September 2007

This May, more than 200 PAMF patients and members of the community packed into the Hearst Center for Health Education at PAMF’s Palo Alto Clinic for the fifth annual Hearing Health Fair – the largest attendance in the event’s history.

"The ear is the most complex organ in the entire body, and the path to understanding, diagnosis and treatment is not always a simple one," said Debra Ashley, director of the Department of Audiology's Center for Hearing Health, which sponsored the event. "The Hearing Health Fair provides people with more detailed information about hearing loss and treatment options than would be possible during a regular office visit."

The Hearing Health Fair included an introduction to hearing loss by Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) physician Brad Hinrichs and a presentation by Ashley on the anatomy of the ear and how the organ works. Audiologists Elizabeth Verber and Sharon Goodson also presented lectures on the social, emotional and physical impacts of untreated hearing loss, and the latest advances in hearing aids and other treatment options, respectively.

"Hearing loss can have an enormous impact on an individual’s health and well-being by making it difficult to understand others and contribute to a conversation, which can lead to social isolation, stress and depression," Ashley said. "Individuals who have their hearing loss treated have better relationships with family and friends, higher self-esteem and improved mental and physical health."

After the presentations, participants were able to see demonstrations from and speak to hearing device manufacturers and other vendors, including the California Ear Institute and the Let Them Hear Foundation, to get information on the latest products and services for individuals with hearing loss.

PAMF’s Hearing Health Fair is usually held each year during the last week of May. For more information about the Center for Hearing Health or topics discussed at the Hearing Health Fair, including information about hearing loss in adults and children and the types of hearing loss, visit www.pamf.org/hearinghealth.