Author Archives: Hildy Silverman

Michael Brown’s Advice: Don’t Hesitate – Get that Ponto Now

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We’re please to share a brand-new user story from Canadian advocate Michael Brown. He advises others with hearing loss to overcome their hesitation to undergo minimally-invasive Ponto surgery (MIPS) based on his experience living with untreated hearing loss for 35 years.

“The Ponto 4 is a close to natural hearing that I’ve ever come across,”  In this segment, Michael shares his thoughts on the Ponto 4, which he upgraded to earlier this year.

Is MIPS right for you or your loved one? How about the Ponto 4? Start here to learn all about Ponto and the MIPS procedure.

To Our Valued Customers

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A message from our Oticon Medical US president

At Oticon Medical we take the well-being of our community and colleagues seriously and are monitoring the developing coronavirus outbreak closely.

Currently, we have implemented procedures for continuing to operate our business so we may service our customers while also supporting the authorities’ work to contain the risk of infection.

Oticon Medical USA’s guidelines for activities in and around our company follow the guidance of our national health organizations, and in some cases, we are even more cautious. We will constantly update our policy to reflect any changes in guidance from authorities.

Our first priority is the health of you, your clients and patients, and our staff. We are doing our best to ensure our service to you is maintained as much as possible given the circumstances. We are taking all possible actions to ensure reliable production, insurance services, device repairs, and deliveries continue. And our local Oticon Medical personnel is instructed to familiarize themselves with and always follow the health guidelines of local hospitals and clinics.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and thank you for your loyalty to Oticon Medical. We also appreciate that this outbreak affects not only your cooperation with Oticon Medical but your daily life and that of your family, patients, and staff.  Please stay safe and know that our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

John Sparacio
President, Oticon Medical US

No Regrets: Kevin Chooses Ponto 4

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Kevin Hotaling and his father Timothy spoke to us during an event earlier this year about Kevin’s experience using Ponto 4. In the first segment of this video, Kevin shares which Ponto 4 feature has been “a dream” of his for a long time.

Both Kevin and his father were impressed by Kevin’s ability to hear more clearly despite background noise with Ponto 4. “You could see, it was just making such a difference,” Timothy notes.

Superior quality, confidence boosting. That’s Ponto 4!

Are YOU ready to upgrade your hearing device? Click to learn how!

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Lori Novara Sings the Praises of Ponto 4

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Lori Novara missed out on a lot in school because her bilateral hearing loss wasn’t identified until she was a pre-teen. It turned out traditional hearing aids couldn’t help, because wearing them caused her to develop ear infections.

Lori discovered the Oticon Medical bone anchored hearing system and got her first Ponto devices in 2003. She has been so happy with her Pontos ever since that she became one of top our patient Ambassadors.

Today, Lori regularly talks to people about the hearing challenges she faced and how getting a BAHS changed her life for the better. In this video, she shares her thoughts on upgrading to Ponto 4 and her experiences with her new devices. 

Lori was impressed by everything her new Ponto 4s were able to do, especially when it comes to holding conversations in noisy environments. 

Lori enjoys the boost to her confidence provided by her Ponto 4s. She told us she feels safer now that she can not only hear sound all around her, but is better able to identify the correct direction from which the sound is coming. This helps her feel better about going out into different environments alone.

One anecdote Lori shared that didn’t make it into this video drives home how powerful Ponto 4 really is.

One morning, while staying at a hotel, Lori heard a “dinging” noise in her room. She searched everything trying to figure out what it was but couldn’t find the source. She opened her hotel door and realized she could hear the “ding” outside even louder than in her room.

She walked down the hallway until she was in front of another room’s closed door. It was then she realized, “Oh my gosh, that’s an alarm clock!” She was amazed that Ponto 4 allowed her to hear an alarm clock going off in a room three doors down the hall through closed doors.

That’s the power of Ponto 4!

Ready to upgrade to Ponto 4? Click the button and we’ll tell you how!

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Lucy Brown Loves Ponto 4!

