 00:24:27,732 --> 00:24:29,401 They have not done the work. 546 00:24:29,401 --> 00:24:31,102 You've never gotten used to them. 547 00:24:31,102 --> 00:24:32,370 I tell my patients all the time, 548 00:24:32,370 --> 00:24:35,073 it's like you just bought a house next to the railroad tracks. 549 00:24:35,073 --> 00:24:37,275 You're going to hear the trains for a week or two, 550 00:24:37,275 --> 00:24:40,111 but the longer you stay in the house, the trains come and go, 551 00:24:40,111 --> 00:24:43,081 but you don't hear them because the brain naturally filters them out. 552 00:24:43,148 --> 00:24:46,151 Consistent use helps the trains filter. 553 00:24:46,685 --> 00:24:48,753 That's an interesting analogy. 554 00:24:48,753 --> 00:24:52,257 And if you don't do that, you're never going to get used to them. 555 00:24:52,491 --> 00:24:54,593 And so then you're just going to put them in the drawer. 556 00:24:54,593 --> 00:24:55,961 So talk about the different. 557 00:24:55,961 --> 00:24:57,429 And so I use a Phonak. 558 00:24:57,429 --> 00:24:59,297 Is this a German product. 559 00:24:59,297 --> 00:25:01,132 That is is European. 560 00:25:01,132 --> 00:25:03,735 So you've got German engineering. You've got Swedish. 561 00:25:03,735 --> 00:25:04,803 You've got Danish engineering. 562 00:25:04,803 --> 00:25:07,272 There's some American engineering as well. 563 00:25:07,272 --> 00:25:10,542 They all typically launch a new technology every year or two. 564 00:25:11,810 --> 00:25:12,711 With the app. 565 00:25:12,711 --> 00:25:14,613 We've got Bluetooth, you're taking your phone 566 00:25:14,613 --> 00:25:17,582 calls, you can listen to your podcast through your hearing aids. 567 00:25:18,550 --> 00:25:19,885 It's just 568 00:25:19,885 --> 00:25:23,221 I let you out into the world with your parameters, and, 569 00:25:23,221 --> 00:25:24,422 hey, wear them for two weeks. 570 00:25:24,422 --> 00:25:26,691 Let's figure out what you like, what you don't like, 571 00:25:26,691 --> 00:25:30,362 what your preference is, and then whatever based on what you've been doing. 572 00:25:30,362 --> 00:25:33,798 Then I'll just reset you to that because you're hearing loss of your prescription. 573 00:25:33,798 --> 00:25:36,668 But your app is your preferences. Yeah. 574 00:25:36,668 --> 00:25:38,069 One of the things that this does 575 00:25:38,069 --> 00:25:40,238 is it lets you get your phone calls through your hearing aid. 576 00:25:40,238 --> 00:25:42,974 That drove me nuts. 577 00:25:42,974 --> 00:25:45,210 I shut it off. 578 00:25:45,210 --> 00:25:46,878 I don't want my phone calls 579 00:25:46,878 --> 00:25:50,582 coming in on my hearing aids, and especially if I have in my truck 580 00:25:50,749 --> 00:25:54,819 and it's dancing between the phone, the truck and my hearing aid. 581 00:25:54,853 --> 00:25:55,854 So I got rid of it. 582 00:25:55,854 --> 00:25:58,857 So that was an example of something annoyed the hell out of me, right? 583 00:25:58,890 --> 00:25:59,791 And I got rid of it, 584 00:25:59,791 --> 00:26:03,461 but she set it up and changed it and but you see what I'm saying? 585 00:26:03,762 --> 00:26:06,464 You're not going to do that if you're buying hearing aid from William 586 00:26:06,464 --> 00:26:07,632 Devane on television. 587 00:26:07,632 --> 00:26:11,069 I don't know if he’s selling them now or not, but I'm using that as an example. 588 00:26:11,369 --> 00:26:14,940 You know, the idea that I can go there and I believe me, I, 589 00:26:14,940 --> 00:26:18,743 I've been to their offices on more than one occasion when I have issues, 590 00:26:18,743 --> 00:26:21,446 when I need something fixed, but I need help with something. 591 00:26:21,446 --> 00:26:23,281 They've got great people and they're right 592 00:26:23,281 --> 00:26:26,284 there, and I just drive over there and get it taken care of and I'm fine. 593 00:26:26,351 --> 00:26:30,455 Okay, so and there is a maintenance component of these things. 