Episode 2216 notes

Donna Van Hoy has a story to tell, and her journey to finally get the hearing aid she needed is terrifying but not all that uncommon. In fact, my own journey, as I have mentioned over the years, was somewhat similar.



Hear Donna, and hear from our expert, Shannon Schnellner, CEO of Focus Hearing and maybe you can find help for yourself or someone you know.

This is season 22 episode 16 of America's Healthcare Advocate. I'm Cary Hall.

Learn More about hearing issues and what we discused today: https://myfocushearing.com or call: 913-754-2144.

Have a question for me: https://www.americashealthcareadvocate.com/contact-us

As always, if you need help or have something to share, contact me using this form on my website and let me know what's on your mind, the issues you are dealing with, or any other health, healthcare, or health insurance questions or concerns. Visit: https://www.americashealthcareadvocate.com/contact-us

Episode 2216 Transcript:

00;00;00;00 - 00;00;17;08

Cary Hall

In studio with me, Shannon Schneller today. And we're going. We're going to talk today about why having a hearing aid can change your life. You know who's going to help us do that? Donna Van Hoy is here, and she's going to tell the story about how it actually did change her life. Stay tuned. Listen and learn.

00;00;17;11 - 00;00;20;11

Announcer

This is America's Healthcare Advocate.

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Announcer

Your guide to protecting your personal health. Bringing you simplified answers to the complex questions surrounding health care. Empowering you to take control of your health and wellness.

00;00;32;09 - 00;00;34;23

Cary Hall

My very special guest today, Grace Marie Turner.

00;00;34;24 - 00;00;37;05

Grace Marie Turner

Cary, it's a pleasure to be with you. And I do have to say.

00;00;37;08 - 00;00;44;07

Grace Marie Turner

You are the most knowledgeable about health policy. Just the superlative.

00;00;44;09 - 00;00;52;02

Cary Hall

Broadcasting coast to coast across the USA.

00;00;52;04 - 00;01;14;12

Cary Hall

Fact versus Fiction. This is what we mean by separating fact and fiction on the subject of health care. Just walk me through this. It's kind of like drinking from a fire hose. You know, we do these shows for a reason.

00;01;14;14 - 00;01;18;26

Announcer

And now, America's Healthcare Advocate, Cary Hall.

00;01;18;28 - 00;01;40;13

Cary Hall

Hello, America. Welcome to America's Healthcare Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast across USA. Here on the HIA Radio Network. You can find out more about us by going to our website. AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com. That is the website AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com. All the shows are posted up there along with our 16 podcast platforms and our YouTube platform.

00;01;40;20 - 00;02;05;26

Cary Hall

Latest numbers 653,000. If you are downloading this show, which is a little bit mind blowing to me, but we are very appreciative and thank all of you, that are doing that. And of course, all of you listening across the country, on our 243 affiliates. We greatly appreciate all of you out there as well. If you are chronologically challenged and you're looking for a Medicare plan, you want to give the lovely Jacqueline Huber a call over at RPS

00;02;06;00 - 00;02;29;03

Cary Hall

Benefits by design 877-385-2224 anywhere in the country. They can help. You just had somebody relocate from Washington state to here. They needed help making a new choice on the plan. She took care of all of that for them. 877-385-2224 and if you're looking for employer sponsored health care or health insurance benefits, you need to talk to Maria Ahlers.

00;02;29;06 - 00;02;43;17

Cary Hall

She is the president of RPS Benefits by Design. And there's some pretty innovative stuff happening out there. All right. In the studio with me today, Shannon Schneller from Focus Hearing how many of these have we done? I'm starting to lose track. We've done a few.

00;02;43;19 - 00;02;44;16

Shannon Schneller

4 or 5 at.

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Cary Hall

Least.

00;02;44;29 - 00;02;46;02

Shannon Schneller

Yeah, yeah, I think.

00;02;46;09 - 00;03;04;14

Cary Hall

Shannon Schneller, she is the founder, president and CEO of Focus Hearing here in the Overland Park Lenexa area. We're doing another show today on hearing, you know, we run these shows nationally, even though Shannon is here in Overland Park, because the response we get to these from people downloading and listen to them has been absolutely amazing.

00;03;04;19 - 00;03;09;13

Cary Hall

Today we're going to have a special show because Donna Van Hoy is here in studio. Welcome, Donna.

00;03;09;17 - 00;03;11;01

Donna Van Hoy

Hello. Glad to be here.

00;03;11;04 - 00;03;27;05

Cary Hall

She's going to tell her story about, you know, you've you've heard me talk about this in the past about how we had you went to two different hearing aid groups. Bell and then this other one, whatever it was, I can't remember the name of it. Bad situation on both counts. Bad, lousy service to hearing it's and work like they should the whole day.

00;03;27;05 - 00;03;46;29

Cary Hall

And then we found Shannon and everything changed for my wife, for me. You know, we have Len Randazo, my rep here at Cumulus Radio. Yeah. A lot of people are going to see Shannon because what she does is very unusual. And the service level is quite remarkable. So we're going to talk about why hearing aids again today.

00;03;46;29 - 00;04;09;23

Cary Hall

And, and then, Donna is going to tell her story about what she went through and why she, came to Shannon. And what a difference it's made for her. So let's just start. You know, this is a better hearing month. Yes. This is interesting. You said this before we came on the air. They've revised the stats now, for every four people who have a hearing loss, one is actually correct.

00;04;10;01 - 00;04;12;27

Cary Hall

Well, I I'm not sure if that's up for that. Still. Is that up or down?

00;04;12;28 - 00;04;20;09

Shannon Schneller

I might be slightly up. That's what I'd like to think is because technology is getting better. But yet it's still 1 in 4. It's still not great. Yeah.

