Hearing Center of Long Island August 2017

(516) 872-8485 www.HearingCenterofLI.com

Aug 2017

Long Island Sound

Dr. Larry’s Most Embarrassing Secret Don’t Let Your Hearing Stay in the Gutter I’m about to reveal an embarrassing secret, one that I typically try to keep to myself and avoid telling a single other soul: I was in a bowling league in grammar school.

abundance of new sounds, and develop your focus. I encourage my patients to wear their hearing aids full time so that they can really master the art of active listening. (Remember: people who have normal hearing hear normally all the time – whether they like it or not!) When I stepped up to the foul line for the first time last May, I was feeling self- conscious at my lack of bowling prowess. What if I messed up? What if I humiliated myself? I made my share of mistakes, but once I relaxed and let the worries leave my mind, I bowled much better. Don’t let fear or impatience get in the way of participating in conversation. Make a conscious decision to put yourself out there and do your best at listening – you’ll be glad you did.

There it is. Yes, it was an uncool thing to do. Yes, I did have my own custom-made bowling ball — my favorite color, royal blue. And yes, I did use one of those goofy wrist braces. In my opinion, it didn’t help my game much, but it did look good. At least I thought so at the time. For about a year, I would show up once a week to the league and bowl. You would think that bowling every week with a coach and fellow teammates would turn me into at least a decent bowler, but you would be incorrect. I remember admiring my fellow teammates who were adept enough to roll consistent turkeys, but when it came to my own game, I struggled. However, despite my consistently mediocre performance, I learned how to have fun during those weekly competitions — an important lesson for any kid. Last May, the Valley Stream Lions Club put on a big bowling fundraiser. At first, I hesitated to accept the invitation, but that lesson came back to me: If you only do things you are great at, you will miss out on a lot of life. Besides, I’ve been a member of the Valley Stream Lions Club for many years and they are a terrific organization dedicated to helping those in need. (For more information, see e-clubhouse.org/ sites/valleystream/projects/php). It was the first time I’d bowled since that

year in grammar school, and I was jarred by the changes I saw in the sport. Gone were the little golf pencils and wide paper scoring sheets, replaced by flat-screens suspended above the lanes that played animated cartoons after every roll. What I wasn’t shocked by was my skill level. I’ll just say that I was more than a little rusty. It was a lot of fun anyway. Plus, with every frame, the muscle memory came back little by little. In many ways, listening is a lot like bowling. It’s a skill you master through practice and exposure. Dozens of factors affect your active listening ability at any moment: background noise, conversation volume, how fast the person you are listening to is talking, or the cacophony of bowling balls striking the pins out on the lanes. For this reason, achieving adequate listening ability takes time . I didn’t head to the bowling alley for the first time since grammar school and expect to be a fantastic bowler. It’s the same thing when someone begins hearing sounds they have been missing. You can’t slap on hearing aids and expect to be able to listen perfectly right away. The aids need to be adjusted as you become acclimated to hearing more, but your own skills need to develop. You need to relearn how to filter out ambient chatter, adapt to the

– We’re listening to you®.

– Lawrence Cardano, Au.D.

Dr. Larry at the lanes

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Long Island’s Largest Senior Citizen Health and Wellness Fair

and cholesterol screenings; blood pressure screenings; hearing screenings; body mass index readings; balance, posture, and spinal analyses; and much more. Additionally, Hempstead included a number of its own programs, such as the town clerk’s senior identification program, the animal shelter’s pet therapy program, and the receiver of taxes “taxpayer checkups.”

It was a most enjoyable day. I got a chance to speak with many seniors about their hearing-related concerns and to offer advice and guidance. Many of the attendees had very thoughtful questions, and it was a pleasure to meet them. I even had a chance to say hello to a number of patients I have known for many years who were in attendance. If you have a chance to get to Lido Beach next year for the fair, I would encourage you to. “Our Senior Citizen Health and Wellness Fair provides important screenings in a quick and timely manner,” said Hempstead Town Senior Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby. “There is no reason any of our mature residents should miss out on this essential fair.” I would agree.

Dr. Larry and Lido Beach Health Fair staff

On June 8, I had the pleasure of participating again in the town of

Some of the other health screenings were provided by St. Francis Hospital, South Nassau Communities Hospital, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Northwell Health — LIJ Valley Stream, NuHealth — Nassau University Medical Center, Metro Physical and Aquatic Therapy, and the Levittown Health Center of New York Chiropractic College.

Hempstead’s Health and Wellness Fair at Lido Beach. This is Long Island’s largest senior citizen health and wellness fair. I have been honored to be chosen to provide hearing screening and counseling at this annual event for over 10 years. In addition to my services, the free health services offered included blood glucose

What Our Patients Are Saying

“I have been going to Hearing Center of Long Island for my hearing care since 1997. I had been wearing hearing aids for a long time before that. I’m so glad I found Hearing Center of Long Island. “I’m especially happy to have the follow-up service I get. I have been surprised by the improvements in technology over time. Technology for hearing improvements keeps

getting better and better. The doctors at HCLI make sure that I am introduced to improvements that can help address my concerns, without paying for features and technology I don’t need. “The doctors and staff go out of their way to explain things in a clear and timely way, and they respond to any questions or concerns I have. The service I have received is excellent. I would definitely recommend Hearing

Center of Long Island to anyone struggling with hearing difficulty!”

- Sheila Taaffee Garden City, New York

Sheila and Dr. Larry

2 • We’re listening to you.

Take a Break

GINA’S GREEK ORZO SALAD

Patient Care Coordinator (and chef) Gina

Ingredients

Can Working Out Delay the Progression of Age-Related Hearing Loss?

• ½ pound orzo • 1 small red onion, chopped • ½ cup cucumber, diced • ½ cup parsley, chopped • 2 tomatoes, diced • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled • ¼ cup black olives, sliced • Juice of 1 lemon

Everybody knows that regular physical exercise lowers your risk for cardiovascular diseases, sidelines weight gain, and rewards you with a longer life expectancy. But what most people probably don’t realize is that the benefits of exercise likely reduce your risk of age-related hearing loss, as well. Almost two-thirds of elderly people over the age of 70 develop significant hearing loss late in life, which, as many of our patients know, can present significant challenges to effective communication. People want to know how they can prevent or slow hearing loss, and these new discoveries show promise. Though the research is fairly preliminary, studies are beginning to show the links between reduced age-related hearing loss and frequent exercise. One study, published in November 2016 in the Journal of Neuroscience, measured indicators of age-related hearing loss in mice that ran on an exercise wheel. They compared that >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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