594 00:26:30,522 --> 00:26:32,958 So before we go to break talk about that. 595 00:26:32,958 --> 00:26:37,295 So there is a huge service portion of your hearing aids. 596 00:26:37,295 --> 00:26:38,396 And you're hearing loss. 597 00:26:38,396 --> 00:26:41,700 It's like it's not we're just going to meet once and I'll see you in three years. 598 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:43,535 There's a maintenance program. 599 00:26:43,535 --> 00:26:46,171 And with your Bluetooth in your app, there's going to be firmware updates. 600 00:26:46,171 --> 00:26:47,672 There's just consistent service 601 00:26:47,672 --> 00:26:50,041 that you're always going to need from your provider. 602 00:26:50,041 --> 00:26:52,577 That's one of the big differences where you're successful, 603 00:26:52,577 --> 00:26:53,612 whether you're hearing aids or not, 604 00:26:54,613 --> 00:26:56,448 because you need that support. 605 00:26:56,448 --> 00:27:01,052 Bluetooth has become such a huge, important portion of the hearing aids 606 00:27:01,052 --> 00:27:04,489 that, you know, a patient would be like, oh my, my Bluetooth, my phone calls 607 00:27:04,489 --> 00:27:06,758 aren't coming through. Some patients love. That. I know. 608 00:27:06,758 --> 00:27:07,425 Most patients. 609 00:27:07,425 --> 00:27:08,393 Do it this. 610 00:27:08,393 --> 00:27:11,396 And that's okay. That's okay. Yeah. 611 00:27:11,529 --> 00:27:14,799 That generational gap just helping with the app and the Bluetooth. 612 00:27:14,799 --> 00:27:17,235 And you're going to need you're going to need service for that. 613 00:27:17,235 --> 00:27:20,472 Generation gap means somebody buys it, doesn't know what the hell they're doing. 614 00:27:20,739 --> 00:27:21,072 Okay. 615 00:27:21,072 --> 00:27:23,541 When it comes to computers and those kinds of issues. 616 00:27:23,541 --> 00:27:24,442 You know what? I have a problem. 617 00:27:24,442 --> 00:27:25,810 I go to my grandson, 618 00:27:25,810 --> 00:27:29,047 Jonah, who's 14 years old, 15 years old, and that's how I get that solved. 619 00:27:29,347 --> 00:27:29,914 Okay. 620 00:27:29,914 --> 00:27:33,918 So yeah, so for me having them available and there's also, 621 00:27:34,452 --> 00:27:37,756 you know, this particular hearing aid has a little insert in it 622 00:27:38,256 --> 00:27:40,425 that you have to change out what he gets. 623 00:27:40,425 --> 00:27:42,360 Clogged up with ear wax. Oh yes. Yes. 624 00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:45,530 And you know I had trouble with that initially, but I would go in, 625 00:27:45,563 --> 00:27:48,833 they would show me exactly how to do it and I and now I can do it. 626 00:27:48,833 --> 00:27:49,701 I don't have a problem with it. 627 00:27:49,701 --> 00:27:54,873 So again, having somebody there when you need them is huge. 628 00:27:54,873 --> 00:27:55,373 It is. 629 00:27:55,373 --> 00:27:58,009 And that that can make you successful or not. 630 00:27:58,009 --> 00:27:58,810 Yeah. 631 00:27:58,810 --> 00:28:02,747 When we come back after a break I'm going to talk about the Medicare plans. 632 00:28:02,947 --> 00:28:06,084 And if you've got a Medicare Advantage plan, you more than likely 633 00:28:06,651 --> 00:28:08,653 have some benefit on there. 634 00:28:08,653 --> 00:28:11,356 They can offset the cost of these hearing aid and we'll talk about that. 635 00:28:11,356 --> 00:28:14,993 And the fact that Focus Hearing works with those carriers 636 00:28:15,226 --> 00:28:18,663 to be able to provide you with that particular benefit, if, in fact, 637 00:28:18,897 --> 00:28:19,864 you choose to do that. 638 00:28:19,864 --> 00:28:21,933 So we come back to a break, we'll talk about that 639 00:28:21,933 --> 00:28:23,568 and we'll wrap it up with a few other things. 