Untreated Hearing Loss and Driving: A Dangerous Combination

Untreated Hearing Loss and Driving:

A Dangerous Combination

According to the US Department of Transportation over 32,000 people were killed in auto accidents in 2010 alone.  It is estimated that in America a car accident involving injury happens every 14 seconds, and an auto-related fatality occurs every 12 minutes. While there are a number of contributing factors to these tragic accidents the number one cause of an auto accident is some form of impairment.  The age group that saw the most dramatic increase of fatalities from 2008-2009 was the 55 and older group.  This increase can be attributed to several factors including untreated hearing loss in motor vehicle operators.  

In 1910 Oliver Lucas of England developed the electric car horn, and his invention changed the automotive world for the better.  The car horn is used to signal, warn, and of course berate other drivers millions upon millions of times each day.  As someone who spends a great deal of time each week on the interstate I have witnessed drivers warning each other of oncoming danger by using their car horns.  Another loud yet very important tool utilized on the road is the vehicle mounted siren.  This contraption was though to have been invented for firetrucks between 1900-1905, and has become a very important, iconic part of the automobile world as well.  We now see sirens mounted on fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles as a very effective way of warning other drivers of the vehicle's high speed approach.

This is where the importance of your hearing health care now comes into play.  Driving with untreated hearing loss is very dangerous due to the driver's inability to hear oncoming emergency vehicles as well as possibly missing important warnings from other drivers using their horns as a signal.  We've all seen some form of television program following outrageous drivers, and time and time again we see horrible accidents being caused by drivers who were unable to hear a speeding ambulance heading toward an intersection.  Now not only is the driver injured, but the occupant of the ambulance who may be facing a life threatening condition is injured as well.  

The list of dangerous situations extends past not being able to hear auto warning devices, and can be as simple as a driver not hearing someone's warning that a child is playing behind their car while backing up.  These are lives that can easily be saved, and situations that can easily be avoided with properly treating a hearing loss.  We ask that you please take the time to have a hearing screening each year, and to treat your hearing loss before getting behind the wheel whether it be our company that helps you or another one.  We all need to look out for each other, and it starts with living your best, most-aware life possible.  We hope that you will pass this message on to your friends and loved ones.  Drive safely out there America.

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Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren_%28noisemaker%29#Vehicle-mounted
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_horn
- http://www.dot.gov/
- http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/

Meet the Professional - Paul Ress

Meet the Professional - Paul Ress

Paul Ress is the Director of Operations at Hear Here - Hearing Centers, and has officially been with the company since 2010 though he has been involved with the company since 2006.  Paul is a graduate of the University of Louisville's College of Business where he received his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration.  While at the University of Louisville Paul was involved with the Storm Corps Hurricane Katrina relief effort, donated his time to the Children's Miracle Network, and is a proud brother of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

Paul enjoys outdoor sports in his free time, and spends a lot of time kayaking the local rivers and mountain biking the local trails.  Paul is the president of the Bowling Green Riverfront Foundation, and is very active in revitalizing the riverfront area of Bowling Green, KY.  Paul is also involved with Habitat for Humanity.  Paul's favorite part about working for Hear Here is the ability to help as many people as possible and to be involved in a fast-paced business environment with a great culture. 

Meet the Professional - Adam J. Jones

Meet the Professional - Adam J. Jones

Adam J. Jones is the Vice President of Hear Here - Hearing Centers, and was actually involved in creating the company over seven years ago.  Adam is a graduate of the University of Louisville's College of Business where he obtained his bachelors degree of science in business administration (BSBA).  While at the University of Louisville, Adam was involved in many extracurricular activities including being a proud member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, volunteering for Adopt A Highway, the Children's Miracle Network, and the All Care Community Center among others.  Adam is currently heavily involved in revolutionizing Kentucky's overall level of healthcare, and works closely with community leaders as well as top physicians throughout the state.  Adam has been nominated as one of the top business leaders in Kentucky under the age of 40 in 2009, 2011, and 2012.

When Adam is not helping the world hear better he enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Katlyn and their young son Arden.  Adam is a board member of the Bowling Green Riverfront Foundation, a group dedicated to improving the riverfront areas of Bowling Green, KY, and also volunteers his time and funds to Habitat for Humanity and Special Olympics Kentucky.  Adam's favorite part about working for Hear Here is being able to change people's lives through better hearing as well as being able to greatly add to a patient's quality of life.  

Meet the Professional: Chase Flood

Meet the Professional: Chase Flood

Chase Flood is one of our recent additions at Hear Here - Hearing Centers, and serves patients each day as the Office Manager of our West Louisville, KY location.  Chase is originally from Paducah, KY and moved to Louisville in 2008 to attend the University of Louisville's College of Business.  Chase's extracurricular activities at the University of Louisville have included the Student Marketing Association as well as being a proud member of The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity making him a very well rounded individual.  Chase is also involved with the Young Professionals Association of Louisville (YPAL), which is an organization that connects, develops, and engages the city of Louisville's young professionals. 

