Concerns were raised this weekend by one of Britain’s best-known television presenters, Anne Diamond. The thirty-year veteran has spoken out publicly claiming that her work mandated hearing device has caused deafness in one ear. The reality of her condition is now brining renewed interest in the region to hearing health.

For decades Apple has addressed the digital divide between technological innovation and the disabled consumer. According to a new article out of Australia, the company’s most recent features have “taken aid for the disabled [even] further.”  

Audiologist Dr. Bill Keith of New Zealand, is working to draw both national and international attention to a disease called, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), which has been overlooked and miss-diagnosed within the profession. 

The holidays are a special time of giving and the audiology industry has embraced the seasonal sentiment with open ears. Many companies and private organizations offer giveaways for those in need of hearing care.

In an article catered to HR Professionals we learn both what employees and employers should know, in order to protect their rights regarding hearing health in the workplace. 

A recent article in the Journal Standard, highlighted the work of two audiologists and hearing aid store proprietors, who make frequent Mission trips to impoverished countries like Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico in order to fit children and adults with needed hearing devices.

This holiday season many American families will welcome home soldiers from overseas engagements, who according to a new study, have higher than usual hearing loss. An October article in “Hearing Health” reported that hearing loss among current veterans had reached an “epidemic level.” In response to these findings the law firm, Legal Help for Veterans, is fighting to protect healthcare rights and seek compensation for effected veterans.

A recent article in the Chicago Tribune entitled, “Casino Bets on the Hearing-Impaired: Nonprofit Helps Des Plaines Gambling Venue Focus on Abilities, Not Disabilities In Hiring,” drew attention to an important issue- changing hiring practices affecting the hearing impaired.  As the article highlighted, things are looking better. A sigh of relief from many can been felt, as historically those with hearing issues have encountered numerous obstacles in the hiring process.

David Smirga, M.A. of AuDNet was featured in an Audiology Online video this week that recapped the efforts of the AuDNet enterprise, which began nine years ago. Often asked: Why the Nation needs a commercial brand to market Audiology? Smirga explained the reasoning behind the company’s creation. Simple speaking, AuDNet strives to create demand for Audiology care in the consumer marketplace. Why is this needed? And how does it work?

The New York Times recent article “A Hearing Aid That Cuts Out All the Clatter” is more a celebration for the future of hearing than a product review for a new hearing device. The article explains how an invention from decades ago, called the telecoil (or t-coil), has finally begun to rise in prominence due to more widespread placement of the product in public places.

A recent story broadcast by WOWK, a CBS-affiliated television station in West Virginia, called attention to an important issue affecting the present and future hearing health of West Virginian children. West Virginia’s Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology are seeking to overturn “a bill passed in 1992 [that] exempted audiologists and speech language pathology specialists working in public schools from [being] licensed.”

AuDNet is gearing up for the annual ADA Conference, November 3-5, 2011 in Bonita Springs, FL.  This year’s Conference entitled: “Rock the Boat: How to Practice, Manage and Lead in Rough Waters”  is described as a great meeting place for industry leaders, manufactures and service providers.

Last week a video went viral, posted by a young woman with hearing loss who recently began to hear after 29 years due to the implantation of an Esteem hearing device offered by Envoy Medical. Comments posted in response to the video in the Mashable Social Media article were a moving addition to the home video shot in the young woman’s doctor’s office; people responded to the emotions the young woman expressed when hearing her voice for the first time and were collectively overjoyed at sharing in her new found life experience.

October is the official “Audiology Awareness Month” in the United States. Like similar Month’s created to spread awareness this date encourages the public to stay cognizant of their hearing health by encouraging annual check-ups. According to the American Academy of Audiology “hearing loss it the third most common health problem in the United States,” and with “more than half of the people with hearing loss [being] younger than age 65,” you may be wondering how healthcare organizations plan to reach the “36 million Americans” afflicted with hearing problems.

On the heels of a successful launch of their Android App, NOWiHEAR will launch the iOS version of their app, complete with the BHI quick hearing check.  The free mobile app is designed to test consumer’s knowledge of their hearing loss and aid them in addressing their hearing loss issues by providing a quick and easy directory of AuDNet Audiologists.