Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 5-18-22

May 18, 2022
MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 25
Mid America Audiology helps people hear more, do more, live more
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BY TRACEY BRUCE
Hearing loss isn’t always easy to talk
about. In fact, data from a John Hopkins
School of Medicine study shows
that most people who notice they have
hearing loss put off making a phone
call to a hearing specialist for 10 years.
Time, however, is of the essence,
because hearing well is an important
part of living your best life, said Lauren
Kraft, regional operations manager at
Mid America Audiology. Taking that
first step to pick up the phone sooner
rather than later can make a world of
difference.
“When someone is frequently asking
people to repeat themselves; if it’s hard
to have a one-to-one conversation in a
loud environment; if family members
or friends start telling the person ‘you
should have your hearing checked,’ it
may be time to make that phone call,”
Lauren said.
According to the National Institute
on Deafness and Other Communication
Disorders, “Hearing loss is one of
the most common conditions affecting
older adults …. Approximately one
in three people between the ages of
65 and 74 has hearing loss and nearly
Audiologist at the St. Charles location
Michelle Smith, M.S., CCC-A
half of those older than 75 have difficulty
hearing.”
Mid America Audiology has offices
throughout the St. Louis area, including in
St. Charles and Ellisville. Lauren’s mother,
Carol Bergmann, actually opened the Ellisville
office about 20 years ago, Lauren said.
“When someone calls to schedule an
appointment, we can get that person in,
generally within a week,” she said. “Once
the patients come in, we spend quite a bit
of time with them. We make them feel
comfortable. After the test, the audiologist
will go over their options based on the
hearing test results.”
Lauren said she understands the hesitation
people have about setting up that first
appointment for a hearing test.
“They are nervous to hear the results.
They don’t want to address the problem
yet. They have an idea about hearing aids
that comes from another time. They think
of them as large devices that will make
them look old.”
Nothing could be further from the truth,
she said. Today’s hearing aids are smaller
and come in colors that blend with their
hair.
“They are hardly noticeable,” Lauren
said.
The reality is that without the assistance
hearing aids can bring, a person might drop
out of social activities that can keep them
young and engaged with the world.
“It’s a lot of work to keep asking ‘What
did you say? What did you say?’ Hearing is
very important,” Lauren said.
Getting a trained professional to test,
give advice and customize a client’s hearing
aids is another essential aspect of helping
someone to hear better. Mid America
audiologists have the proper training and
education to enable them to properly give
hearing tests and program hearing aids to
fit a client’s personal hearing loss, Lauren
said.
“Educating patients on their hearing loss
that’s our big thing,” she said.
Mid America also has a wide range of
choices in hearing aid brands, styles, and
technology to fit each person’s needs and
budget.
Laura noted that nothing gives the audiologists
more joy than watching the pleasure
and excitement of a client who can
hear clearly again.
“They can hear the birds again, the rustle
of leaves, the voices of their grandchildren.
This can drastically change their lives,” she
said. “Those are the best days when you
know that you’ve changed someone’s life
for the better.
“We are going to do everything we can
do to make sure our client’s hearing experience
is as good as it can be.”
Mid America Audiology
1475 Kisker Road Suite 270 • St. Charles
(636) 242-6616
15825 Manchester Road, #209
Ellisville • (636) 484-9735
midamerica.alpacaaudiology.com
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