Sage Insurance Advisors LLC, specializes in Medicare plans and represents insurance companies offering Medicare supplements, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Part D prescription drug plans.

Serving Northeast Indiana from 4233 East State Boulevard in Fort Wayne and online at SageInsuranceAdvisors.com.

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Hello and welcome to HealthLine.

I'm Jennifer Blomquist.

I have the privilege of hosting the program tonight.

I'm so glad you joined us.

If you are a new person to our show, I want to let you know that this is not only a great program but we are live in a studio.

We have a live guest and he knows everything there is to know in the world about hearing and hearing instruments is a hearing instrument specialist.

He he comes on regularly and we're so grateful to have him tonight.

So please take advantage of the fact that we keep that phone number at the bottom of the screen throughout the program.

That's for you to call in and ask our guest a question free advice.

You can't get anything free today but you can get free advice tonight.

Even the phone call is free if you live outside of Fort Wayne is a toll free call as long as you put an 866- in front of their for the rest of you just dial (969) to seven to zero.

You have two options if you want to call and you don't have to go live with your question, you can relay the question to the call screener.

They will relay that to me and then I can ask Ted the question for you the other quite the other way to do it which I love if you do live because then you can interact with Ted and a lot of times he may have to ask you more questions to be able to give you a better answer.

So that's a great a great thing to do but you do what you feel comfortable doing.

I just wanted to let you know your options.

>> So let's go ahead and introduce you to our guest again.

If you're a regular you probably had a household name for you, Ted Blanford hearing instrument specialist.

>> So thank you for having me.

This is it's always fun and then the introduction was amazing.

Thank oh my goodness I know everything but I did my best shot.

>> I don't think anyone is ever stumped you because you've been on many times.

>> I have never seen him stumped by any questions so well we have really good questions and I'm hoping for a lot more.

Yeah.

And he brought some samples of hearing aids tonight we're going to talk about and show you it's amazing.

It's not your grandpa's hearing aids.

No, none of those big bulky things that were very noticeable and I don't think they were all that sophisticated.

>> They weren't that back back then before digital before multichannels and all these amazing new technologies coming through including artificial intelligence really?

Yes.

I guess it's probably going to impact everything insurance, insurance, good or bad.

But in this case I think it could be very good.

Oh yes.

One thing we talk about and again interrupt us any time with a question we'd love to get your questions.

The one point we wanted to start with was that you know a lot people put off addressing a hearing issue.

They may not even realize themselves that they have it a loved one.

>> Usually most of us with a hearing loss don't realize that we have a hearing loss because it doesn't cause pain.

It doesn't have any bleed.

It's an injury that doesn't have bleeding.

It doesn't it doesn't give you a lot of indicators other than the fact that you're not quite sure what people are talking about and it's so gradual and it's so sneaky and it's so mean by the time you realize it.

Yeah, there's been a wake of offended or hurt people in the past or just some really curious moments or some things that just maybe you just wish you could get back and listening to people who love you the most telling you that you know you're not quite hearing it the way you should or you know, I didn't say that.

Let's you're hearing Jack do it together, make it a family affair.

>> Make it a team effort.

It's a lot of fun, you know, and there's always that joke with married couples like, you know, selective quote unquote selective hearing.

But it can be a real issue and it is hard if you're living with somebody that you can't communicate with them, especially your spouse, you know, person you're with every day it gets grueling and frustrations real.

The fatigue starts and it's& it's one of those things that if you're not connecting well things around you aren't in harmony and hearing correction and hearing correctly clearly does help with the harmony of the home.

I agree especially with we've talked before about kids.

>> It's a real turnoff to kids and that's how like an older person might end up becoming isolated because if you can't really talk to grandpa or grandpa can't hear you and it's not that kids are trying to be mean, they just that just as my grandmother said she said she wanted her hearing aids and she wanted them now because she only had one thing to give and that was her soul and her ears are getting those questions from her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Great great grandchildren.

Yeah, she can't give anything but her soul is on her ears unlocked her soul.

