Meet the Team

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AUDIOLO GY SERVICES

Hearing Matters

Hear

Life’s

Story VOL.1 NO.1 SUMMER 2019

A Note from

Dr. Delfino I am pleased to present the first issue of our newsletter, Hearing Matters. We are very excited about our new publication, which we will produce quarterly. We want to keep you informed on what’s happening, not only within our practice but throughout the hearing healthcare industry. At Audiology Services we are passionate about what we do. We’ve seen first-hand the life-changing impact that hearing instruments have on people’s lives. We invite you to come in to find out more about your hearing or to simply say hello. We’re here to help. (l-r) Blaise Delfino, Autumn Deiter, Cheryl Delfino, Greg Delfino

Meet the Team Gregory Delfino, AuD, CCC-A Chief Audiologist

Gregory has nearly 35 years of experience working in major medical centers and private otolaryngology practices in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. As chief audiologist, he performs comprehensive audiological evaluations, central auditory processing assessments, and speech in noise testing. He is also president and cofounder of Fader Plugs, LLC.* He earned an undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University, a master’s from Montclair State University, and a Doctorate in Audiology from Arizona School of Health

Sciences. He is board certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. In his spare time, Dr. D., as he’s known in the office, likes spending time with his family and his Staffordshire dogs, Dominic and Tannon.

Cheryl Delfino, BA, HIS Chief Instrument Specialist

Cheryl is a licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist, who has been conducting on-site hearing evaluations and fitting/repairing hearing instruments at the area’s senior living communities for more than 16 years. As a member of the Pennsylvania | continued on page 2

Enjoy the rest of the summer,

Greg Delfino AuD, CCC–A

A family-owned and operated practice located at:

111 S. Spruce Street Suite 102 Nazareth, PA 18064 610-694-0141 www.audiologyservicespa.com

Meet the Team continued from page 1

Did you know… …according to the CDC, 50 million Americans have noise-induced hearing loss? …hearing loss has been linked to chronic conditions like depression, dementia and heart disease?

…if you have to shout to be heard—at a club, sporting event or concert—the noise is harming your hearing?

Meet the Newest Member of the Team

Hearing Aid Alliance, Cheryl attends meetings in Harrisburg, where she stays abreast of legislation regarding the hearing healthcare industry. She also speaks on hearing healthcare for organizations such as the Veteran’s Society, AARP, and Capital Blue Cross. Cheryl earned an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Bloomfield College in NJ. And in case you’re wondering, yes, she is Dr. Delfino’s wife. Both Greg and Cheryl enjoy spending time with their family, especially their 2 ½-year-old grandson, Charles.

Blaise Delfino, MS, HIS Director of Operations

Blaise is a licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist who configures sound and provides optimum amplification for our hearing technology patients. He is also operations manager at Audiology Services. Along with his expertise in hearing instrumentation, Blaise is a dedicated entrepreneur. He invented the Fader Plug,* a mechanical earplug with a sound-level control that the wearer can adjust without removing the device. (The name “fader” comes from the control used by audio engineers to gradually

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f you’ve been to the Nazareth Office recently, you may have seen Merry Sue Baum behind the desk. She is our new Patient Care Coordinator. She’ll set up your appointment and make sure you have everything you need to make your time at Audiology Services enjoyable. A resident of Bushkill Township, Merry Sue has been a patient at Audiology Services since

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H E AR I N G MAT TER S

increase or decrease an audio signal.) Blaise won first place in two separate regional business plan competitions for Fader Plugs and has chosen Starkey Hearing Technologies as the manufacturer. Blaise earned an undergraduate degree in Speech and Language Pathology and a master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders at East Stroudsburg University. When he’s not at Audiology Services, Blaise can be found making music—he plays guitar, drums and piano; he sings; and he’s an audio engineer.

Audiology Services’ new East Stroudsburg office

August 20–22 Open House • Nazareth Office By Appointment Only New patients receive $500 off premium hearing technology!

FRIDAY

September 27 Patient Appreciation Event 5 – 7 pm C.F. Martin Guitar 510 Sycamore Street, Nazareth

Autumn Deiter, BA, HIS Autumn is a licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist and the chief administrator at Audiology Services. She is responsible for patients’ insurance benefits, all the accounting and coordinating special events and patient outreach programs. She is also the director of public relations for Fader Plugs, LLC.* In her spare time Autumn enjoys kickboxing, gardening, cooking, spending time with family and friends and watching movies, especially on Netflix. Autumn earned an undergraduate degree in Communications, with a minor in business, from DeSales University. She will soon become an “official” member of the Delfino family, when she and Blaise get married next October.

