Audiology Services, a division of Restorative Care Services at Lawrence and Memorial, is committed to providing quality diagnostic and rehabilitative services. Our staff is comprised of Audiologists who are specially trained at the Master's Degree level or higher, with National Certification and State Licensure, to provide a wide range of services. Services provided at our main hospital site include the following.
- Hearing Evaluations: determines type/extent of hearing loss and impact on communication for any patient. Includes electroacoustic impedance/immitance evaluation of middle ear system when appropriate. Referral from any source, including self-referral. AGE: infant to adult.
- Hearing Aid Evaluations: two part evaluation for obtaining information for selection of hearing aid and appropriateness of hearing aid for patient's hearing loss. Referral from any source, including self-referral. AGE: infant to adult.
- Hearing Aid Dispensing/Repair: fitting and modifications of hearing aids, earmolds, hearing aid supplies. Referral from any source, including self referral. AGE: infant to adult.
- VNG (Videonystagmography) evaluation: assessment of the vestibular system for the dizzy patient. Referral by physician only. AGE: Child-Adult.
- Tinnitus evaluation: for the patient with ear/head noises. Can include tinnitus matching, masking. Referrals from any source, but most patients are physician-referred. AGE: Adolescent-Adult.
- Assistive device assessment and dispensing: assesses patient's need for listening devices to supplement hearing aid; eg, telephone amplifiers, TV listeners, personal amplifiers. Referral from any source, including self-referral. AGE: Infant-Adult.
- Aural rehabilitation: designed to help the patient maximize his/her use of hearing, regardless of degree of hearing loss. Uses such cues as speechreading, lipreading, positional cues. Referrals accepted from any source, including self-referral. AGE: Adult.
- School Assessment: For the hearing impaired child in the regular classroom, assessment of the classroom situation, including noise measurements, physical assessment, observation of interaction. Also, assessment of the classroom amplification system (FM auditory trainer), including behavioral and electroacoustic evaluation, modifications, earmolds, supplies. Primary referral source: school systems. AGE: Child-Adult.
- Auditory Processing Evaluation: Evaluation of peripheral and central auditory functioning for recommendations for improving listening abilities. AGES: 7 years - Adult.
- Infant Universal Hearing Loss Identification Program: In this interdisciplinary program designed for early identification of hearing loss, all newborns or NICU infants at L&M receive a hearing screening using otoacoustic emissions. Followup services are provided for those who fail the initial screen or for those babies at high risk for hearing loss. AGE: Infant.
OTHER SERVICES:
- Informational presentations/inservices: on topics relating to any type of hearing loss, eg:
- hearing loss, noise, central auditory processing
- quieting home and work environments
- assistive devices, hearing aids
- prevention, speech/hearing wellness
- communicating with the speech/language or hearing-impaired individual
- Loaner Hearing Aid Bank for Children (0-16). Established and maintained with funds donated by Eastern Connecticut Lions Clubs of District 23C. Provides free and appropriate amplification for children awaiting purchase or repair of their hearing aids. Referrals from any source.
- Lions Assistive Device Bank: Free display, consultation and short term loan of a variety of assistive listening devices for use at home, recreation, school, or work (eg, FM auditory trainers, TV/radio listeners, monitoring devices). Established with funds donated by Groton Lions Club, maintained with funds donated by Eastern Connecticut Lions Clubs of District 23C and community donations.
- Lions Adult Hearing Aid Program: Established with funds donated by Eastern Connecticut Lions Clubs of District 23C. Provides hearing services, hearing aids, repairs at reduced cost to patients referred from local and/or district Lions Clubs.
- Referrals to community support groups, community agencies and organizations.
- Graduate student internship programs: Through contract with colleges/universities, Speech/Audiology Services is an approved internship site for both Speech and Audiology graduate students.