Telehealth

What Patients Want from Audiologists During COVID-19

Shari Eberts Audiology, Coping Strategies for Hearing Loss, Disability, Hearing Loss, Person-centered Care, Technology, Telehealth Audiology, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Living With Hearing Loss, Person-centered Care, Telehealth

COVID-19 has disrupted operations for both audiologists and people with hearing loss. Many clinics are closed, or open only for curbside service. But hearing health care doesn’t stop, even during a pandemic. In my latest article for Phonak Audiology Blog, I discuss what patients want from audiologists during COVID-19. An excerpt is below. To read the full article click here. 

A Hearing Loss Patient Wishlist During COVID-19

The world has changed, driven by the required social distancing caused by COVID-19. All of our lives have been disrupted but hearing health must remain a priority. While many audiologist offices and clinics are closed, there are still ways you can continue to support your patients from a distance. Whether it is supplying spare batteries, offering remote advice, or providing communication tips, your patients continue to rely on your expertise, advice and care.

How can audiologists best support people with hearing loss during this time of physical distancing? Here are my suggestions.

Man holding a sign that reads My COVID-19 Audiologist Wish List

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Hearing Loss Advocacy: Captions Are Our Ramps

Shari Eberts Advocacy, Break the Stigma, Community, Coping Strategies for Hearing Loss, Deafness, Disability, Hearing Loss, Technology, Telehealth Deafness, Disability, Hearing, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Hacks, Inclusion, Living With Hearing Loss, Technology, Telehealth

Last week’s post was an open letter to video conferencing companies like Zoom and Google, asking them to provide free auto captioning for people with hearing loss during this time of physical distancing. In most cases, auto captioning is available on these platforms, but it is hidden behind a paywall for premium paid accounts. There was so much support from readers, I started a petition on Change.org to capture the response.

The results have been tremendous. As of this writing, 8,000 people have signed the petition, and the number continues to grow. I have begun sharing the petition with the companies. If you have not signed already, will you help me to show more support by signing and sharing the petition? Together we can make change happen!

SIGN OUR PETITION ON CHANGE.ORG 

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Hearing Loss Access: Zoom & Google, Make Free Captions Available Now

Shari Eberts Advocacy, Break the Stigma, Community, Coping Strategies for Hearing Loss, Deafness, Disability, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss in the Workplace, Technology, Telehealth Disability, Hearing, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss in the Workplace, Inclusion, Living With Hearing Loss, Telehealth

People with hearing loss have trouble communicating in many situations leading to isolation and loneliness during normal times. Today, amid COVID-19, things are even tougher. In-person conversation has moved online, leaving many people with hearing loss few options for connecting with family and friends, especially seniors who are most at risk for developing virus complications.

Free automatic speech recognition (ASR) captioning for people with hearing loss on video conference platforms like Zoom and Google could make all the difference. Today I pen an open letter to these companies. Please share my words and add your own. Together, we can bring about the change we need to remain engaged and productive in today’s challenging times.

Computer displaying a video conference call.

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Uniting as a Hearing Loss Community While Social Distancing

Shari Eberts Community, Coping Strategies for Hearing Loss, Disability, Gratitude, Hearing Loss, Technology, Telehealth Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Hacks, Living With Hearing Loss, Technology, Telehealth

COVID-19 has brought many inconveniences and frustrations to our daily lives, but there have also been some positive side effects — like bringing the hearing loss community closer together. On Saturday, March 28, 2020, more than 80 members of the hearing loss community met on a virtual Zoom call. The group discussed ideas for coping with the burden of social isolation, described our favorite technology hacks for communicating, and shared our stories of illness and recovery. We provided one another the support, understanding and camaraderie that we all are seeking at this time of social distancing.

Images of faces and smartphones in boxes

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Maintaining Your Hearing Health Amid COVID-19

Shari Eberts Audiology, Community, Coping Strategies for Hearing Loss, Disability, Hearing Loss, Telehealth Audiology, Disability, Hearing Aids, Living With Hearing Loss, Telehealth

The world has changed a lot in the past few weeks. Physical distancing due to COVID-19 has closed restaurants, theaters, and many other “non-essential” businesses, prioritizing health care and access to food and medicines above all else. This has caused many of us to self-isolate, keeping our distance for our safety and that of others, to help flatten the curve of infections. For people with hearing loss, maintaining our hearing health and having access to working hearing aids and other communication devices are critical as we adapt to various ongoing—and often stressful—changes.

Despite this challenging time, stay on top of your hearing health with these tips.

Woman wearing face mask

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