640 00:28:23,568 --> 00:28:26,071 You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate 641 00:28:26,071 --> 00:28:28,973 Broadcasting here on the HIA Radio Network. 642 00:28:28,973 --> 00:28:31,009 Coast to coast across the USA. 643 00:28:31,009 --> 00:28:34,179 If you want help, reach out, 644 00:28:34,179 --> 00:28:38,283 myFocusHearing.com or call 645 00:28:38,416 --> 00:28:43,221 913-380-4200. 646 00:28:43,388 --> 00:28:46,791 We'll be right back after the break here on America's Healthcare Advocate. 647 00:28:53,765 --> 00:28:54,466 Welcome back. 648 00:28:54,466 --> 00:28:58,403 You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate show, broadcasting coast to coast 649 00:28:58,403 --> 00:29:01,439 across the USA here on the HIA Radio Network. 650 00:29:01,473 --> 00:29:05,243 You know, we do a lot of work on this broadcast with regard to Medicare 651 00:29:05,643 --> 00:29:06,211 Advantage. 652 00:29:06,211 --> 00:29:09,881 We work with, you know, 5 or 6 different carriers on this. 653 00:29:10,081 --> 00:29:13,318 We, you know, we talk about what the plans, you know, and how people 654 00:29:13,585 --> 00:29:16,588 enroll, you know, dis enroll, whatever the case may be. 655 00:29:16,621 --> 00:29:20,792 Most of the Medicare Advantage plans have a hearing aid benefit. 656 00:29:21,059 --> 00:29:22,560 They're all different. 657 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:26,498 Blue Cross may offer a $1,000 card that you can get 658 00:29:26,498 --> 00:29:30,802 a debit card that covers hearing aids and maybe some dental or something else. 659 00:29:30,835 --> 00:29:33,505 Aetna’s got a different plan. The UnitedHealthCare’s got another. 660 00:29:33,505 --> 00:29:36,141 How do you deal with those? We deal with all of them. 661 00:29:36,141 --> 00:29:39,644 And that's really what our job is to help you navigate that. 662 00:29:40,111 --> 00:29:40,912 Bring in your card. 663 00:29:40,912 --> 00:29:42,781 It's our job to figure out where you're at, 664 00:29:42,781 --> 00:29:44,883 what we can do for you, what your benefit is. 665 00:29:44,883 --> 00:29:47,519 They're not all the same. They're similar, but they're not all the same. 666 00:29:47,519 --> 00:29:49,053 So that's an important conversation for you 667 00:29:49,053 --> 00:29:50,822 to have with your Medicare Advantage specialists. 668 00:29:52,023 --> 00:29:54,459 That's assuming you have one, right? 669 00:29:54,459 --> 00:29:57,162 From William Duvain’s call it number or Joe Nameth’s. 670 00:29:57,162 --> 00:29:57,662 Okay. 671 00:29:57,662 --> 00:29:59,430 You know, Aetna has benefits. 672 00:29:59,430 --> 00:30:00,899 UnitedHealthCare Blue Cross Shield. 673 00:30:00,899 --> 00:30:04,068 Well they got out of the Medicare Advantage plan this year. 674 00:30:04,202 --> 00:30:04,636 So they're gone. 675 00:30:04,636 --> 00:30:09,541 So those patients had to jump over to Humana, Aetna, UnitedHealthCare. 676 00:30:09,541 --> 00:30:10,475 Right. 677 00:30:10,475 --> 00:30:10,942 We deal with. 678 00:30:10,942 --> 00:30:12,811 All of them and they all have a benefit. 679 00:30:12,811 --> 00:30:14,112 They do and they're all different. 680 00:30:14,112 --> 00:30:18,583 And but what I'm saying is Shannon knows what those benefits are. 681 00:30:18,783 --> 00:30:21,452 The folks in her shop know what those benefits are. 682 00:30:21,452 --> 00:30:23,221 You don't have to go try to figure it out. 683 00:30:23,221 --> 00:30:24,355 They can look up your plan. 684 00:30:24,355 --> 00:30:26,424 You bring in your ID card, they're going to know, hey, 685 00:30:26,424 --> 00:30:30,161 you've got a $300 credit here that we can use to buy a Phonak. 