2017. In talking with her during her appointments, Blaise and Autumn decided she had the perfect skill set for the job. “With our practice steadily growing, Autumn needed help. So, we invited Merry Sue to join the team,” says Blaise Delfino, operations manager. “We’re thrilled to have her. She’s been a huge asset to our practice.” Merry Sue earned an undergraduate degree in Communications from Rider University. When she’s not “womaning” the front desk at Audiology Services, she does freelance writing, and she loves to read, swim and needlepoint. Her most precious moments, however, are spent with her children and her three grandchildren, Allison, 10; Brendan, 2; and Mason, 1.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Entertainment by The Large Flowerheads

WEDNESDAY

October 16

We’ve Expanded!

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udiology Services has a new office in East Stroudsburg, PA. “We had quite a few people coming all the way from Monroe County to our Nazareth location,” says Blaise Delfino, operations manager. “Clearly, there’s a need for audiological practitioners in that area, and we wanted to help.” Working with the East Stroudsburg University Innovation Center, the Delfino family

Information session

opened an office at 562 Independence Road in East Stroudsburg in June. The new location will offer all of the services available in Nazareth. It will be open by appointment only, which can be made by calling the Nazareth office at 610-694-0141. Watch for news of our grand opening event next spring!

Fader Plugs Will Soon Be Here

4 –6 pm East Stroudsburg Office Learn about Starkey hearing instruments with features like step and heart rate tracking, fall alerts, language translation and more

Listen Up!

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B

y now you must be wondering exactly what Fader Plugs are? The short answer is: they are noise cancelling earplugs. The more comprehensive answer is: they are the first earplug ever manufactured that allow users to adjust sound levels without taking the plugs out of their ears. They will come in a variety of colors and will be custom fit for every person. Fader Plugs are ideal for subway

commuters, industrial workers, concert goers, musicians/stagehands, or anyone who is hypersensitive to noise or works/plays in a noisy environment. Fader Plugs were the brainchild of Blaise Delfino, who tapped into his father Greg’s audiological expertise. The two came up with the prototype, which has a patent pending, and they recently completed inhouse testing. The plugs will soon be available to the public. For more information go to

www.faderplugs.com

Along with our newsletter, we’ve launched a podcast of the same name. You can access “Hearing Matters” through Apple Podcasts or the link on our Website. The first episode, “The importance of visiting a hearing healthcare professional,” features Dr. Delfino and Blaise Delfino discussing hearing technology, best practices and the epidemic of hearing loss. We’ll let you know when subsequent episodes air.

SUM M ER 2019

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Summer Hearing Health

NOISE • The sounds of ear canal. Whatever you do, Decibel Scale (dB) summer—crickets chirping, never put cotton swabs in waves crashing and campfires your ears. And if you do get crackling—may conjure up swimmer’s ear, see a doctor fond memories of summers ASAP. Faint gone by. But there are other Moderate to quiet familiar seasonal sounds that TRAUMA • Water skiing, Loud can damage your hearing. rock climbing, playing sports Power/lawn tools, fireworks, and bicycle riding are great Very loud outdoor concerts and sportways to exercise outdoors. ing events are only a few. Activities like these, however, If you’re exposed to these do come with an increased Extremely loud sounds, which are all above risk of injury, including con85 decibels (dB), you can sufcussions. A serious blow to fer permanent hearing loss. the head can leave a perYou can safeguard your hearson with long-term hearing ing by wearing earplugs or problems like tinnitus, loss Threshold of pain noise-cancelling headphones. of hearing and/or problems There are many different with balance and vertigo. types available. Visit a hearing healthcare There’s no need to forego these activities for professional and get either universal or custom fear of injury, but it’s wise to take precautions. ear plugs. It’s smart to protect your hearing; Wear appropriate headgear made specifically once it’s gone you can never get it back. for whatever activity you’re doing. If you do hit your head, don’t ignore symptoms like WATER • There’s no better way to beat the dizziness, nausea or headaches. See a doctor heat than swimming. But beware of swimat once. mer’s ear, a painful infection caused by contaminated water lingering in the ear canal. People tend to have more free time in the You can avoid this common summer malady summer to schedule annual medical, dental by wearing earplugs and thoroughly drying and eye exams. Why not add a hearing test your ears after you swim. Be especially vigilant to your to-do list? It’s the best way to ensure after taking a dip in a lake, river or pond. you’ll be hearing the sounds of summer for They contain microbes that thrive in a wet many years to come. Breathing

Rustling leaves

Whisper

Refridgerator

Moderate rainfall

Conversation

Car, city traffic

It’s easy to forget about your ears while you’re enjoying summer’s many outdoor activities. Here are a few tips for you to remember as you take advantage of the warm weather.

Truck

Helicopter

Hairdryer

Trombone

Police siren

Jet engine

Fireworks

OUR SERVICES Hearing aid fitting/repair Audiological evaluations Tinnitus management Ear wax management Industrial hearing screenings Musician ear plugs and monitors Custom earmolds and earplugs Auditory processing evaluations Real ear measurement (REM)

Audiology Services 111 S. Spruce Street Suite 102 Nazareth, PA 18064 610-694-0141 www.audiologyservicespa.com