00;04;20;12 - 00;04;37;29

Cary Hall

No, it's it's really bad. And, you know, we go through this usually every time we do one of these, we're going to go through it again. It's not just a hearing okay. Let's, let's let's go through all the comorbidities that come along with not hearing. Right. Including affect your social life. You know, let's talk a little bit about that.

00;04;37;29 - 00;04;58;09

Shannon Schneller

Well, you know, we keep talking more and more about Alzheimer's and, treating your hearing loss is the number one modifiable risk factor. So everything else is predispositions, things like that. But this is the one thing that you have control over that you can, fight that Alzheimer's. But that's coming around, you know.

00;04;58;12 - 00;05;07;13

Cary Hall

That symptom because I don't think, you know, we said this before, but I doubt that it. Yeah. At the listening audience out there, have any idea there's a correlation between the two?

00;05;07;15 - 00;05;35;01

Shannon Schneller

Correct. Well, it's all about keeping your brain stimulated. So when you have hearing loss, the portion of your brain that does the auditory processing is literally just laying on the couch drinking Diet Coke, eating chips, not drinking, but it's just not being stimulated so that system will atrophy. And that's what we're trying to fight is that atrophy of the brain and those neurological, connections between the ear in the brain for the processes of hearing and understanding.

00;05;35;03 - 00;05;49;06

Cary Hall

And, and having the ability to hear, like the two hearing aids I have. Yes. Yes, allows that not to occur. Correct. Yeah. And correct prevents that track. But happy because you're engaging. Yes. And that's the important part.

00;05;49;06 - 00;06;07;18

Shannon Schneller

Right. And when you have hearing loss and it's untreated, the vision portion of your brain is working overtime. So the eyes are having to overwork because the ears aren't doing its job. So then when you treat your hearing loss, then the eyes, you're not having to focus. And it balances out that portion of the brain that your eyes aren't having to work for your ears.

00;06;07;22 - 00;06;20;22

Cary Hall

That's interesting. Yeah. Because you hear that, that when you lose one of your senses, you know, the other one, the other way. Compensating. Yes. And so it must be a real problem if you're having vision issues and then you're terrible.

00;06;20;24 - 00;06;22;00

Shannon Schneller

Yes. I mean, you're.

00;06;22;00 - 00;06;24;25

Cary Hall

Compounding a thing times correct. How many ever. Yeah.

00;06;24;25 - 00;06;40;03

Shannon Schneller

And sometimes when you have severe to profound hearing loss, you really depend on your eyes to put the whole picture together. And so that's what's really important. I tell my patients this all the time that if they're to a certain point, hearing aids are going to help, but your eyes are really going to take you over that threshold.

00;06;40;04 - 00;06;48;08

Cary Hall

Yeah, yeah. Here's the other thing. You we've talked this before. I want to touch on it again. If you don't treat it that what happens if you let it keep going.

00;06;48;08 - 00;06;49;12

Shannon Schneller

Never going to get better.

00;06;49;13 - 00;06;49;28

Cary Hall

Thank you.

00;06;49;29 - 00;07;04;27

Shannon Schneller

It's never going to go away. I don't want it to ever get to a point where you're that bad. Because once you're to that bad, it's really hard to adjust to a hearing aid. That hearing loss is sat there for ten, 15 years, and all of a sudden you're trying to stimulate it. The brain's going to fight that a little bit.

00;07;04;29 - 00;07;12;07

Shannon Schneller

So it's always easier to treat it early because the jump back to normal is easier for the patient. Yeah. So you're.

00;07;12;07 - 00;07;13;27

Cary Hall

Stopping it. You're stopping.

00;07;14;00 - 00;07;16;00

Shannon Schneller

You are stopping what's where you're at right now.

00;07;16;03 - 00;07;23;04

Cary Hall

Yeah. And you're implementing something is going to get it eventually going to either reverse it or stop it where it is.

00;07;23;06 - 00;07;38;01

Shannon Schneller

Correct. And you know, and when it comes to you hearing loss, you know, and we've talked about this before, the things that you start to not do in your life because you're not hearing well and then you're withdrawing and then you're not hanging out with your family and your friends, and then you're starting to isolate. And the isolation can lead to depression.

00;07;38;02 - 00;07;42;16

Shannon Schneller

There's just this snowball effect of not treating your hearing loss.

00;07;42;16 - 00;08;03;18

Cary Hall

Yeah, it. And the longer you let it go, the three of you out there, the 1 in 4 is getting treated. The three of you out there that aren't getting treated. That's who we're talking to. If that's your husband or if that's your wife, okay. Or your grandfather, whatever the case may be, you probably ought to have a conversation because it's going to get progressively worse.

00;08;03;21 - 00;08;17;27

Cary Hall

And you can stop it. Yes. I mean, both worried. I had the issue, and it was getting worse. And then we we were fortunate enough to, you know, come to you and you were able to do what you did. And I can't be without this thing. I mean, I see I can't.

00;08;17;29 - 00;08;33;08

Shannon Schneller

Well, what's happening with you is that once you wear hearing aids and you get used to them, when you take them out, you feel like the bottom falls out and that's just because now your brain has a comparison. You don't realize how bad you were doing because you weren't wearing hearing aids. Now you're wearing hearing aids. You're hearing better.

00;08;33;10 - 00;08;39;29

Shannon Schneller

You take them out and now your brain is like, oh my goodness, this is what we've been doing this whole time without them. So you get that comparison now.

00;08;40;03 - 00;08;58;08

Cary Hall

And it's a pretty stark compare. It is I don't care whether you're watching television or you're having a conversation or you're out to dinner, you're at a business function, whatever. It's like like Vegas. And when it's not there, it's pink. Like when I forget, drive on, head to a meeting. Oh my God, I left of got.

00;08;58;10 - 00;08;58;20

Shannon Schneller

To go, but.