686 00:30:30,361 --> 00:30:32,997 Or maybe you've got, you know, you've got $1,000 here. 687 00:30:32,997 --> 00:30:34,299 You can use all of it for this. 688 00:30:34,299 --> 00:30:37,669 Or do you want to use part of this and save some for something else? 689 00:30:37,869 --> 00:30:39,904 Those are all things they can help you with. 690 00:30:39,904 --> 00:30:42,807 They're intimately familiar with all of that okay. 691 00:30:42,807 --> 00:30:45,410 And that will assist you when you're looking to do this 692 00:30:45,410 --> 00:30:48,112 and to offset your cost if you're a seasoned citizen. 693 00:30:48,112 --> 00:30:50,014 So let's talk about cost range 694 00:30:50,014 --> 00:30:54,452 because I think mine were $2,500, if I'm not mistaken, something like that. 695 00:30:54,452 --> 00:30:58,223 I believe you came in through on a Humana plan too, if I remember, I. 696 00:30:58,489 --> 00:30:59,290 came in cash. 697 00:30:59,290 --> 00:31:02,160 I didn't use a health insurance plan at all. 698 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:05,096 I think you, I think you paid cash through your Humana. 699 00:31:05,096 --> 00:31:07,165 They get it's a discount. Discount? 700 00:31:07,165 --> 00:31:08,967 Yeah. It's a discount. 701 00:31:08,967 --> 00:31:11,469 So once again, it can be very confusing for the patient. 702 00:31:11,469 --> 00:31:13,738 It's just like, am I paying cash? Is this? 703 00:31:13,738 --> 00:31:14,806 Mine was a discount, right? 704 00:31:14,806 --> 00:31:17,342 Not cash. Exactly. And that's there's a big there's. A big difference. 705 00:31:17,342 --> 00:31:20,044 There was a discount with the Blue Cross. That is correct. 706 00:31:20,044 --> 00:31:21,713 Or do you have a straight benefit? 707 00:31:21,713 --> 00:31:24,716 I have a $3,000 spend through Aetna, now, what can I get for that? 708 00:31:24,983 --> 00:31:26,551 Or you're going to have a copay set up. 709 00:31:26,551 --> 00:31:28,353 You know, you've got your options. 710 00:31:28,353 --> 00:31:31,022 And those third party administrators set all that up. 711 00:31:31,022 --> 00:31:32,390 So I don't control any of that. 712 00:31:32,390 --> 00:31:34,359 I just work within their parameters. 713 00:31:34,359 --> 00:31:36,728 And that's our job to find out what that parameter looks like 714 00:31:36,728 --> 00:31:38,529 for the year, because it changes every year. 715 00:31:38,529 --> 00:31:40,531 The range of costs for the hearing aids themselves. 716 00:31:40,531 --> 00:31:43,067 So if you're just going to be typically straight out of pocket, 717 00:31:43,067 --> 00:31:44,102 I mean, you've got a hearing aid 718 00:31:44,102 --> 00:31:48,606 that can start at 995 and go all the way up to 3200, 3500. 719 00:31:48,606 --> 00:31:50,441 There's lots of stops in between. 720 00:31:50,441 --> 00:31:55,914 If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, sometimes it's if what you need, 721 00:31:56,481 --> 00:31:59,951 matches up, you can have a set of hearing aids for nothing out of pocket. 722 00:31:59,984 --> 00:32:00,618 Yeah. 723 00:32:00,618 --> 00:32:03,187 And I've helped a lot of patients with their first set of hearing aids 724 00:32:03,187 --> 00:32:08,192 that way that just because of monetary situation, couldn't afford to hear better. 725 00:32:09,928 --> 00:32:11,462 That's a huge issue. 726 00:32:11,462 --> 00:32:13,064 And that's just so frustrating. 727 00:32:13,064 --> 00:32:16,634 And it's sad because you've got the benefit if you're on a Medicare Advantage. 728 00:32:16,634 --> 00:32:19,637 To let me be clear about this, you've got the benefit in your plan. 729 00:32:19,837 --> 00:32:22,473 You may not know what it is, you may not know how to access it. 730 00:32:22,473 --> 00:32:23,408 And by the way, 731 00:32:23,408 --> 00:32:27,178 I'm on a Medicare supplement plan and I did not have a cash benefit. 