Since 2014 the Les Paul Foundation has funded six Emerging Research Grants on tinnitus, deepening our understanding of its causes as well as improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
The Magic of Streaming
Streaming the audio from videos directly to my hearing devices became an option as either standalone or as something to pair with the captions. Once I learned this was an option, I gave it a try and found that the audio was much clearer to me than before. It was so clear that I didn't need the captions to understand what I was watching!
Sleeping With My Hearing Ear Up
About 18 years ago, I woke up one morning with extreme vertigo, or dizziness, and then later noticed that my hearing was decreasing in both ears. I also had some shooting pain in my cheeks/facial nerves. A couple of days later, I realized I had tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and it was so loud early on—or at least so new to me—that it would wake me up and keep me up at night.
From Reading Faces to Publishing Research
I spent the first 20 years of my life attempting to hide my congenital hearing loss. Like most kids, I just wanted to fit in and be like everyone else, so my younger self could have never predicted that I would have ended up focusing on disability and hearing health within my career.
At 91, Looking Back
Over the years, I learned a lot about coping, between the hearing loss and other serious health problems. The discrimination I have endured, especially in my childhood, has taught me to withhold judgment toward others for any reason.
How Les Paul’s Mother Nurtured Him to Change the Music Industry
Even when Les Paul was a preschooler, his mother Evelyn recognized his talent. She would arrange for her young son to perform for local fraternal organizations. Les was so tiny that they placed him on top of a table where he would sing, dance, and tell funny stories.
Harnessing the Power of Tinnitus Patients’ Experiences
I learned that little was known about the mechanisms causing tinnitus, and treatments were hard to test because they seemed to have very different effects on different people. Researchers call this heterogeneity, and it simply means that your tinnitus is likely different from mine.
Trying Out Hearing Aids Through ‘Blended Distribution’
The blended business model relies heavily on the internet to capture customers, and it's reported that those customers are around 10 years younger than the typical hearing care office's clientele. Tech-savvy boomers are accustomed to researching options and shopping online.
Sound Is a Spectrum of Emotions
I've been surrounded by sound in some fashion all of my life. As someone with a hearing loss, I've learned to appreciate hearing all sounds, no matter their origin or nature.
Making Sense of Ménière’s Through Media
As a veteran entertainment industry executive, I am acutely aware of the power that film and television have to enlighten, so I decided to develop “Unheard: The Ears of Ménière’s,” a documentary that will shine a light on this debilitating disease which has remained unheard for far too long.