September 5, 2025
Episode: Hearing Matters: Audiology in Senior Care
Host: Diane Sanders-Cepeda, DO, CMD
Guest: Kathy Dowd, AuD, Executive Director, The Audiology Project
In This Episode:
In this episode, host Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda is joined by audiologist Dr. Kathy Dowd, Executive Director of The Audiology Project, for a practical and eye-opening conversation about hearing health in post-acute and long-term care (PALTC). They discuss why hearing loss is so often overlooked, how it’s commonly mistaken for cognitive decline, and what facilities can do to better support residents. Drawing on real-life examples and decades of experience, Dr. Dowd shares simple steps clinicians and administrators can take to improve care, stay compliant, and create more engaged, connected environments for residents.
Advance your expertise with key pearls from this discussion in our quick-reference guide. For more information and tools to support hearing health in PALTC, go to theaudiologyproject.com.
Resources:
- Federal Requirements for Hearing and Vision Assessments in Nursing Homes and Associated F-Tags
- Federal Laws for Hearing Services in Skilled Nursing Facilities
- List of Revised F-Tags
- hearScreen USA Clinically Validated Hearing Screening Widget
- Performing a Valid Objective Hearing Assessment and Audiology Referral in Skilled Nursing Facilities
Date Recorded: July 28, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