732 00:32:27,178 --> 00:32:30,048 I had a discount. It was substantial. 733 00:32:30,048 --> 00:32:30,348 Okay. 734 00:32:30,348 --> 00:32:33,451 And I got to discount through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. 735 00:32:33,751 --> 00:32:36,888 So if you're out of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Med Sup, you've got the plan. 736 00:32:36,888 --> 00:32:40,758 If you're on the Meds Sup anywhere they offer discounts, Focus 737 00:32:40,758 --> 00:32:42,327 Hearing can do the same thing. 738 00:32:42,327 --> 00:32:43,728 Medicare Advantage is different. 739 00:32:43,728 --> 00:32:45,596 It's actually a cash pay. 740 00:32:45,596 --> 00:32:48,199 They get reimbursed by the Medicare Advantage provider. 741 00:32:48,199 --> 00:32:51,769 So it but you won't know if you don't go in and talk to somebody. 742 00:32:51,769 --> 00:32:53,571 Right? Correct. Correct. 743 00:32:53,571 --> 00:32:56,140 So that's kind of doubly sad. 744 00:32:56,140 --> 00:32:57,308 You've got a problem. 745 00:32:57,308 --> 00:32:59,310 You may not have to pay anything right. 746 00:32:59,310 --> 00:33:00,878 Maybe a minimal amount. 747 00:33:00,878 --> 00:33:03,715 You could fix it. Duh. 748 00:33:03,715 --> 00:33:06,150 Why don't we reach out to these folks, get some help, and. 749 00:33:06,150 --> 00:33:08,519 I literally just cost you your time to come see. Me. 750 00:33:08,519 --> 00:33:09,253 Yeah, right. 751 00:33:09,253 --> 00:33:09,487 Yeah. 752 00:33:09,487 --> 00:33:13,191 At the end, I guess, you know, you know, we're kind of run. 753 00:33:13,224 --> 00:33:14,692 We're going to close it out here shortly. 754 00:33:14,692 --> 00:33:16,694 But this really affects those of us. 755 00:33:16,694 --> 00:33:19,330 As I like to say, you're chronologically challenged 756 00:33:19,330 --> 00:33:20,999 more than it does the younger folks. 757 00:33:20,999 --> 00:33:25,603 Although my hearing loss started around age 48, 49, somewhere around there. 758 00:33:27,939 --> 00:33:28,806 The longer this 759 00:33:28,806 --> 00:33:31,943 goes on, the more isolated you become, right? 760 00:33:31,943 --> 00:33:33,011 And the less you want to. 761 00:33:33,011 --> 00:33:34,312 I don't want to go over to the kid's house, 762 00:33:34,312 --> 00:33:35,680 but I just don't want to go. 763 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:37,815 Well, you really don't want to go, because you can't hear a damn thing 764 00:33:37,815 --> 00:33:40,251 you're saying or you can't understand what they're saying. 765 00:33:40,251 --> 00:33:41,552 Whatever the case may be, 766 00:33:41,552 --> 00:33:44,522 the more you do that withdrawal, the more difficult and the more 767 00:33:44,522 --> 00:33:45,523 and the worse it becomes. 768 00:33:45,523 --> 00:33:47,859 Well, there's a lot of social consequences to hearing loss. 769 00:33:47,859 --> 00:33:50,862 If you leave it untreated, you start your gradual hearing loss. 770 00:33:51,095 --> 00:33:52,563 You may not notice it. 771 00:33:52,563 --> 00:33:54,599 You start to struggle more in interactions. 772 00:33:54,599 --> 00:33:57,735 Then you start to disengage, kind of pulling away from, I'm 773 00:33:57,735 --> 00:34:02,206 just not going to go this week didn't go great last time, I'm just going to not go. 774 00:34:02,206 --> 00:34:05,209 And then you completely withdraw from those things. 775 00:34:05,209 --> 00:34:07,278 And then then withdrawal leads to your isolation 776 00:34:07,278 --> 00:34:09,147 where you're just not interacting with anybody. 