>> Yeah that is so true.

So true so but you you're hearing can get worse if you don't have some kind of intervention early.

Yes there's there's several there's several statistic number one hearing loss is progressive hearing aids do not stop hearing loss.

That's one thing we have to understand it it helps maintain what you have for as long as you can.

But a one of the statistics besides one in five folks with a specific age groups have have a hearing loss reportedly.

>> But we're talking we're talking severe hearing loss.

We're talking to people that are mis communicating but if it's an uncorrected hearing loss, a mild to moderate to severe hearing loss, you have a two hundred to five hundred percent increased risk of dementia and if you have a propensity of a family history of dementia, it's even higher.

So we might as well just know that our body wraps around how are hearing and how your brain works hearing health is brain health and people wouldn't think about that.

But I mean it really does impact I mean you've talked about even other issues that people have they wouldn't think about even like the issue about like falling or just balance.

>> If you have a hearing loss you have a three times more likelihood of falling as your counterpart that does not have a hearing loss.

>> Yeah, yes, absolutely.

We've done so many we've done shows just about falls and if you're an older individual, I mean that can be that can be life changing in a very bad way.

>> So yeah, that's trying to keep your keep your balance so well another question and I don't know if this has changed over the years because of more sophisticated technology but a lot of people they know they're expensive.

The hearing is are expensive so they want to know well if I get a pair like is it you know or do I have to you know, is it like eyeglasses?

>> You have to go there's a prescriptive correction here and you know you're talking about a mechanical device so mechanical devices wear out, you're hearing changes and your hearing wears out.

So you want to make sure that No one you have your specialist you're seeing your specialist two , three or four times a year to make sure that you're clean checked and you're up to date and it can be adjusted as your hearing loss gets worse and yes.

Is it going to be if you have one set of hearing injuries is it going to last and probably not.

You're going to need to update as it goes along but it doesn't have to be every year and it's certainly not something it's not appropriate for you if your specialist will be able to guide you to when it's time to change a prescription or not and your professional is going to be able to help you a great deal along the way.

But also participate in your own correction and your own help by going and seeing a professional for your cleanings, your checkups and your and you're testing annual testing so you know where you're at and be in charge of your own hearing.

>> I was going to say, you know, we've talked we've mentioned in the past is you know, you go to the dentist every semester every six months.

>> You know, most people do go probably to an eye doctor once a year.

>> Seventy two percent we'll see in a year or two because that's so yeah.

So why not do twenty three percent go see their audiologist or their hearing specialist even every other year most people don't even think about it and I would imagine so we're going to keep talking about this and a little bit but first I want to address a couple of callers who've come in so I believe he's on the line live as Jeff there.

Yes.

Hi Jeff.

I appreciate I appreciate your patience.

You have a question about tinnitus or tinnitus?

>> Yeah.

And I saw your graphic after I came up with the question but tinnitus is that a precursor for hearing loss and is there any credible scientific way of slowing treating it?

>> That's a great question, Jeff.

90 percent of people who report having debilitating or annoying or intrusive tinnitus also have a hearing loss.

That means that 10 percent of those folks don't have what they consider a hearing loss but still have tinnitus.

Tinnitus uses the same causeway or pathway to the brain as you're hearing does it uses the same mechanisms as well.

Basically what it is is damaged nerves in your ear and your inner ear that are sending false sorts of false messages to the brain and that brain in your brain is is interpreting those messages the electrical impulse as sound and to manage it there's no cure for tinnitus but you can manage it and there's there's several ways of of making sure it's done.

>> It's either with a hearing aid that gives you the proper ambient sound and also a hearing aid that has a tinnitus blocker or a tinnitus mask or built in and you're hearing specialists should be able to make sure that prescriptive correction is there.

There's also other brand new FDA devices out there that you would put a device on your tongue with headphones on and do a multi electrical impulse to the brain that have had some results but they're not completely tested yet.

>> But there is management but not a cure and that's a great question.