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Part 3: Heading in the right direction

In Part 2 of this story, Lucy and her mom Georgene shared how Ponto 4 has helped Lucy leave the shadows and feel like a full participant in whatever environment she finds herself in. This week, in the third and final segment of their Ponto 4 testimonial, Lucy and Georgene explain the importance of knowing from which direction a sound is coming and how Ponto 4 has made that easier than ever before.

How is Georgene dealing with giving Lucy more independence now that she’s growing up? Having Ponto 4 certainly is helping ease her concerns with regards to Lucy’s safety.

Thank you, Lucy and Georgene, for sharing your experience with the Ponto 4! We’re so fortunate to have you as valued members of our Oticon Medical bone anchored hearing system family.

Viewers: do you have a Ponto 4 story you’d like to share with others who might be considering an upgrade? Please feel free to contact us at hisi@oticonmedical.com and let us know!

Ready to upgrade your processor? Click to learn how!

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Have You Heard of Oticon Medical Friends?

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Spread the word!

Right after Thanksgiving last year, Oticon Medical formally launched a new community for Ponto wearers and caregivers to Ponto wearers in the United States, Oticon Medical Friends. Our goal was to create a safe, private space for wearers and caregivers to share their experiences with their Ponto bone anchored hearing systems, ask each other for advice and tips, and learn from one another’s experiences with hearing loss and treatment. Additionally, the community provides more direct access to Oticon Medical employees for assistance with questions related to technology, insurance, and best practices as well as the opportunity to share ideas for product and service advancements.

Features designed to empower Ponto users and caregivers

Oticon Medical Friends provides helpful features for new and experienced Ponto wearers and caregivers, including:

  • Easily viewable information on your Ponto device(s), including warranty information. This information is stored securely in your Profile, so only you can see it.
  • Groups dedicated to different subjects relevant to you. You can easily browse and find the groups that reflect your everyday interests and experiences.
  • A resource library with downloadable material to make life even easier with your device. All materials are made exclusively for Oticon Medical Friends members.
  • Direct messaging. Talk directly and privately with other Oticon Medical Friends community members as well as Oticon Medical employees.
  • A first look at new products and accessories. Find out first what we are working on and offer suggestions for what you’d like us to develop.
  • Coming soon: Exclusive offers and contests for members.

Groups and more in Oticon Medical Friends

Within the community are different groups designed for new wearers, experienced Ponto users, and caregivers. We encourage you to join as many as you’d like! The following are your current options:

  • Daily Life
  • New Ponto Users
  • Active Living
  • Experienced Ponto Users
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Kids with Ponto
  • Music
  • Coming soon: Advocacy
  • US Insurance

We also have a growing Library of content to help maximize your experience and enjoyment of life with a Ponto BAHS and an area where we encourage you to make Suggestions, which we will  use to continue expanding and developing Oticon Medical Friends. We are just getting started, so the sooner you join, the more influence you can have on making this community the best resource it can be!

How do I join Oticon Medical Friends?

If you are currently using a Ponto or you are a parent or caregiver of a Ponto wearer, Oticon Medical Friends is for you! To join, simply click this link to Oticon Medical Friends, and when directed enter the serial number for your or your loved one’s device. Whether you are a new member of the Oticon Medical extended family or a seasoned advocate, Oticon Medical Friends is the place for you.

 

Lucy Brown Loves Ponto 4!

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Part 2: Joining the crowd

 

Last week, we premiered Part 2 of a new Ponto 4 video story from Lucy Brown. In Part 2, Lucy and her mother, Georgene, share even more reasons why they’re glad Lucy upgraded her bone anchored hearing system! 

Lucy first tried out Ponto 4 during a visit to Nashville, where she had the opportunity to wear it in some pretty loud and crowded environments. In this video, Georgene shares: “Yesterday, we sure put Ponto 4 to the test.”

Did it pass? Watch and find out!

Tune in next week for the third and final installment of Lucy’s Ponto 4 user story.

Ready to upgrade your processor? Click to learn how!

Upgrade

Lucy Brown Loves Ponto 4!

