Have you heard? Jamestown Regional Medical Center is offering a free screening event in May to check your hearing, memory and/or speech.

Free screenings are available from May 9 to 11. That day is for area residents who have noticed their spouse keeps telling them to turn down the TV. Or, perhaps a parent doesn’t remember names and dates as well as they used to.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

The screenings include one or more of the following:

  • hearing tests
  • adult memory screenings
  • pediatric language screenings

JRMC is offering three days in May to meet the demand.

“Every adult should have a baseline hearing test.  Hearing loss can happen at any age. And, it’s important to get tested on a yearly basis if there is a known hearing loss,” said JRMC Audiologist Susan Matthiesen.

Matthiesen is a certified audiologist and has been in practice for over 25 years. To clarify, she joined the JRMC staff in 1996.

People who work in industries around machinery and consistent noise are especially at risk for hearing loss Matthiesen said. In many cases, those industries include manufacturing and agriculture, two common professions in the Jamestown area.

Screenings take about 15 to 30 minutes. If a referral is needed, JRMC will work with primary care physicians to provide for a full evaluation.

“Has your mom seemed forgetful lately? Do you have a child that shows signs of language delay? Take advantage of this screening and get answers,” said Speech Therapist Rebecca Gussiaas.

Gussiaas is a speech-language pathologist who also joined the JRMC team in 2015.

Finally, screening times must be scheduled in advance. Schedule yours direct and call (701) 952-4800.

“Hearing and memory are so important to your everyday life. Don’t let those areas become afterthoughts in your healthcare,” Gussiaas said.