Auditory brain training is like physical therapy for your ears and brain, and it might be just what you need to get the most benefit from your hearing aids!
Physical Therapy for the Knee
Have you, or someone you know, had a knee replacement? If so, you know there is a lot of work that goes into it. You can’t expect that new knee to start working perfectly the day after the surgery. You must go through hours, weeks, and months of physical therapy to build up the strength and range of motion required for optimal use of that new knee.
Hearing Aid Limitations
Did you know that the same goes for hearing aids? Despite amazing advancements in hearing aid technology, they still have some limitations. For example, hearing aids cannot eliminate all of the background noise…your brain must help to tune it out. Also, hearing aids cannot force a fast talker to slow down their speech…your brain must learn to process the words faster. In other words, the ears must train the brain to make sense of the new amplified sound that hearing aids provide. This brain training can happen naturally over time as your ears and brain adapt to hearing aids. But for people who continue to have difficulty understanding speech in certain environments, extra training can make a world of difference.
Physical Therapy for the Brain
In addition to the 5 Keys Communication strategies I teach in my book and in the office, I recommend a home training program called clEAR auditory brain training. Let’s use this time while we are limited to activities inside our home to improve our ability to hear in noise and process speech faster. It has been shown that playing these fun computer games can improve the speed at which you process conversation, improve your memory, decrease distractibility from outside sounds or background noise and improve your ability to hear fine differences in speech.
You will receive personalized lesson plans and I will be able to monitor and celebrate your progress with you. This will be a fun way for us to connect while exercising our brains. You can use your personal computer, Mac, or iPad for this training. For best results, training should be completed for at least 3 months, and the normal cost for this training is $24.99 per month. However, patients of Columbine Hearing Care will receive a significant discount. Simply email me at support@columbinecares.com and I’ll get you set up! To learn more about clEAR, click the button below.