All of us at Longmont Hearing & Tinnitus Center are thrilled with how well our event went on Saturday! Partnering up with Hearing the Call Colorado was a success, and we can’t wait for our next event in Arvada this coming December.
Hearing loss can be quite isolating for individuals, and as Dr. Rudden explains, the coronavirus pandemic has made access to hearing care more critical than ever: “Especially in this time, where we are wearing masks and there is less socializing, people are isolated, and when they don’t hear well, they feel even more isolated. This event is opening the door for people whose insurance may not cover hearing loss needs, or for patients who may not have the financial resources to pay for both hearing aids. We wanted to fill that gap.”
How did the event become a reality?
Dr. Rudden has been a member of Hearing the Call for the past year, and she wanted to make sure that those in her own community were also getting the help they deserve. That’s why she reached out to other industry leaders about a Colorado branch, and soon found people in other audiology practices across the state that were interested in helping. Representatives from the six different audiology practices that make up Hearing the Call Colorado participated in running the clinic Saturday, including audiologists from Animas Valley Audiology in Durango, Columbine Hearing Care in Littleton, Flatirons Audiology in Lafayette, McArthur Audiology in Burlington and New Leaf Hearing Clinic in Arvada. We even had a group from Entheos Audiology Cooperative in Fort Wayne volunteer on Saturday! It was a true representation of the community coming together for the greater good.
What does Hearing the Call Provide?
At Saturday’s event, we were able to help 14 individuals with hearing loss have their hearing tested, and if necessary, fitted for hearing aids at little to low cost (cost was determined based on income). But the benefits don’t end there! All the patients we helped on Saturday will continue to receive a year of complementary aftercare. And after that year-long period, they will only be charged $15 per office visit—a lifetime of affordable hearing care.
Another beautiful aspect of Hearing the Call Colorado is their fostering of good will. As part of its mission, Hearing the Call Colorado asks that those who receive care give back to their communities, like asking patients to do some community service on an honor system. With the pandemic in mind and the risks associated, Dr. Rudden hopes instead to have inspired Saturday’s patients to do small acts of kindness, whether picking up trash in their neighborhood or reading a book to their grandchild.
How did Longmont Hearing & Tinnitus Center find these patients?
Dr. Rudden was connected to patients through nonprofit agencies, including the OUR Center, a nonprofit that helps provide basic needs to people; Out Boulder, an LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit, and Intercambio, a nonprofit resource center for immigrants. If you want to know about the next Hearing the Call event, be sure to follow Longmont Hearing and Tinnitus Center on Facebook.
What is the best part of the day?
“Seeing the joy on someone’s face when they realize what they’ve been missing — it’s really magical. We call it a ‘hearing smile.’ It can be emotional for people, sometimes they cry, sometimes they get wide-eyed. Imagine being able to hear for the first time.” — Dr. Rudden. At the end of the day, this is what the event is all about—restoring hearing to those who need it most. Events like Hearing the Call Colorado and volunteers like Dr. Rudden and her colleagues make that dream a reality.
Hearing loss is serious and should not be ignored. If you or a loved one are experiencing hearing loss, don’t delay. Reach out to us for an appointment and we’ll do everything we can to ensure you get the treatment you need.