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Part 1: Out of the shadows

 

We’re excited to premiere a new Ponto 4 video story from Miss Lucy Brown! Lucy was a Ponto 3 wearer, but when Ponto 4 became available, she upgraded. Now, she shares what she thinks about life with Ponto 4 and all the ways it’s helping her live her best life.

What are three big reasons Lucy loves her Ponto 4? We’ll let her tell you in her own words.

Did you know Lucy’s an accomplished gymnast? Take a look at her impressive moves! Mom Georgene joins in to ask what else Lucy likes about her Ponto 4.

Find out what else Lucy and Georgene think about Ponto 4 in Part 2… coming soon! 

Ready to upgrade to Ponto 4? Click to learn how!

Upgrade

A Living List of Apps for Children and Adults with Hearing Loss

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2020 Update

Melissa Tumblin, founder of Ear Community and Oticon Medical Ambassador, originally shared this great list of mobile apps for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. We are resharing it with an update that includes apps for Android™ users as well as the original spreadsheet for iPhone® apps.

We thank audiologist Tina Childress, who is also hard of hearing, for compiling the original spreadsheet. Thanks also goes out to Kevin Martin, editor at Joy of Android, for sharing the article on Android apps.

iPhone apps for the hard of hearing

To view the spreadsheet, click below. Here are a few pointers to help you navigate through this available information:

  • Start on the “Welcome” tab to understand how the apps are chosen and categorized
  • Click through each tab of the spreadsheet to see the list of apps for that category
  • To find out more about an app, click on the cell with the app’s hyperlink. You’ll then have the option to “go to link;” click the link
  • Clicking the link will take you to the application’s information page on iTunes.com. Here, you can see screenshots of the app, read more about it and even view in iTunes where you can download the application. You can also search for the app in the App Store and download it directly to your phone

Helpful Resources and Applications

Click on the image above or here to see the full spreadsheet.

Android apps for the hearing impaired

In this article from Joy of Android, you will find five useful apps for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These apps are available in the Google Play™ store.

Click here for Ponto apps and accessories from Oticon Medical.

Do you know of a great app? Let us know in the comments section!

Demant: One corporation. Many companies. One Mission.

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As you may or may not know, Oticon Medical is part of a much larger global organization: the Demant Group. Beyond bone anchored hearing systems, Demant as a whole provides end-to-end hearing healthcare, from diagnostic equipment – used to identify hearing loss in the first place – to a host of treatment and supportive technology.

More than a century of experience in hearing health

For more than 115 years, the Demant Group of hearing and technology companies have helped people with hearing loss enjoy more of what life has to offer: music, the voices of children and grandchildren, and natural sounds like birds singing.

It all started when Demant began importing hearing aids into the Danish town of Odense more than 100 years ago. The import business transitioned over time into production of Demant’s own hearing aids. Even further down the line, Demant expanded into hearing care, diagnostics, hearing implants, audio solutions, and headsets. And the corporation continues adding to its core competencies, with exciting new technological advances and hearing health-related offerings planned for the future.

End-to-end hearing healthcare

Today, Demant is one of the world’s leading – and largest – hearing healthcare companies in the world, offering the broadest selection of treatment for people living with hearing loss. Besides Oticon Medical, the businesses under the Demant umbrella include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Hearing aid brands Oticon, Inc. and Philips HearLink
  • Diagnostic companies Interacoustics and MAICO
  • Assistive sound field system provider Frontrow

The purpose of the entire business and its employees remains the same across the various units: life-changing hearing health.

With that in mind, we encourage you to take a moment to reflect on all the sounds around you and consider how important they are to your daily life. Those without hearing challenges take sound for granted as they carry on with their routines. But almost 500 million people in the world – more than the population of the United States – live with some level of hearing loss. Like all the companies that make up the Demant Group, Oticon Medical is proud to offer the finest hearing technology to everyone who needs it around the globe.

Demant is seeking to highlight the importance of hearing health and keeping sound in your life with the launch of this new corporate video, I am sound. We hope you enjoy it!

Watch the "I am sound" video