Find a Hearing Loop
What is a hearing loop and how does it benefit you? Hearing aids are portable, customizable tools for amplifying soft and conversational sounds to suit the needs of a particular hearing loss. However, for a person with a hearing loss - even using appropriately fitted hearing aids - sounds in many public locations are muffled, blurred or muddled due to the extra noise and echo/reverberation in the room and the distance from the speaker. For a comparatively small investment, facilities can provide a high quality tool that can be used by patrons with hearing aids - without ongoing maintenance of dozens of costly and delicate headsets - by using the patron's own hearing aids as a headset for a loop system.
Loop systems involve a transmitter box linked to the facility's sound system, which is then coupled to a specially-installed coil of wire that surrounds a room or area. Within that area, hearing aid users may simply turn their hearing aids manually to the "telecoil" (telephone or t-switch) mode to plug in wirelessly to the sound system.
WHAT AUDIOLOGISTS DO
We diagnose, manage, and treat a patient’s hearing, balance, or related ear problems.
Audiologists typically do the following:
Examine patients who have hearing, balance, or related ear problems
Assess the results of the examination and diagnose problems
Determine and administer treatment to meet patients’ goals
Provide treatment for tinnitus, a condition that causes ringing in the ear
Fit and dispense hearing aids
Counsel patients and their families on ways to listen and communicate, such as lip reading or through technology
Evaluate patients regularly to check on hearing and balance and to continue or change treatment plans
Record patient progress
Research the causes and treatment of hearing and balance disorders
Educate patients on ways to prevent hearing loss
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Difference between Audiologists and Hearing Instrument Specialists. Learn the differences from Dr. Cliff, Au.D.
WHAT ARE THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS?
Audiologists need a doctoral degree and must be licensed in all states. Requirements for licensure vary by state. The doctoral degree in audiology (Au.D.) is a graduate program that typically takes 4 years to complete. A bachelor’s degree in any field is needed to enter one of these programs. Graduate coursework includes anatomy, physiology, physics, genetics, normal and abnormal communication development, diagnosis and treatment, pharmacology, and ethics. Programs also include supervised clinical practice. Graduation from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation is required to get a license in most states.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AUDIOLOGIST AND A HEARING AID SPECIALIST?
One key difference between an audiologist and a “hearing aid specialist” is the minimum amount of education required. Audiologists must currently earn a professional degree (the Doctor of Audiology, or Au.D.) which typically involves 4 years of academic and clinical training in audiology, following a traditional 4-year bachelor’s degree. By contrast, very few educational requirements need to be met (they vary by state) before a non-audiologist can sell hearing aids; in fact, in many states, the minimum requirement is a high school diploma, passing a license exam, and some form of brief apprenticeship with a licensed hearing aid specialist. Another major difference between an audiologist and a hearing aid specialist lies within their scopes of practice. Audiologists are licensed and trained to manage many areas of hearing healthcare. By contrast, the scope of practice for hearing aid specialists is very limited. They perform the following services: 1) Basic hearing tests exclusively for the purpose of selling hearing aids to adults and 2) Hearing aid fitting and sales.
Source: Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA)
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT AUDIOLOGISTS DO?
Links to Professional Organizations
Academy of Doctors of Audiology
http://audiologist.org/
Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology
http://audrehab.org/
Acoustical Society of America
http://asa.aip.org/
American Academy of Audiology
http://www.audiology.org/
American Auditory Society
http://www.amauditorysoc.org/
American Speech Language Hearing Association
http://www.asha.org/
Audiology Foundation of America
http://www.audfound.org/
Canadian Academy of Audiology
http://www.canadianaudiology.ca/
Educational Audiology Association
http://www.edaud.org/
Military Audiology Association
http://www.militaryaudiology.org/
National Hearing Conservation Association
http://www.hearingconservation.org/
Student Academy of Audiology
http://www.audiology.org/education/students/SAA/Pages/default.aspx
Additional Helpful Links:
http://www.rehabcenter.net/rehab-for-deaf-and-blind/
Find an Audiologist
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