777 00:34:09,147 --> 00:34:13,051 And I'll tell you something, you know, in the category of seasoned citizens, 778 00:34:13,718 --> 00:34:17,321 if you're a widower and you're, you know, you've got this problem 779 00:34:17,321 --> 00:34:19,524 and you're living by yourself now, you're doubly 780 00:34:19,524 --> 00:34:23,961 isolating yourself from your family, your friends, and your social circles 781 00:34:23,961 --> 00:34:25,196 by not doing things with this. 782 00:34:25,196 --> 00:34:29,400 That's why I do these shows, okay, is to try to get people to understand, 783 00:34:30,101 --> 00:34:32,737 here's the consequence of not doing anything. 784 00:34:32,737 --> 00:34:35,440 Here's the reward of doing something that makes sense. 785 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:37,909 So that's exactly why why we do these. 786 00:34:37,909 --> 00:34:40,144 And I think it can make a big difference for folks. 787 00:34:40,144 --> 00:34:42,980 I urge you, you're listening across the country. 788 00:34:42,980 --> 00:34:44,982 Obviously you can't all fly in here , although I'm 789 00:34:44,982 --> 00:34:47,251 sure Shannon would be happy to help you. 790 00:34:47,251 --> 00:34:51,222 You know, find a reputable hearing aid clinic somewhere in your area, 791 00:34:51,456 --> 00:34:55,793 go in, get tested, get a hearing aid, and start having a better quality of life. 792 00:34:55,793 --> 00:34:58,796 Because really, Shannon, that's what it's all about, isn't it? 793 00:34:59,464 --> 00:35:02,233 You’re reducing your social network size. 794 00:35:02,233 --> 00:35:04,969 So instead of doing all the things that you used to do, 795 00:35:04,969 --> 00:35:07,538 then you start pulling away and your primary 796 00:35:07,538 --> 00:35:10,108 and secondary interactions become less and less and less. 797 00:35:10,108 --> 00:35:13,311 Your cognitive decline starts to kick in because you're not interacting, 798 00:35:14,378 --> 00:35:14,879 socially. 799 00:35:14,879 --> 00:35:16,714 It's just such an important part of our lives. 800 00:35:16,714 --> 00:35:19,717 When you have those social interactions and you're with family and friends, 801 00:35:20,151 --> 00:35:23,154 it's the connections that make your life better. 802 00:35:23,221 --> 00:35:24,388 That's it, okay? 803 00:35:24,388 --> 00:35:27,091 It's the quality of life and cognitive decline. 804 00:35:27,091 --> 00:35:29,026 You know, again, I'll say it again. 805 00:35:29,026 --> 00:35:32,230 You know, if you're if you're one of one of those of us 806 00:35:32,530 --> 00:35:36,667 that is seasoned citizen, chronologically challenged, whatever the case may be, 807 00:35:37,235 --> 00:35:41,072 that, that that cognitive issue should be front and center in your mind, 808 00:35:41,606 --> 00:35:45,910 you know, the last thing you want to deal with is dementia, you know, or, 809 00:35:46,043 --> 00:35:46,978 you know, Alzheimer's. 810 00:35:46,978 --> 00:35:50,047 So you're, you're you're making the issue worse. 811 00:35:50,047 --> 00:35:52,083 If you don't do something to solve the problem. 812 00:35:52,083 --> 00:35:53,718 I hope this has helped everyone today. 813 00:35:53,718 --> 00:35:57,722 Once again, if you want to reach out here in the Metro to the folks at Focus 814 00:35:57,722 --> 00:36:03,961 Hearing, it's myFocusHearing.com the phone number 913-380-4200 and now I leave you 815 00:36:03,961 --> 00:36:07,765 with this thought from Albert Einstein, the one who follows the crowd. 816 00:36:07,765 --> 00:36:11,035 Will usually get no further than the crowd, the one who walks alone 817 00:36:11,202 --> 00:36:14,205 is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been. 818 00:36:14,505 --> 00:36:16,340 Remember, friends, it's a funny thing about life. 819 00:36:16,340 --> 00:36:19,410 People refuse to accept anything but the very best. 820 00:36:19,710 --> 00:36:21,179 You most often get it. 821 00:36:21,179 --> 00:36:23,948 Thank you for listening to America's Healthcare Advocates Show. 822 00:36:23,948 --> 00:36:26,951 Broadcasting coast to coast across the USA. 823 00:36:27,251 --> 00:36:28,486 Goodbye America.