00;08;58;22 - 00;09;16;18

Cary Hall

You can't go back or it's going to be a long afternoon, no doubt. Yes. All right folks, we're going to come back to break free to continue this conversation. We're going to get into Donna's story here a little while about why she did this. But before we do that, we're going to talk about how expensive these things can be, affordability and what can you do to get help with that.

00;09;16;19 - 00;09;39;18

Cary Hall

We'll be right back after the break if you want information. It's myFocusHearing.com. The phone number 913-754-2144. You know, if you're not happy or you're having a problem, do yourself a favor and go in for a consultation with and see what Shannon can do for you. We'll be right back after the break.

00;09;39;18 - 00;09;53;13

Cary Hall

Stay tuned. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate. Broadcasting coast to coast across USA. We right back.

00;09;53;15 - 00;10;16;11

Cary Hall

To. Welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast across USA here on the HIA Radio Network. Y'all want to give a little shout out to, 1440 k m AJ the big talker in Topeka, Kansas. Very happy to be on the air up there and part of the Cumulus family in Topeka, Kansas.

00;10;16;11 - 00;10;39;02

Cary Hall

So a great radio station carries a lot of shows we do here. In our studios in Overland Park, Kansas. My producer Dave, Mister Dave Thiessen, and Garner Cowdrey, Dave T some behind the cameras, man who puts all these up on the podcast platforms and YouTube. And Garner Cowdrey, who does all the audio work here in the Cumulus studio and in studio with me, Shannon Schneller, from Focus Hearing and Donna Van Hoy.

00;10;39;02 - 00;11;01;17

Cary Hall

She is a patient of Shannon's. We're going to hear her story here in a minute. If you want help you want a consultation. You want to just talk to Shannon. 913754 2144. Give him a call, get an appointment and go in there and just let her do an evaluation. You might be surprised what you learn. Now. You know, I said the opening monologue that I run these shows across the country.

00;11;01;19 - 00;11;15;09

Cary Hall

Now tell me the story. You just told on break, because this is I do this for a reason, people. Okay? So we can educate and inform. I say this over and over again. That's the idea behind this broadcast. So go ahead. This is really good.

00;11;15;09 - 00;11;21;02

Shannon Schneller

A big reason why we do this. Just increasing awareness so we can get a set of one of four. Let's get 2 or 4.

00;11;21;09 - 00;11;22;10

Cary Hall

Yeah. That would be nice.

00;11;22;10 - 00;11;42;08

Shannon Schneller

That would be great. That would be great. We had a gentleman from Florida had heard our show, reached out, called my clinic. Or we message us and he was just talking about how he had heard us and, enjoyed what we had to say and just appreciated our compassionate approach towards hearing loss and their relationship to Alzheimer's.

00;11;42;10 - 00;11;58;11

Shannon Schneller

His wife had Alzheimer's. And just some of the things that we talked about kind of hit home to him. And so he had reached out and I referred him to a colleague in Florida and referred him down there. But it was just interesting how someone in Florida called Overland Park, which is great. You know.

00;11;58;13 - 00;12;16;22

Cary Hall

That's why we run these things we do across the country, because it does make a big difference. And and to that point, if you are listening to this and you're in Indiana or you're an old, you're in Anchorage, Alaska, or you're in Redlands, California, or you're in Georgia, Dalton, Georgia, these are all places where we're on the radio.

00;12;16;24 - 00;12;38;22

Cary Hall

If you do call Shannon, she will find somebody. Refer somebody to you, and I'll strongly suggest you that it won't be one of the conglomerate hearing aid groups that you see advertised on television or you see in your newspaper or you listen to on the radio, other than my show. Okay. So having said that, you can call her at 913754 2144.

00;12;38;29 - 00;12;56;01

Cary Hall

You can always come to Kansas City, eat some good barbecue, and actually go see her. Yeah, if you'd like to do that as well. So Donna brought something up and I want I'm going to ask her to talk a little bit about this for a minute. But affordability. Absolutely. So let's talk about that because some seniors are on fixed incomes.

00;12;56;01 - 00;13;16;22

Cary Hall

They don't have the ability to pay for these things are not cheap. I mean and so talk about how you help people overcome that challenge. And the programs that are available especially, you know, we've got what do we got 43 million people on Medicare Advantage plans now. So there's a there are benefits on those Medicare benefits. Let's talk about that.

00;13;16;22 - 00;13;18;12

Cary Hall

What you accept and what you do.

00;13;18;15 - 00;13;30;26

Shannon Schneller

So we accept all of them. So traditional Medicare of course does not pay for hearing aids. No medically necessary to hear better. Yes. And I know they've been working trying to get that change at the federal level. It just isn't happening.

00;13;30;26 - 00;13;32;18

Cary Hall

They're too busy getting the fat drug approved.

00;13;32;19 - 00;13;33;19

Shannon Schneller

Well, there you go.

00;13;33;19 - 00;13;35;08

Cary Hall

So.

00;13;35;10 - 00;13;57;12

Shannon Schneller

Yeah. So Ford say is not medically necessary, but all the studies that keep coming out relating that to untreated hearing loss and Alzheimer's, I would like to hope that in the future that's going to change. But for now, Medicare Advantage plans do have a hearing aid benefit. Some of them are better than others. Up front. You might look at them, they're like, oh, this amount looks higher, but there's a lot going on behind that curtain that that's what we do for a living.

00;13;57;12 - 00;14;10;27

Shannon Schneller

So we know when you come in, this is your insurance, we know exactly what to do. And we're going to say this is your option. This is what your insurance will cover, what it won't if it doesn't cover. And we're looking at completely out-of-pocket, we have all kinds of programs. I have a whole price range.

00;14;10;27 - 00;14;12;03

Cary Hall

Oh, we got we got discount.

00;14;12;03 - 00;14;13;06

Shannon Schneller

We get discount.

00;14;13;06 - 00;14;14;27

Cary Hall

Programs. We have Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

00;14;14;27 - 00;14;16;28

Donna Van Hoy

365 there's a program.

