Hearing and Listening?Two Different Things

We may “hear” with our ears: but we “listen” with our brain.  Hearing aids can help a person detect softer sounds, but don’t necessarily provide good listening skills.  Even people with normal hearing can be poor listeners.  Good listening skills are one of the components essential for effective communication.  Other components include rapid thought processing, auditory memory, use of language skills and interactive communication strategies.  In addition, confidence that what you thought you heard was in reality what was spoken is vital.  These abilities can be damaged both by hearing loss and by the natural aging process.

Many of you may have read about a new program in the San Francisco Chronicle or the AARP Magazine.  It is called Listening and Communication Enhancement (LACE).  LACE is an interactive computerized training program designed for home use.  Just as physical therapy can help rebuild muscles and adjust movements to compensate for physical weakness or injury, LACE can assist in developing listening and communication skills and strategies that can help compensate for those situation when hearing is inadequate. 

LACE provides a variety of interactive and adaptive tasks that will help train you to listen and communicate more effectively.  LACE training is never too difficult or too easy; it adapts to you.  As you improve, the training becomes more challenging.  After a few sessions, you will find yourself conquering difficult listening situations you never imagined possible. 

Key Features of LACE:

Home based, self paced program

Complete training in 20 days

Runs of Windows or Apple PCs

Usable by a computer novice

Helps compensate for hearing loss

Helps improve cognitive functioning

Provides tips for communication enhancement

Displays daily and overall progress

We are very excited about the results of LACE and will be offering it to our patients.  The cost of the program is $99. plus tax.  If you are interested in this program, please stop in or call our office for more information.  You can also get more information and do a demonstration of the LACE program at www.neurotone.com.