Denver has long been considered a home to scientific innovation, from its state-of the-art laboratories and research centers, to its history of medical pioneers like audiologist Dr. Marion Downs, whose groundbreaking research led to mandatory hearing screenings for newborns.
Dr. Downs recently passed away at the age of 100, but she lived to see her legacy, the Marion Downs Center, merge with the 96-year-old Center for Hearing Speech and Language.
For years, both organizations have offered clinical services and outreach activities. Today, they form a clinical center of excellence in hearing support that takes a multifaceted approach to treating hearing loss and communication challenges for all ages.
President and CEO Dr. Sandra Gabbard, PhD, an audiologist and adjunct associate professor at both CU Boulder and the University of Colorado School of Medicine, believes a combination of services, support and education are critical to treating hearing loss, rather than the purchase of a hearing aid alone.
“Hearing aids can give you access to sound, but if you don’t have strategies to maximize your efforts, you’re not getting the most benefit,” she explained.
Instead, the programing of the hearing aids must be modified over time to fully benefit an individual, with adjustments made based on performance and preference. Adopting strategies to maximize understanding reach far beyond the hearing aid adjustments.
Classes at The Marion Downs Center teach strategies, such as speech reading and auditory training, to help address the challenges. Tips for friends and family with suggestions on communication modifications are also important.
Unfortunately, less than 25 percent of adults with hearing loss seek services for the condition, an alarming figure in light of studies showing a positive correlation between hearing loss, cognitive decline and depression.
“Keeping the listening centers of the brain stimulated may be as important as brain training activities,” said to Dr. Gabbard.
While hearing loss is correctly associated with aging, hearing ability begins to decrease in childhood, and is affected over time by variables like genetics and environment, causing even some young people to require treatment early in life.
And true to Marion Downs’ legacy, the center emphasizes the importance of early identification and treatment at every stage of life.
“There are lots of reasons, at every age, to think that not seeking service from qualified professionals – not just the purchase of hearing aids – can decrease your quality of life over time. Your success is directly related to how early you seek services,” said Dr. Gabbard.
The Marion Downs Center has launched a capital campaign for a new 50,000-square-foot building that will allow it to significantly expand services in the next several years. This is clearly a center with not only a distinguished history, but also one that is an up-and-coming resource for the community.
The MDC offers consultations, regular seminars and classes to support individuals with hearing loss and their families. For more information call 303-322-1871; www.mariondowns.com.