>> But the hearing mechanism and the tinnitus mechanism are all the same inside the inner ear and the auditory nerve to the brain.

We just had to be able to make sure that we are caring for those nerves and right now the only proven FDA approved method that has and readily used is hearing aids with the proper prescription.

>> Jeff, did you want to ask Ted anything else?

>> No, this thank you for your time and your answer.

Thank you, Jeff.

Jeff, I hope I answered your question.

Well, yeah, we've had we've had people call in take care of Jeff.

Thank you for calling in.

We've had I remember a woman calling one time that I mean you don't think about yeah.

What are you going to do when you go to sleep try and go to sleep?

You know if you've got a really bad case of tinnitus I mean that ringing in your ear it would you know you said obnoxious or annoying.

>> I'm like yeah, that would just be it's very hard.

It's very tough sometimes it can be it can be it can be to a point where people have taken drastic measures.

>> Oh yes.

I absolutely can understand that this is exciting.

We have a lot of people calling in and we encourage everyone else watching.

We have plenty of phone lines open so call the number at the bottom of your screen.

It's (969) 27 to zero again it's toll free as long as you put 866- in front of there in case you're outside of Fort Wayne.

We've got some folks who've been waiting for a little while.

Kerry I think has been on the line for a little bit.

>> Carrie, are you there?

Yes, I am.

Oh, thank you for for waiting you I can't wait to hear your question because I all they said is you want to know more about over the counter hearing aids which is kind of a new thing in the last couple of years.

>> Yes.

I'm sixty eight years old and I have one hearing aids since I've been in my mid twenties so I have experience to be the improvement of the technology over several decades which has been wonderful.

Now they're coming out with over the counter hearing aids which you don't a prescription and they're being advertised as being much cheaper.

My question is are they are they good?

I best buy audiology about that, she says because my hearing loss is require is among most like decimals and I'm not a good candidate although you trust my audiologist I'm kind of wondering if she's recommending that because she doesn't want to lose a customer.

>> No, no I understand this.

I don't know what you're hearing loss is carrier but I'll tell you this the over the counter hearing instruments are made for a very specific type of patient that patient is for that is a person with a perceived mild to moderate hearing loss and most of the patients that are seen out there that say why don't think my hearing my hearing loss is that bad generally have a moderate to severe hearing loss.

So that would let you know that if you're if your audiologist who's been working with you and caring for your hearing says that you're that your hearing loss is not a candidate for something over the counter, definitely trust that professional because their their first job is to make sure you're OK. We make sure that you hear the best you possibly can and recommend the best course of action and the best solution for your hearing loss.

A professional audiologist or professional hearing instrument specialist will give you the best advice for your needs.

Now if you had a mild hearing loss and you and your hearing loss was in that very specific niche area, you would be a candidate for it and that does there's a very small candidate population there it can be good for but for the most the patients that are seen today to have a issue with clarity and understanding and not hearing well and not connecting very well, it's because the hearing loss is beyond a moderate hearing loss and that is what those over the counter the over the counter hearing estimates are made for that specific range of hearing loss.

>> They are good for some but they're not good for most.

>> Kerry did you get that answers the question?

Oh, it was very thorough.

But Kerry, is there anything else that you wanted addressed or wanted to ask Ted?

>> No, not particularly.

I know my hearing loss has always been rated as being moderate.

>> OK, if you're at the moderate, if you're the moderates change that's the base of where the over the counters would be able to even touch.

So if there's anything that you're having struggles with and you're already in the moderate range that means you're at the limit of what that hearing aid would start with.

>> OK, thank you.

You're very, very welcome.

Thank you.

That's was a great question.

We've had very good questions and we have somebody else who wants to ask something of Ted.

>> Janet, are you there?

Yes.

Hi.

Hi.

Go ahead with your question.

>> Hi.

It's kind of a good question.

I'm 66 and I'm having this this has been going on for a while or I have a problems understanding when I'm watching TV people that are have British accents.

I have I've had a lot of problems with that.

I still have it also men with deep voices I I cannot understand especially over the phone.