00;14;16;28 - 00;14;17;11

Shannon Schneller

Absolutely.

00;14;17;14 - 00;14;24;10

Cary Hall

We're on the med stuff. The same things Donna's on. Right? Right. And Blue Cross has got that 365 which gave us a discount.

00;14;24;15 - 00;14;45;22

Shannon Schneller

And I, I get the whole picture like these are 3 or 4 things that I would suggest for you. Is this something you're comfortable with? Great. If it's not, let's talk about what we need to take away to get it something that's affordable for you. I don't want that to be the reason why you're not hearing better. So if we need a payment plan or we need whatever we need to do, our clinic is very, very good about making that happen.

00;14;45;24 - 00;15;05;20

Cary Hall

Yeah, and here's the thing. People, you know, we talk about affordability. I know exactly what you think. Well, I can go buy that thing off television for $59 or whatever it is. Let me just tell you something. That's not going to be something. It's going to work. And here here's the other problem. When you have a problem with it and believe me, these things they have issues.

00;15;05;20 - 00;15;26;25

Cary Hall

I mean, I've had issues with mine, fortunately. Walk right in the Shands clinic. She has walk in hours. You're able to get her fixed and done and over with. It's remarkable you're not going to do that if you buy something off television. And also when you buy off of these large hearing aid companies around the country that advertise, like crazy, try going back in and getting service done.

00;15;26;27 - 00;15;44;01

Cary Hall

That's one of the reasons why I made the change I made was after using two different companies. Okay, I you know, there was no service in the customer service list. Two. Right? One of the strong suits to what you do talk about that that I think it's great that know you can you've got hours that people can just walk in.

00;15;44;01 - 00;15;58;07

Cary Hall

They don't have to make an appointment with the other ones. You had to make an appointment if you could get in the second group I had, you couldn't get in sometimes for a week or longer, right? Because I had one little lady trying to do it all and it was crazy. So talk about that. I think that's wonderful news.

00;15;58;08 - 00;16;04;02

Cary Hall

You've got two locations, one of the next to one in Overland Park. Chat a little bit about, you know, the times.

00;16;04;03 - 00;16;19;29

Shannon Schneller

And I agree, I feel like that what really does set us apart is yes, you can call make an appointment to see me. That's what I do all day, every day. Yeah, but one of the nice features of hearing aids now is Bluetooth. And that is also can be very problematic when it comes to telephones. So it's not full energy.

00;16;19;29 - 00;16;35;16

Shannon Schneller

Bluetooth is low energy. It can be finicky. It can be glitchy. I don't want you calling in and having to wait a week or two to see Shannon when you can walk in to our walk in clinic. My techs know what to do. They fix your Bluetooth in and out, in and out. Two minutes later, on your way.

00;16;35;19 - 00;16;43;15

Shannon Schneller

We just feel very, very, adamant about the service when it comes to hearing aids is really important, especially now because of Bluetooth.

00;16;43;23 - 00;17;01;18

Cary Hall

It's wonderful. I mean, my my hearing aid, the one that I have allows me to bring it up. And yesterday I was at lunch with Laurie, my wife and the place was noisy. I went down, scroll down, hit restaurant. It blocked out the I wasn't listening to the table next to me, or the guy at the bar or whatever.

00;17;01;20 - 00;17;18;23

Cary Hall

I was able to focus on having conversation with your wife, which she appreciated, obviously. So having said that, that learning how to use these things and when they do have a problem, I, you know, I've had issues and I've gone in there and oh yeah, here, let me put a new this in or put a new bat in.

00;17;18;26 - 00;17;38;20

Cary Hall

And the texture right there, they know how to do it. They get it done in. You're in. And out like ten, 15 minutes. So, you know, the customer service thing is a big deal. And I'm, I reiterate that because you buy this stuff off television or you go to one of these big hearing aids centers, and then, you know, they, they sell you something because really what they're interested in is one and done.

00;17;38;23 - 00;17;56;01

Cary Hall

Sell them this thing and get them out the door. Not you know, Shannon story is completely different. And that's why, you know, that's why she's on this radio show. And that's why we use her. And that's why she does such a great job. Their customer service is real customer service. And again, back to that comment we were talking about earlier in the last segment.

00;17;56;03 - 00;17;58;04

Cary Hall

When you get used to these things and you need them.

00;17;58;04 - 00;17;59;05

Shannon Schneller

Really depend on them.

00;17;59;06 - 00;18;16;29

Cary Hall

I mean, I'm in panic mode. They like, I'm going to go on vacation and you know, that that's critical to be able to know that you've got it and it's going to work. So all right, when we come back, the break, I is going to tell her story why she did this. What a difference it's made. And how she likes working with Shannon Schneller.

00;18;16;29 - 00;18;36;29

Cary Hall

So we'll be right back after the break. It's myFocusHearing.com. The phone number 913-754-2144. If you're hearing aids artwork and make an appointment, go see her. If she can fix them, she'll fix it. Even though she didn't sell them to us, she'll be happy to do that. 913-754-2144. We'll be right back after the break.

00;18;37;00 - 00;18;57;14

Cary Hall

You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate broadcasting here on the HIA Radio Network. Coast to coast across the USA. Don't go anywhere.

00;18;57;17 - 00;19;14;24

Cary Hall

Welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate show, broadcasting coast to coast across USA. Here on the HIA Radio Network. You can find out more about us by going to the website AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com. If you have a question, if I can help you send me an email, I'll be happy to help you. I get a lot of them.

00;19;14;24 - 00;19;34;26

Cary Hall

I answer them, I'm more than happy to do it in studio three. Shannon Schneller from Focus Hearing. She is the founder, CEO, president and chief cook and bottle washer over over at Focus Hearing who does just about everything there, along with all of her techs. And if the show again is on the why having hearing aids make such a difference in your life.

