Dr. Natalee Menge, Audiologist, shared this story about patients with a uniquely proactive approach to hearing healthcare:
"I have an 81-year old patient who always comes to the clinic with her friend, "Ms. Suzie." They attend most of their doctor's appointments together in hopes that if one of them misses what is said, the other one will catch it. They also walk each week and regularly share meals together. As I was making adjustments on her hearing aids, I overheard my patient voice her desires to travel "out west" on a train. "Ms. Suzie" responded simply, "Well, why don't you go." My patient responded that she didn't want to go by herself. "Ms. Suzie" then said, "You just want to drag me along with you." They laughed and made small talk for a few minutes. I returned my patient her hearing aids and checked to make sure they were working well. As they left they were making plans on where they were going to lunch. After they left I found myself hoping that one day I have a girlfriend like "Ms. Suzie" to spend retirement years with."
Showing posts with label Audiology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Audiology. Show all posts
Monday, March 14, 2011
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Audiology Mobile Testing Unit impresses at 50th Anniversary
Dr. Natalee Menge, BRSHF's Audiologist, shared this interaction she had with a gentleman at the 50th Anniversary celebration on Sunday, September 12:
"My department has a Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) that we bring to health fairs and group homes around the 10-parish Capital Area United Way service area. We're pretty proud to be the only ones in the Baton Rouge area that provide free hearing screenings as outreach to this area, so we wanted to make sure the MTU was on hand for the 50th Anniversary celebration!
I knew that the MTU was provided by members of the Sertoma Club of Baton Rouge, who found an abandoned hearing booth in a field and converted it into the mobile unit that I use today, thanks to funds from the local chapters of Quota Club and Delta Zeta. Well, while I was explaining the uses of the MTU during the celebration, a man walked up and introduced himself as the Sertoma member who built the trailer! It was so great to get to meet him and hear about the process of finding and building the unit. He was very excited to see it and to know that it was still in use, providing services to community members who might not know about or have access to hearing healthcare otherwise."
"My department has a Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) that we bring to health fairs and group homes around the 10-parish Capital Area United Way service area. We're pretty proud to be the only ones in the Baton Rouge area that provide free hearing screenings as outreach to this area, so we wanted to make sure the MTU was on hand for the 50th Anniversary celebration!
I knew that the MTU was provided by members of the Sertoma Club of Baton Rouge, who found an abandoned hearing booth in a field and converted it into the mobile unit that I use today, thanks to funds from the local chapters of Quota Club and Delta Zeta. Well, while I was explaining the uses of the MTU during the celebration, a man walked up and introduced himself as the Sertoma member who built the trailer! It was so great to get to meet him and hear about the process of finding and building the unit. He was very excited to see it and to know that it was still in use, providing services to community members who might not know about or have access to hearing healthcare otherwise."
Sertoma and Quota Club members furnishing and presenting MTU, 2003
Monday, September 20, 2010
Audiology Patient Gives Back
We had a very successful 50th Anniversary celebration last week, thanks to the participation of many individuals and community organizations! One such individual is a client of Dr. Menge's, who was so grateful for BRSHF's services in the area of reduced-cost hearing aids, that he wanted to donate some of his time back to the clinic. This is his story, as told by Natalee:
"One of my patients came in a few weeks ago for a hearing aid follow-up appointment and mentioned that he had seen a sign in the clinic about people volunteering. He asked, 'What do your volunteers do?' I mentioned that we have a group of LSU student workers who help out in the group therapy classrooms or filing charts - both of which I figured he would not be interested in, being a middle-aged man. He asked about helping with yard work and if I thought it would be a good idea. I told him that we don't usually turn down free labor and that I would talk with our director, Melissa Juneau, about him coming to help out with the front flowerbeds. Thanks to this gentleman's hard work, our front hedges and lawn have been trimmed and tidied up just in time for the 50th Anniversary! While that was certainly not necessary of him, it's nice to know we touch people's lives in a way that moves them to such kind action."