It is very hard for me to understand them and then also sometimes even if I'm talking to someone and it is more male voices than female voices where somebody is talking maybe a little lower it's you know, quiet.

It's not in a loud place or anything and trying to carry on a conversation and I'm always saying I'm sorry, what was that again?

You know, I didn't I didn't understand and I've had so many people say to me what do you have a problem with your And so and people people mumble or you know, that is just it's impossible for me to understand what they're saying.

I have to just say would you please, you know, speak more clearly usually somebody my son for instance is like that and he gets so frustrated with me.

But is this a sign that I could be having some hearing problems or is it just that to you've you've you've already raised a few red flags with some symptoms that have at least questions that need to be answered?

>> And one question I would ask you is have you had your hearing tested before?

Well, it was so long ago it's hard to even remember them then we need you.

That would be the first test to do it.

First thing to do is I would find a hearing specialist or an audiologist near you that that you trust that you would go in and have a hearing examination just to find out where your baseline is and that would be the beginning of answering all of your questions.

But you are definitely if you are having trouble with understanding people when they're speaking to you, that is one of the things it is a big red flag when it comes to having hearing loss.

>> It's not so much whether you can or cannot hear because obviously you're not deaf because you can hear but can you understand and that is the key to to communication hearing is one thing but clarity is what you need and the first step is to find yourself a hearing specialist or an audiologist and have your hearing examined to find out exactly where you are so you can have an educated understanding of where to go next.

>> Does that answer your question?

Yeah.

Yes it does.

>> It's time for me to get my hearing tested.

Welcome welcome to the hearing world.

Well thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, that was a great question and we do talk about that.

You know it's it's a painless visit.

>> You know, it really is physically it doesn't maybe your ego to be able to see anybody I haven't yet seen anybody get injured by a hearing test.

That's true.

But that's true.

Yeah.

Good.

>> There are no needles involved.

No, no.

But yeah that would that sounds like I totally understand.

We've heard from people who say that different sometimes the higher pitched voices are hard for them to understand like women or kids or you know we hear people starting to ask stuff about that so.

All right.

Well Janet, thank you so much.

And while Janet was asking her question, Charles called in.

He wanted me to ask the question for I'm so Charles said he was wearing hearing aids but says he hears just as well with them as he does without them and turning them up causes a noise so I can see Ted smiling so he wants to know is there something wrong with the hearing aid or does he maybe need a different kind of hearing aid?

>> Charles, I have so many follow questions for my my gears are turning.

>> Um, well the number one thing is if you're having difficulty understanding with your hearing aids in and you take your hearing aids out and things don't seem to change, I want you to understand that loudness is not your key.

It's clarity and understanding and and being able to hear clearly and if you're turning your hearing aid up and it starts to whistle, scream or or feed back, it is time to go see your specialist, find out if you are a candidate for either an upgrade for a new prescription or if the hearing instrument needs to be cleaned, checked or repaired.

There's so many things that could be going on in so many variables that are that have there.

But I also tell you this if you're having trouble with and you are turning it up is whistling it might also be wacks something really easy to take care of you clean those years out and boom, it works out really, really well and those are some of the things there.

But boy, I wish you would have been live on this one because I had so many follow up questions for you but definitely have your hearing aid checked and have your hearing update your hearing test updated with your with your hearing specialist hearing specialists so you can actually find out where you're at today and you can have an educated understanding of where you need to go forward.

>> You'll find out that they are going to take really good care of you.

All right.

Yeah, Now we've heard that before.

A lot of people just get frustrated or think they're not working and take them off and so speaking of that though, we do have a show until the show tonight.

>> I didn't want to didn't want to miss that because Ted was kind enough to bring a whole bunch of different hearing aids.

So I'm just I'll let you take it away.

They're all they're all very small.

>> Well, the wonderful thing about hearing hearing technology today is if it's not your grandfather's hearing aids, if you notice the black box in front of us and with the white hearing instruments in there that is there are now rechargeable the batteries can last up to 50 hours per charge .