00;19;35;03 - 00;19;53;10

Cary Hall

You heard her tell the story in the last segment about the man from Florida calling, and we do run these shows nationally. There's a reason for it if you want help. It's myFocusHearing.com. Phone number 913-754-2144. So Donna Van Hoy is here with us. She's your patient. So why don't you introduce the story. And I want to hear what?

00;19;53;13 - 00;19;54;16

Cary Hall

I want to hear Donna's story.

00;19;54;16 - 00;20;15;01

Shannon Schneller

Yes. I remember you came in. Yes. And we had a lovely conversation and I could I could just read apprehension, hesitation and frustration. I just remember that initial conversation that we had that you told me your history and what you done and what hadn't worked. And I know towards the end of that appointment, I was like, I'm really stubborn.

00;20;15;01 - 00;20;22;14

Shannon Schneller

I'm on a mission. I'm going to make this happen for you. So, just go ahead and tell us more about what you experienced and go from there. Well, I'm not.

00;20;22;14 - 00;20;26;06

Donna Van Hoy

New to hearing aids. This is actually this is the fourth pair I have.

00;20;26;13 - 00;20;27;13

Cary Hall

This is how many times.

00;20;27;13 - 00;20;28;20

Donna Van Hoy

This is my fourth pair.

00;20;28;25 - 00;20;30;25

Cary Hall

I only went through three before I got to her. So, you.

00;20;30;25 - 00;20;31;24

Donna Van Hoy

Know, okay, I.

00;20;31;24 - 00;20;32;24

Cary Hall

Went to buy one.

00;20;32;27 - 00;20;55;09

Donna Van Hoy

Yeah, but anyhow, the first two. Yeah. Not a big difference. But then I got the third pair and my hearing just got worse and worse. And I kept on thinking, why go get another pair of hearing aids? I've been to three different companies and everybody had had, recommended all three places, you know. So and I was just kind of like, well, I guess I won't hear the rest of my life.

00;20;55;11 - 00;21;14;17

Donna Van Hoy

And I went to an event where, you know, there was a speaker, you know, and there's tables and everybody's talking. And I came home and I was just miserable because I hadn't heard the speaker hadn't heard, I hadn't been able to involve in the conversation because it was just a buzz, and I was just miserable. And so I googled cochlear implants.

00;21;14;17 - 00;21;15;28

Donna Van Hoy

I was ready for surgery.

00;21;15;28 - 00;21;16;10

Cary Hall

Wow.

00;21;16;16 - 00;21;30;24

Donna Van Hoy

Okay. And I just I need to know more about that. And I don't know why, but Focus Hearing came up as my first thing, and I don't know, I called them and like I say, the lady on the phone, she gave me hope.

00;21;30;27 - 00;21;32;08

Cary Hall

And what do you mean by that? Done.

00;21;32;08 - 00;21;48;17

Donna Van Hoy

She gave well, she gave me enough hope that I would. I would at least go in and make an appointment. Okay. Now, I didn't know that I was going to buy hearing aids, right. But I was going to try it, you know? So, I mean, you know, and that was the first step you had to go. Yeah. You know, you had.

00;21;48;17 - 00;21;49;20

Shannon Schneller

That's usually the hardest.

00;21;49;20 - 00;22;10;01

Donna Van Hoy

Stuff. Yeah. And I mean I was already ready to wear hearing aids. I just didn't want to spend a lot of money and not be able to hear again. Correct. So so I went in and, I matched Shannon and she told me, just as I told her story, she told me, she said, I'm on a mission now.

00;22;10;03 - 00;22;24;28

Donna Van Hoy

I'm not really sure all the info from how how it happens, but she did a test and she did a hearing test that no one else had ever done on me, and that was to test my hearing in an environment where there was a lot of noise. Yeah, just one of my problems.

00;22;24;28 - 00;22;26;00

Cary Hall

Yep.

00;22;26;02 - 00;22;38;15

Donna Van Hoy

And anyhow, she gave me three suggestions for hearing aids. I, I actually chose the most expensive thinking, I don't know, the most expensive, always the best. But I wanted that. I was like, I wanted to hear.

00;22;38;16 - 00;22;40;11

Cary Hall

Well, you were desperate to get this done.

00;22;40;11 - 00;22;48;27

Donna Van Hoy

Yes, because I wasn't able to do anything. I mean, I'm old, but I still got a few years. Did you know that I want I.

00;22;48;27 - 00;22;50;09

Cary Hall

Think you're doing pretty good, actually.

00;22;50;13 - 00;23;00;04

Donna Van Hoy

And I just bought him. And like I say, when I went in, I was not convinced I was going to buy hearing aids. I was, I was like, going to surgery. Yeah, I, I mean.

00;23;00;06 - 00;23;02;10

Cary Hall

That's pretty radical. You're doing the cochlear ear.

00;23;02;14 - 00;23;04;05

Donna Van Hoy

And I don't want surgery.

00;23;04;05 - 00;23;04;25

Cary Hall

I know.

00;23;05;02 - 00;23;25;20

Donna Van Hoy

Nobody does. Yeah, I got the hearing aids. And then I went in and she put them in my ears and I could tell immediately, I could just tell I was hearing they changed my life. Everywhere I went, I could hear stuff that I hadn't heard for years. It's a rattle in my car. I need to get fixed some things.

00;23;25;22 - 00;23;46;22

Donna Van Hoy

Oh God, I didn't even know it was there. But you know any else? One of the big things that happened was I had given up going to like, a theater, because you can't. There's no closed captioning. I, I like theater. I had the opportunity a few months ago to to go. I, I bought the tickets at the last minute.

00;23;46;22 - 00;24;01;16

Donna Van Hoy

Somebody couldn't go and they, you know, bus tickets. And I had an awesome time. I heard the whole play. It's just like, okay, I have my life back. I can now hear. I mean, my life has been transformed. And like I say, I don't understand what all Shannon did.