"One of my patients came in a few weeks ago for a hearing aid follow-up appointment and mentioned that he had seen a sign in the clinic about people volunteering. He asked, 'What do your volunteers do?' I mentioned that we have a group of LSU student workers who help out in the group therapy classrooms or filing charts - both of which I figured he would not be interested in, being a middle-aged man. He asked about helping with yard work and if I thought it would be a good idea. I told him that we don't usually turn down free labor and that I would talk with our director, Melissa Juneau, about him coming to help out with the front flowerbeds. Thanks to this gentleman's hard work, our front hedges and lawn have been trimmed and tidied up just in time for the 50th Anniversary! While that was certainly not necessary of him, it's nice to know we touch people's lives in a way that moves them to such kind action."
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
BRSHF common site of reunions
Not only is BRSHF gearing up for our 50th Anniversary reunion & celebration on September 12. Dr. Natalee Menge, staff audiologist, observed this chance meeting of two hearing impaired clients as a result of her clinic schedule!
"I saw 2 hearing impaired teenagers back-to-back last week, both have been long-time patients at the clinic. I didn't think anything of it, but I knew in the back of my mind that they had attended the same elementary school. When the second child and mother arrived for their appointment, they recognized the mom in the waiting room. They were so excited to see each other again, it had been a few years since they had seen one another. The moms were able to visit and catch up, I was unaware of this since I was in the sound suite with the other child working on their hearing aids. I had a knock on my door and when I opened it, they were all standing there, both moms and 2 children, waiting to see the child I had been working with. She was surprised to say the least. It was great to see two children re-connect after being apart for a few years, especially when no one anticipated it. Reunions like this occur frequently at BRSHF, whether it be between childhood friends, parents, or grandparents, and each time it happens it makes my day a little brighter."
"I saw 2 hearing impaired teenagers back-to-back last week, both have been long-time patients at the clinic. I didn't think anything of it, but I knew in the back of my mind that they had attended the same elementary school. When the second child and mother arrived for their appointment, they recognized the mom in the waiting room. They were so excited to see each other again, it had been a few years since they had seen one another. The moms were able to visit and catch up, I was unaware of this since I was in the sound suite with the other child working on their hearing aids. I had a knock on my door and when I opened it, they were all standing there, both moms and 2 children, waiting to see the child I had been working with. She was surprised to say the least. It was great to see two children re-connect after being apart for a few years, especially when no one anticipated it. Reunions like this occur frequently at BRSHF, whether it be between childhood friends, parents, or grandparents, and each time it happens it makes my day a little brighter."
Friday, May 28, 2010
Dr. Menge sees impact of hearing aids on patient's happiness
Dr. Natalee Menge, our staff audiologist, shared this story about the empowerment of healthy hearing:
"I saw a 90-year old nursing home resident suffering with Parkinson's for a hearing evaluation a couple of months ago. His hearing was very poor, he looked at me blankly as we struggled to communicate. My heart tugged a little as I saw how he struggled to control his tremors and thought about the years of isolation his hearing loss must have caused him. Due to limited financial resources, the social worker at the nursing home and I helped him complete an application for financial assistance for hearing aids. He was fit earlier this month with a high-powered hearing aid for his right ear, but due to the severity of his loss his left ear could not be fit with a hearing aid. I saw him today for his follow-up appointment to make sure that his hearing aid was working well or if any adjustments needed to be made. I was in awe of the way his face lit up when we visited - he was connected with me, understanding what I was saying and was able to carry on a conversation that 2 weeks ago would have been nearly impossible. He was so happy with the hearing aid and told me about how the ladies at the nursing home help him put it in and take it out. He even shared what he had done for a living before his Parkinson's had gotten so severe. I know we always talk about how hearing aids can help people not only hear better, but re-connect with the world around them. That's what happened for this gentleman, and I couldn't have been happier for him."
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