Dr. Iris Stone: Hear Clear Hearing Aids, Inc.

Iris Stone AuD., FAAA, Doctor of Audiology

The landscape of healthcare is changing. We are in transition. Just listen to the news! Although the United States claims (with good reason) to provide superior healthcare, the costs have been climbing.

In just the last decade, many important studies have surfaced linking hearing loss to many disabling conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, balance problems, falling, social isolation, loneliness, clinical depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many more. Baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are now the largest group of people in the United States, representing 45% of the population. They are health conscious and have a greater focus on enjoying life and retirement. They have created the “age of the consumer.”

Times change, and the focus changes. The “age of manufacturing” was 1900 to 1960; the “age of distribution” was 1960 to 1990; the “age of information” was 1990 to 2010; and now, here in the present, we find ourselves in the “age of the consumer.” Consumers today are well-informed, savvy, and distrusting! They want to be involved in the decision-making and, clearly, expect their problems to be solved.Dr. Stone understands, engages, and retains her patients because they are the center of everything she does. She shows an interest in their lives and their families.

She believes that it is not enough just to fix things because they are not working. Instead, she gives her patients the tools to help them become successful hearing-aid users, assistive-device users, and tinnitus therapy and technology users.

The good news is that there is amazing new technology. There are different options for different lifestyles. Features of the newer hearing instrument technology include precise processing and accurate reproduction of sound, providing excellent speech intelligibility, enhanced clarity for the higher pitches or individual needs, and reduction of unwanted background noises or sudden sounds at all input levels for greater listening comfort. The newest technology includes smartphone capability, allowing users to contro

l the settings of their hearing devices for any listening situation, whether out exercising, listening to music, or in a noisy restaurant. The best sound technology can transform hearing instruments into advanced, high-definition, wireless headphones by easily connecting and streaming phone calls, music, and audio directly from the smartphone. There are so many choices and unparalleled options that there is a solution for everyone.

Dr. Stone is very active in the Calabasas community, providing workshops and seminarsat the senior center relating to hearing loss, new technology, and information for those that suffer from ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and vestibular (balance) issues. She sits on the board of directors of the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce and is a fellow of the Academy of Doctors’ of Audiology, the California Academy of Audiology, and the American Academy of Audiology. She was the recipient of the 2016 small business award in recognition for outstanding service to the community from the United Chambers of Commerce of theSan Fernando Valley and Region.

4764 Park Granada, #109
Calabasas
818.222.HEAR
818.222.4327
hearclearhearingaids.com

By Elena Richards
Photography Marvin Steindler