00;24;01;19 - 00;24;03;08

Cary Hall

But you really care just so it works.

00;24;03;13 - 00;24;23;25

Donna Van Hoy

Right? I don't care, I don't need to understand. I just need to know. Because I know she didn't just pull this hearing aids off the shelf and put them in my ears, but they made a huge difference. I mean, like I say, I can now hear before with my old pair, my last pair of hearing aids. Half the time I didn't wear them because I didn't know when I had them in and when I didn't wear.

00;24;23;25 - 00;24;26;20

Donna Van Hoy

Now I don't want to leave the house without my hearing.

00;24;26;20 - 00;24;27;09

Cary Hall

Just like me.

00;24;27;13 - 00;24;50;17

Donna Van Hoy

Yeah, they're they're that critical for me because. Right. Everything's a buzz without them. Yeah, I hear I just can't understand anything anybody says. And, you know, I just I was just withdrawing more and more. And like I say, that day that I made the call, I was just beside myself. I mean, it was just like, this is all I got left to, you know, just live by myself, I guess.

00;24;50;17 - 00;24;51;00

Donna Van Hoy

Right?

00;24;51;02 - 00;24;58;03

Shannon Schneller

And I can remember you sitting in that chair and I could just see you just. Yeah, not giving up. But I could feel it. You were just so frustrated.

00;24;58;05 - 00;25;00;04

Donna Van Hoy

I was pretty much giving up. Yes.

00;25;00;10 - 00;25;03;11

Cary Hall

I mean, after you're done for that, I can imagine I just.

00;25;03;13 - 00;25;06;21

Donna Van Hoy

I've done three. This was for a good pair, you know.

00;25;06;21 - 00;25;16;15

Shannon Schneller

And how. Kudos to her to give me that fourth chance. Yeah. No. And I would understand nobody would want to do that I completely understand.

00;25;16;18 - 00;25;42;14

Cary Hall

No actually the point I think I want the audience take away was don't throw in the towel, okay. If you've tried 1 or 2 in Donna's case, three in my case, two before I got to before I got to Shannon, listen to what Donna is saying and understand what a difference makes she I mean, literally, she goes to an event to hear the speaker and she can't hear the speaker and her comment, there was no closed caption event.

00;25;42;14 - 00;25;52;25

Cary Hall

You know what she was doing when she's watching television? She was running closed caption trying to keep up with the closed caption and watch the show at the same time. It's really a pleasure not to have to do that.

00;25;52;27 - 00;25;56;26

Donna Van Hoy

And especially, give you I have vision issues also.

00;25;56;26 - 00;25;57;16

Cary Hall

Yeah.

00;25;57;19 - 00;25;59;08

Shannon Schneller

So it's really. Absolutely.

00;25;59;08 - 00;26;20;23

Donna Van Hoy

Yeah. And the vision issues are they're being treated. But you know, I'm just saying know it just adds to, you know, you just felt I just felt just hopeless. I mean, I had almost given up. I really had had it not been for hand for the lady that answered the phone. That convinced me to get there. And now Shannon.

00;26;20;26 - 00;26;38;15

Donna Van Hoy

Shannon is the one that the my my staff did the work she got. They got me in there and I don't know, even know what they said, but they, you know, they made me feel like, well, let's try this. And like I said, Shannon told me I'm on a mission. And somehow I felt like it was very she was concerned about me personal.

00;26;38;15 - 00;26;38;27

Cary Hall

Oh.

00;26;39;00 - 00;26;39;18

Donna Van Hoy

Yeah. She does.

00;26;39;19 - 00;26;50;09

Shannon Schneller

Yeah. Well, I could just see her. You're a very vibrant personality, and the woman in front of me was just struggling to be that. And I'm just like, this is, I've got to change this for you.

00;26;50;16 - 00;26;51;16

Cary Hall

This is.

00;26;51;18 - 00;26;58;12

Donna Van Hoy

And you and you did. My whole life changed. Good. Because now I go to the theater and I can watch it, and I hear it and have a good time.

00;26;58;12 - 00;27;02;06

Cary Hall

And you get to be with your friends. And. Yeah, it's a different world.

00;27;02;06 - 00;27;14;04

Donna Van Hoy

Yeah. And, you know, in a restaurant, I can talk to people like you say I can. I can adjust my phone. Yeah. And you know, I mean, that's even extra plus, but because when I started out, I didn't have that option, you know.

00;27;14;06 - 00;27;16;11

Cary Hall

And I came with Shannon. Yeah.

00;27;16;12 - 00;27;27;27

Donna Van Hoy

Yeah yeah, yeah. And so that's. But that's just an extra plus it was the hearing aids that made the difference. Like I say, she put them in my ears. I could tell immediately just the noise around, you know.

00;27;27;29 - 00;27;49;05

Cary Hall

Yeah. It's significantly different whenever you once you get it fixed. Okay. It's like all, all these things that I couldn't, didn't even know. We're going on around me. Like your cars rattle rattling. You got that fixed? Wait. You know, you're able to know. Oh, there. Look at this. Like, for instance, I go out every morning and I walk my corgi.

00;27;49;07 - 00;27;53;27

Cary Hall

We usually go around 430 or 5:00 if I don't have the hearing aids. And I can't hear the birds.

00;27;54;01 - 00;27;54;20

Donna Van Hoy

Yeah, right.

00;27;54;20 - 00;28;12;20

Cary Hall

I have all kinds of bird feeders in my house. Okay, I'd like five bird feeders for bird baths. I mean, I love birds, I want to hear my birds. So. So, you know, I put the hearing aids and I'm hearing everything that's going on. It's just there. Is it is such a difference. And, you know, Katharine Hepburn had a line.

00;28;12;20 - 00;28;17;23

Cary Hall

It was kind of interesting. She said getting old is not for sissies. Okay. Just.

