Meet Our Student Audiologists
Tim and Janis Gaule
In this month’s article, we would like to briefly introduce you to the University of Arizona student audiologists who have volunteered to take turns attending our monthly meetings. These students are a valuable source of free information and advice for our meeting attendees with hearing loss.
Abbie White is a third-year Doctor of Audiology student from St. Louis, Mo. She became interested in audiology after working with an older adult patient who was born with profound hearing loss but did not have any treatment (amplification or sign language). This resulted in this person having no form of communication. As a result, Abbie now has a deep passion for providing early intervention. This year, she is focusing on research regarding hearing aids for low-income adults and learning how to test children in the clinic. After graduation, Abbie hopes to work with all age groups and continue to volunteer for humanitarian efforts. She also hopes to continue to be highly involved in state and national advocacy efforts.
Shannon McCabe is a second-year Doctor of Audiology student from Carlisle, Pa. Shannon found audiology in her first year of college when she attended the wrong club meeting! She was already on the fence about her major, and fate had an audiologist speaking that night. She was able to listen to all the many services they provide and the incredible impact they have on individuals’ lives. The next day she changed her major and has known this was her niche ever since. Shannon minored in Deaf Studies and fell in love with learning ASL and d/Deaf culture. Currently, she enjoys working with kids and plans on specializing in cochlear implants with both adult and pediatric populations. She aspires to always help people, as that “fills her cup,” and is excited to have a future in audiology.
Tripp Hutson is a second-year graduate student studying audiology at the University of Arizona. He is originally from Atlanta, Ga. His path to audiology was a reconciliation of several things, namely his background as a music teacher and Army linguist, and his desire to serve others in health care. This semester he is working with patients in the university hearing clinic under the mentorship of Aileen Wong, AuD. He is also assisting in a project that seeks to better provide culturally responsive care to those in the Hispanic community with communication disorders. In the future, he hopes to work within the VA health care system with veterans or as a Department of Defense contracted audiologist working with active-duty military personnel.
The Discussion Group for Better Hearing meets the second Friday of each month at 10 a.m. in the Sonoran Room at the MountainView Clubhouse. We hope that you can attend one of our future meetings to meet with these future audiologists. If you have comments regarding this article, our email is [email protected]. For more information about our meetings, contact Jennifer Jefferis at [email protected] or Lyle Larson at [email protected].
Discussion Group for Better Hearing
Who We Are:
We are SaddleBrooke residents who recognize the need in our community for a caring place of support and education for those experiencing hearing loss and those beginning to research this topic for themselves or a loved one.
What We Do:
(1) Discuss issues we face, learn tips and solutions, receive handout educational materials, and offer guidance and encouragement. Occasionally, an audiology doctoral student from the University of Arizona will be a guest, also hearing technology reps.
(2) Submit articles for the SaddleBrooke newspapers covering hearing loss topics and personal testimonials from members of our community about their hearing loss journeys.
(3) Sponsor periodic “Hearing Night Out” community-wide presentations by local audiologists.
(4) Advocate for better technical support in SaddleBrooke facilities for those who have hearing loss.
Meetings:
Meetings are held the second Friday monthly at 10 a.m. in the Sonoran Room at the MountainView Clubhouse.
Questions:
Jennifer Jefferis at [email protected] or Lyle Larson at [email protected]
Did You Know?
• Only one in five people who would benefit from a hearing aid actually uses one.
• Hearing loss has been shown to negatively impact nearly every dimension of the human experience, including physical health, emotional and mental health, perceptions of mental acuity, social skills, family relationships, and self-esteem.
• New findings linking cognitive decline to even minimal hearing loss suggest that we could do a lot to protect our brains if we protect our hearing.
• Hearing loss is now known to be the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, exceeding that of smoking, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, and social isolation.
Taken from The New York Times article “For Better Brain Health, Preserve Your Hearing” (1/13/20) and The Hearing Loss Association of America.