They're very, very discrete.

They're very small.

But more importantly it helps you hear and understand better all the bells and whistles are there.

>> Yeah.

Being able to connect Bluetooth capability, having a tinnitus massacre in bed it into your prescription is an option as well.

>> Being able to take a telephone call I can't tell you how many times we've heard the story of what I can't hear and understand on the telephone having that signal go directly to your hearing aids and into your ear gives you a clear ability to hear and understand the people far, far away.

I with today's world being scattered, our kids, our grandkids and our loved ones are so far away and telephone is so critical to our ability to maintain connection we might as well have it is clear to our ears we possibly can and we have something go in the ear.

There are some that go behind the ear.

There are some that have more power than others.

There is basically based on how you and your prescription are needed and what you're hearing loss is and your audiologist and you're hearing specialist being able to give the best solution to give you the best results, to give you the ability to connect with your family, your friends and the people around you and also be part of the hearing world again.

So hearing aids are not your granddad's anymore?

>> No.

Artificial intelligence is also being embedded into hearing aids today and gives you a beer hearing aids the ability to analyze the environment around you so they can be completely automatic.

>> That's interesting.

I mean there's so much we hear so much about A.I.

and you don't think about it for something like this.

You know you're thinking about it for other things.

But but I mean most of these I mean if you can see, you know, holding a pen right next to him I mean they're tiny.

They are really, really very small.

>> So now some of these like does it matter when you think some are outside of the ear as opposed to like in the ear?

>> Does that just depend on the person's hearing or do they pick that you can pick a style and whichever you're comfortable with but also what does it have to do with how you hear and how how the design and the style of the hearing instrument does also help with the betterment of your hearing if you have very specific type of hearing loss A in the ear may not be your best option but if you have a different type of hearing loss and in the ear may be your best option.

>> So you're hearing specialist your audiologist is going to be able to work with you very, very closely and be a team with you and be your partner with you to be able to walk with you in this journey of your hearing correction and be working with ou to decide wht what's the best solution for you?

>> What's the best solution for your hearing loss and what's the best solution for the future of your ability to hear and understand correctly.

And I'm guessing is like you know, we talked about how you get different glasses or your your needs for vision change of I mean maybe you would start with a certain kind.

Yes.

And then possibly switch to something further on that's absolutely and you're hearing will progressively get worse.

>> There's hearing aids do not I will stress this again hearing aids do not stop hearing loss.

They do not cure hearing loss.

What they're doing is they're maintaining your ability to hear and understand for the longevity of how your hearing is going to be adjusting.

>> All right.

Yeah, that is one thing a lot of people misunderstand.

We only have a minute left.

But I did want to talk about holidays.

It goes so fast and we have so many wonderful calls to scary but Thanksgiving is less than a month away.

I think it was a month from yesterday the twenty third and you're going to see a lot of people maybe haven't seen you since last Thanksgiving and you were saying that's a good time to maybe have that little it's a good it's a great time.

>> It's a great time to showcase your new hearing being around people you love the most.

But oftentimes last year you think back of last Christmas and Thanksgiving and you had a difficult time communicating.

Yeah, let's not have that happen again this year and show your specialist your audiologist find out where you're at.

>> Let's see if we can get you back into that communication life is too short to miss out on being with your loved ones and sharing special stories and things like that.

>> It's very, very important.

>> It is and so scary that it's only a month away.

That's what I'm thinking about Halloween.

It is scary.

Yes.

Yeah, well that's for Halloween.

For Thanksgiving.

Well to thank you again.

My pleasure to be on again next month right after Thanksgiving so be sure to catch him then.

I'm Jennifer Bloomquist.

Have a great night.

Take care and have a happy Halloween next week.

>> Bye bye.

Thank you for all those great quote calls 89.1 WBOI delivers the story behind the story.

Fact based local, state and national news for Northeast Indiana - on the radio, at WBOI.org, and on the mobile app.

It's WBOI for the How and the Why.

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