00;28;17;25 - 00;28;18;17

Donna Van Hoy

And then.

00;28;18;19 - 00;28;42;25

Cary Hall

You know, all the stuff comes with age people. I'm just going to tell you, I'm 76. I'll be 77 in 20 days. Okay? And, you know, if you're not paying attention, you just heard what Donna said. You know, her life was becoming smaller and smaller and smaller, withdrawing all the things that Shannon talks about. Withdrawing. You just heard a live testimonial as to what that's like.

00;28;42;25 - 00;29;11;22

Cary Hall

If you're that person or that your husband or that your wife or that your grandfather or grandmother and you know, they're struggling with this, take the time, make the call, get Ahold of Shannon and and her folks and get in there and and and just let them see if they can help you. The phone number is 913-754-2144 the website myFocusHearing.com.

00;29;11;22 - 00;29;26;11

Cary Hall

We'll come right back after the break. We've got more. Stay there. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate broadcasting coast to coast across the USA.

00;29;26;13 - 00;29;47;28

Cary Hall

Welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast across USA here on the HIA Radio Network. In studio with me, Shannon Schneller and Donna Van Hoy. You just heard her story. Now you know why we do these radio shows. Okay, this is a classic example of someone who was able to get help from Shannon.

00;29;48;01 - 00;30;03;18

Cary Hall

And you also heard Shannon talk about the man, the call from Florida. I mean, we do run these nationally for raising we're trying to educate you on these issues, and we're also making appeal to you. Don't let your life. You just heard Donna say this. She her life was shrinking, shrinking, shrinking. She likes to go to the theater.

00;30;03;22 - 00;30;22;03

Cary Hall

She was going she's gone to some events and public speaking. She couldn't hear anything. Had no idea what they were even talking about. Well, why go if you can't enjoy it, right? Yeah. Well, that's what we've been saying for some time. So this is an opportunity to reverse that, to stop that. Because here's the deal. If you don't treat this, it gets progressively worse okay.

00;30;22;03 - 00;30;44;07

Cary Hall

You can stop it where it's at by getting treatment. But you heard Shannon in the first segment say your brain atrophies when you don't use that particular sense. And that's exactly what goes on. If you want to reach out to her. 913-754-2144 two locations Overland Park on the next to the website. MyFocusHearing.com.

00;30;44;09 - 00;30;50;09

Cary Hall

So you mentioned customer service. He went to break talk about what your experience on customer service was just awesome.

00;30;50;09 - 00;31;08;20

Donna Van Hoy

Customer service. The charger that came with the hearing aids just didn't meet my needs. It was nothing wrong with it just wasn't. And so I went back in and I was going to buy another one. You know, okay. And they're like, oh no. And they gave me what I want. And I said, just bring the other one back, you know?

00;31;08;20 - 00;31;20;14

Donna Van Hoy

And I brought it back. You know, it was just like, no big deal. I have another story you want me to tell you. Yeah. Okay. Well, you know how when you buy things, sometimes they just have defects?

00;31;20;17 - 00;31;21;09

Cary Hall

Yeah. Yes.

00;31;21;09 - 00;31;39;12

Donna Van Hoy

And the hearing aids weren't always charging. I took them in to Shannon. She says, oh, let's just order, you know, once they're under warranty. I mean, you know, a lot of times they don't turn in the warranty. They just want they want it. They want to try to pay. And I told her it might be user error that I want to make sure she she.

00;31;39;12 - 00;31;41;21

Cary Hall

Just she did the exact same thing with me.

00;31;41;22 - 00;31;45;04

Donna Van Hoy

She did I she just like we're going to get to new hearing aids.

00;31;45;04 - 00;31;55;09

Cary Hall

I actually lost one of these and couldn't find it. And she said, well, Carrie was under warranty to replace. And I'm like, you're kidding me. No, I got a brand new. I didn't pay for it. Yeah, but these puppies are not cheap. So you're.

00;31;55;11 - 00;32;01;13

Donna Van Hoy

Right. Yeah, and I do I, I do want to say that I'm very, very grateful that I'm not a rich woman, but I could afford the hearing.

00;32;01;13 - 00;32;18;25

Cary Hall

Yes. You know, and and I as well. Same thing. Yeah. It's great to be able to afford to but again, there are there's lots of options out there that Shannon can if you'd look for your head, if you are concerned about the money, go see her first. Let her deal with the money once you see her. So let's talk about this piece on testing.

00;32;18;25 - 00;32;39;00

Cary Hall

This is fast because I remember this when you put me in your booth. It's like being tested at Nassau. You know, you went to all these protocols, and I remember the noise protocols are like, what the hell? Okay. All right, there's a reason for this, and. But, Donna said nobody ever done that. Well, nobody ever done it for me either.

00;32;39;02 - 00;32;52;09

Cary Hall

So why don't other hearing companies do this hearing hearing aid centers do this, and why do you do it? And they don't. Because they don't. Okay, I can tell you on the three, the other two that I did, they did not do it. Okay. So let's talk about that.

00;32;52;09 - 00;33;15;22

Shannon Schneller

So you're referring to the speech to noise test. So when you talk about a comprehensive exam there are state regulations that you have to do a step by step. And this is what we have to do then. That's all well and good. That's all the information I need when it comes to fitting a hearing aid. I need more information so that I can really hone in on what you need.

00;33;15;25 - 00;33;29;11

Shannon Schneller

And all of those tests are done and quiet because we want to know best case scenario, what in the sound booth, best case scenario, no noise. How are you doing? Okay. That's great. We don't live in a sound booth.

00;33;29;13 - 00;33;30;18

Cary Hall

Well, but.

00;33;30;21 - 00;33;51;01

Shannon Schneller

So if I don't test you and noise, I am guessing. And you'll be surprised that someone that you think is going to process really well. Because our audiogram looks pretty good. You put them in a crowd and they just completely fall apart. If I don't test for that, I didn't know that. And that test just really helps me fit your hearing aid better.

