Have you Attended One of Our Meetings?
April 28, 2025
I am a member of the Saddlebrooke Hearing Discussion Group. In this month’s article I would like to encourage those who are here this summer to attend one of our monthly meetings. Our group meets on the 2nd Friday of every month at 10 AM in the Catalina Room in the Mesquite Building.
We don’t have a set agenda for any of our meetings. Typically, Jen Jefferis, who started our group, makes some opening comments and sometimes shares an experience from her own hearing loss journey. We then have each person in attendance introduce themselves and tell us briefly about their hearing loss as well as make us aware of their current issues or questions.
It is not unusual for these introductory comments to lead to a more in-depth discussion of one or more topics. It is helpful that usually we have one or more second year audiology students from the University of Arizona in attendance. Their expertise and insight is very much appreciated.
During the last year there have been several times that we have had a resident in attendance who was preparing for cochlear implant surgery and follow- up rehabilitation. We have members including me who have cochlear implants. We are always happy to share our experience and to offer encouragement.
We have a few members whose hearing loss is due to Meniere’s disease. While Meniere’s is a rare disease and, in many ways, an invisible disability it can be very debilitating. The impact of Meniere’s is not only hearing loss, but also vertigo, loss of balance and tinnitus. We have had helpful discussions regarding the challenges of living with Meniere’s.
Tinnitus itself has been a topic. Tinnitus is most often described as a ringing in the ears. Some people aren't very bothered by tinnitus. For others, tinnitus can disrupt their daily lives. Most individuals who have tinnitus also have hearing loss. We hope to recruit a hearing professional to give a presentation on tinnitus later this fall.
Technology is always a popular topic at our meetings, Sometimes the topic is simply asking for help with the smart phone app that controls one’s hearing aids. Other times we have discussed helpful devices such as TV connectors or remote mics. A recent topic of interest has been public assistive listening systems such as the hearing loops in many of our Saddlebrooke meeting rooms as well as alternative systems such as Wi-Fi and Auracast. We are currently assisting the HOA1 staff in evaluating a Wi-Fi system for the Vistas and Vermillion Room.
Finally, I personally find it helpful to interact with other hearing-impaired residents. Hearing loss is challenging and affects our interactions with family, friends, and other residents. Hearing loss often leads to a higher risk of anxiety, depression and isolation, particularly for our age group.
So, if it is too hot to be outdoors later this summer, consider attending one of our meetings. For more information about our group contact Jennifer Jefferis, jenjefferis4u@gmail.com, or Lyle Larson, lllarson72@gmail.com. If you have questions about this article or would like to suggest a future article topic, my contact email is tgaule@outlook.com