Heightening our vigilance towards patient well-being.

Objective: Audiology patients frequently experience psychosocial difficulties created by their hearing loss or exacerbated by the loss. Clinicians are not always attuned to the unstated emotional undercurrents which may signal a need for further discussion or referral. This article aims to heighten audiologists' vigilance towards patient well-being.

Satisfaction and Technology Evaluation of a Telehealth Robotic Program to Optimize Healthy Independent Living for Older Adults.

Background And Purpose: With the growth in the aging population, and shortage of primary care providers, telehealth programs are needed to optimize healthy independent living for older adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a nurse-led intervention program delivered through a telepresence robot to promote healthy lifestyles and address chronic illness management among older adults living independently in a retirement community. Telepresence robots provide two-way video-mediated communication with remote in-home navigation.

Using telehealth to optimize healthy independent living for older adults: A feasibility study.

The purpose of this study was to test feasibility of the Telehealth Community Health Assistance Team (T-CHAT), a nurse-led intervention delivered through a telepresence robot designed to promote healthy independent living among older adults. Using a quasi-experimental design, 21 older adults were divided into a T-CHAT group (n = 11) or a waitlist control group (n = 10). The T-CHAT group received 3 weekly health coaching sessions from a nurse practitioner student through the telepresence robot.

Use of noise cancellation earphones in out-of-booth audiometric evaluations.

Objective: To assess the utility of noise cancelation earphones (NCE) in audiometric evaluations.

Design: Degree of noise reduction of Bose QuietComfort 15 NCE was assessed through probe-microphone measures and sound-field audiometry. Occlusion effects from NCE were assessed for potential effects on bone-conduction thresholds.

Canine brainstem auditory evoked responses are not clinically impacted by head size or breed.

Accurate assessment of canine hearing is essential to decrease the incidence of hereditary deafness in predisposed breeds and to substantiate hearing acuity. The Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) is a widely accepted, objective test used in humans and animals for estimation of hearing thresholds and deafness diagnosis. In contrast to humans, testing and recording parameters for determination of normal values for canine hearing are not available.

Electrodiagnostic evaluation of auditory function in the dog.

Given the high incidence of deafness within several breeds of dogs, accurate hearing screening and assessment is essential. In addition to brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) testing, 2 other electrophysiologic tests are now being examined as audiologic tools for use in veterinary medicine: otoacoustic emissions and the auditory steady state response (ASSR). To improve BAER testing of animals and ensure an accurate interpretation of test findings from one test site to another, the establishment of and adherence to clear protocols is essential.

Canine hearing loss management.

Dog owners and handlers are naturally concerned when suspicion of hearing loss arises for their dogs. Questions frequently asked of the veterinarian center on warning signs of canine hearing loss and what can be done for the dog if hearing loss is confirmed. This article addresses warning signs of canine hearing loss, communication training and safety awareness issues, and the feasibility of hearing aid amplification for dogs.

Effect of kennel noise on hearing in dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the degree of noise to which kenneled dogs were exposed in 2 typical kennels and to determine whether a measurable change in hearing might have developed as a result of exposure to this noise.

Animals: 14 dogs temporarily housed in 2 kennel environments.

Procedures: Noise levels were measured for a 6-month period in one environment (veterinary technical college kennel) and for 3 months in another (animal shelter).

Visual discrimination predicts naming and semantic association accuracy in Alzheimer disease.

Objective: Language impairment is a common symptom of Alzheimer disease (AD), and is thought to be related to semantic processing. This study examines the contribution of another process, namely visual perception, on measures of confrontation naming and semantic association abilities in persons with probable AD.

Methods: Twenty individuals with probable mild-moderate Alzheimer disease and 20 age-matched controls completed a battery of neuropsychologic measures assessing visual perception, naming, and semantic association ability.