Elevated Hearing Center in Mount Vernon is accepting new patients as another local provider closes doors next month.
Dr. Robin Graham opened the center in December 2019, providing hearing evaluations and hearing aids to those with hearing loss. After seeing how hearing loss affected her own family, Graham jumped at the opportunity to help others.
“Growing up, being around my immediate family – my mother and my grandparents, who suffered from hearing loss – you can tell just how frustrating it was for everybody,” Graham told the Mount Vernon News. “And I've always liked doing something to help others.”
Graham graduated with her master’s degree in audiology from The Ohio State University in 2004. Five years later, in 2009, she completed her doctoral degree at A.T. Still University. Graham is also American Board of Audiology Certified.
One thing she’s noticed over the years has been the advancements in the available technology. The hearing aids provided at Elevated Hearing Center connect directly to smart phones as mini Bluetooth devices, allowing users to carry on conversations or listen to music through their hearing aids, all with a rechargeable battery.
“The manufacturer of hearing aids that I dispense most often markets their product as a 'healthable aid' verses a 'hearing aid'. Along with helping the patient hear better, the goal is to make the patient more active and more independent, as the devices are equipped with onboard sensors that can track your daily steps and detect falls all in one device,” Graham explained. “Today's technology is really incredible.”
Since research studies suggest that untreated hearing loss causes brain changes that raise the risk for dementia, Graham said it’s important to treat the problems early.
“Oftentimes, if you have hearing loss, the first thing you lose is the clarity of speech, especially in background noise. My patients often report they can hear people talking, they can hear the television or the person on the phone, they just don't understand the words being said,” Graham said. “Therefore, they are constantly saying, 'What?' or asking people to repeat themselves as well as cranking up the volume on the television and phone, trying to capture some clarity or understanding. This never-ending cycle is exhausting, stressful and frustrating for all parties but also preventable with the proper treatment.”
As the years go by, Graham said the average age of her patients appears to be getting lower as people with hearing difficulties are becoming less afraid to come in and seek help. Since studies suggest that people wait an average of 7-10 years to seek help, this is something she hopes only continues to improve because the sooner the hearing loss is treated, the better the outcome.
“Anybody that is struggling with their hearing and is not afraid to take that first step and seek help [inspires me],” Graham said.
Elevated Hearing Center is at 112 Harcourt Road, Suite 4. To book an appointment, call or text 740-200-8915. Visit on the web at elevatedhearingcenter.com.