00;33;51;01 - 00;33;56;11

Cary Hall

Okay, you do it. And the other ones don't. Why? It's not required. Oh, there it is, ladies.

00;33;56;11 - 00;34;03;20

Shannon Schneller

And Joe required. But for me, And I just feel like that's one of the most important things that I do.

00;34;03;21 - 00;34;04;26

Cary Hall

Clearly, because.

00;34;04;26 - 00;34;05;29

Shannon Schneller

We don't live in a quiet.

00;34;05;29 - 00;34;07;08

Cary Hall

World. No. Yeah.

00;34;07;09 - 00;34;21;21

Shannon Schneller

And it's it's harder to fit a hearing aid when you're guessing or you. You like what? Let's just say you got hearing aids, and I didn't run that test. And you go to a crowd. You're like, I still didn't hear. And I just spent all this money. Well, if I didn't run your tests, you wouldn't. I wouldn't know what.

00;34;21;21 - 00;34;35;29

Cary Hall

The problem and the beauty again, you know, I'll hold this up on the app that I have. There's there's two apps on there to eliminate noise, two separate settings for noise elimination. So that's part of the beauty of this. But being tested for critical.

00;34;36;03 - 00;34;57;03

Shannon Schneller

Well and it's also information for me because if you do really well great. If you fall apart, we have to have that discussion because you can spend eight $9,000 on hearing aids. And when you come in to crowd, that's just how you process and you're still going to struggle. There's tools we can use, there's mikes and other things we can do, but I just have to be able to prepare you for that.

00;34;57;06 - 00;34;59;09

Shannon Schneller

And I feel like it's a huge disservice if I don't.

00;34;59;16 - 00;35;10;23

Cary Hall

It is at that end, you know, that's the difference, folks. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Let's before we before we wrap it up, a couple of new things going on optical zeal and Starkey.

00;35;10;23 - 00;35;11;18

Shannon Schneller

Yeah. So, so there's.

00;35;11;19 - 00;35;14;02

Cary Hall

There's this is, this is constantly evolving.

00;35;14;02 - 00;35;17;21

Shannon Schneller

Constantly changing. This is not grandma's hearing aid anymore. And I just.

00;35;17;21 - 00;35;18;23

Cary Hall

Grandma had hearing that.

00;35;18;27 - 00;35;35;13

Shannon Schneller

Well, I just want to encourage everyone is just I feel like I'm very fortunate to be a professional fitting hearing aids right now because of the technology that we have. And, some things that we've been waiting on. We want something small, discreet, we want it rechargeable, we want it Bluetooth, we want to stream our phone calls. We couldn't do that before.

00;35;35;13 - 00;35;50;10

Shannon Schneller

And now we have everything that we want. So if if the way that it looks has been an issue for you and that is not right or wrong, that's important for you. Yeah, I, I need to know that I can hide your hearing aid. It's easier for me to do that. You walk around trying to hide your hearing loss all day.

00;35;50;13 - 00;36;07;08

Shannon Schneller

You so just tell me what's important to you. And if that hearing aid will address your hearing loss. We're good. I'm gonna let you drive the bus on that one. I'm not going to let you do is pick a hearing aid. That's like a four cylinder Honda trying to pull a truckload of hay bales. So is as long as what you want will address your hearing loss.

00;36;07;08 - 00;36;10;03

Shannon Schneller

I'm good with that. I want you to wear it.

00;36;10;06 - 00;36;19;12

Cary Hall

Obviously. Okay. And it's. But it's interesting to me I just this phonics that I hear. But there but 4 or 5 years old now at least we're.

00;36;19;12 - 00;36;19;29

Shannon Schneller

Getting up there.

00;36;19;29 - 00;36;37;20

Cary Hall

Yeah we are. Yet they still, you know, they function that this was a huge leap forward for me when we got them because of all the things they can do. And then and I'm deaf in one ear. I had a brain tumor removed 1985, lost all hearing over here. And I was like, you know, you really only get that other hearing aid.

00;36;37;24 - 00;36;53;05

Cary Hall

I don't have a year. Well, no, it's going to transmit sound. And I didn't do it in the beginning. And then I came back about two months later and I said, you know, these are working really well. This one. How about we try that thing? Well guess what, I've got both of them and I'll and I and I would never go back okay.

00;36;53;05 - 00;37;05;29

Cary Hall

It just but I you know you showed me the difference in how it could work and it made a big difference. Thank you both for coming in here today. This was having a I think this is going to be this is going to help a lot of people. Okay. A lot of folks are going to hear this show.

00;37;05;29 - 00;37;25;13

Cary Hall

And again, as I said, if it's your husband, your wife, your grandfather, your uncle, whatever it may be. Okay, or a friend of yours, let him hear the show go up and listen to the podcast. It's on 16 podcast channels. It's on YouTube. You can find it and listen to it, and you'll be surprised the effect it'll have on someone when they learn all of what you heard here today.

00;37;25;19 - 00;37;54;10

Cary Hall

She is Shannon Schneller. It's myFocusHearing.com is the website. MyFocusHearing.com 913-754-2144 here in the Metro two facilities, one in Overland Park, one in Lenexa. They've got walk ins the whole nine yards. It's great. Great opportunity to stop something from you heard Donna say it. Get your life back. That's exactly what you're able to do. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I leave you with this thought from Doctor Albert Einstein, the one who follows the crowd.

00;37;54;16 - 00;38;13;24

Cary Hall

We usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been. Remember, friends, it's a funny thing about life. If you refuse to accept anything but the very best, you most often get it. Thank you for listening to America's Healthcare Advocate Show, broadcasting coast to coast across USA.

00;38;13;27 - 00;38;25;11

Cary Hall

Goodbye America. You. You.