Chase has already absorbed a vast amount of knowledge about the hearing healthcare industry, and hopes to continue to learn more each and every day.  Chase's favorite part about working for Hear Here - Hearing Centers is being able to see how drastically our company is able to change someone's life.  Chase says that, "the body's senses gauge what we're able to experience in our every day lives, and by bringing back a patient's sense of hearing through the latest technology we're greatly improving our patient's quality of life."  

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Hear Here in the Community - Project Update

Hear Here in the Community - BGRF Project Update

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this project, Hear Here's very own Adam Jones and Paul Ress created the Bowling Green Riverfront Foundation (BGRF) in an effort to revitalize the riverfront areas of Bowling Green, KY.  The first step in the project of the riverfront's transformation is a mountain bike trail that winds through a park along the river.  The trails have been coming along very nicely, and we have received quite a bit of help, both through physical labor and monetary donations, from several local companies including Nat's Outdoor Sports, Griff's Deli, Patagonia, Hear Here - Hearing Centers, Hensley and Company, and many others.  We would like to thank all of these wonderful companies for pitching in their man hours and resources to help make Bowling Green, KY a better place to live.

Many volunteers from both the BGRF and KYMBA (Kentucky Mountain Bike Association) have spent countless hours each week to help create safe, long lasting trails for people of all ages to enjoy.  With Summer just around the corner, these trails will help get people outside to participate in a very rewarding activity that is both fun and good for them in terms of physical exercise.  This project is also aimed at turning this once unsafe, barren area into a place where people can congregate and enjoy nature.  Be sure to stay tuned for ongoing updates, and we hope to see you out on the trails in the near future!

Meet the Professional: Julia Clore, BSAG

 

Meet the Professional: Julia Clore, BSAG

East Louisville, KY Location - Office Manager

Julia Clore, BSAG is the Office Manager of our East Louisville, KY branch which is located at 970 Breckenridge Lane.  Julia is a Louisville, KY native and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky located in Lexington, KY.  Julia is the first point of contact for patients, and truly enjoys working with each and every person that comes through the door.  Her favorite part about working in the hearing healthcare industry is seeing how excited patients become when they are fit with hearing aids for the first time, and are able to experience sounds that they haven't heard in years.  Julia says it is like watching someone's life being turned back on as they are able to truly enjoy a huge aspect that they had been missing for so long.

When Julia is not serving patients at Hear Here she enjoys spending time with her husband and young daughter.  Julia also enjoys trying the many wonderful restaurants that the great city of Louisville has to offer, as well as the many other attractions that can be found around town.  Julia is great at serving others, and would love to help you or a loved one experience the rich sounds that you may have been missing out on lately.

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What Makes Hear Here Different?

What Makes Hear Here Different?
By: Adam J. Jones - Hear Here - Hearing Centers

There are currently thousands of hearing health care practices throughout the United States that sell hearing aids of all shapes and sizes at all different price levels to people of all different walks of life.  So what exactly makes a practice stand out from others, and more specifically what exactly makes Hear Here - Hearing Centers different from the dozens of other hearing health care practices throughout the state of Kentucky?

The answer to this question is best answered by explaining the principles that Hear Here was founded on almost eight years ago which are/were to offer the highest level of patient care possible, to educate the masses on the importance of proper hearing care, and to give back to our local communities through giving and volunteer work.  These three principles all go back to one main focus and that is to give to others in some way, shape, or form whether it be through unparalleled customer service, saving a life by helping someone hear their smoke alarm, or putting smiles on the faces of dozens of underprivileged children by giving them a free meal and a safe place to hang out for a day.

These principles also shine through in our daily routines as our professionals see patients of all ages.  We start by treating each patient, new or existing, as a member of our own family.  We continue by choosing only the best hearing aid manufacturers in the world so that we know we are proving products of the highest quality to our patients.  These products may end up costing a little more up front, but the integrity of the device, the quality of the advanced electronics inside of the device, and the follow up service each of our patients receive more than makes up for the nominal price difference in the long run.  We also provide each purchasing patient with a full warranty, free follow ups, and three years of free batteries with their hearing aid purchase (non-special program purchases).  We, ourselves, would hate to be nickle and dimed after making an investment in hearing aids so we do not do this to our patients.

We truly love our patients, and got into this business to help others.  We invite you and your loved ones to stop by one of our locations to experience the Hear Here difference.  We also invite all questions via e-mail at: info@hearhereinc.com or via telephone at 502-895-7220.  We thank you for visiting our blog, and hope to see you soon!
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