The L.L. Schendel Speech & Hearing Clinic, managed by the FSU School of Communication Science & Disorders (SCSD), hosted a series of complimentary screenings on May 31 at the Warren Building. The Clinic offered tests of speech, voice, memory and hearing to the public, partnered with Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (FTRI), to give away free telephones for the hearing impaired. Anyone who tested below an acceptable limit in the hearing examination was eligible to receive a specialized phone with a customized earpiece to increase sound transmission.
FSU and FTRI hosted the free screening event in order to spread awareness of communication/hearing disorders and to provide help for those in need. May is known in the field of Speech-Language Pathology as “Better Hearing & Speech Month” by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. This annual event is dedicated to spreading awareness about communication disorders and to promote the improvement of life for those who suffer from issues with speaking, understanding, or hearing.
During the event, SCSD graduate students administered screenings like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to volunteers. This test determines the state of a subject’s speech, spatial reasoning, and memory. It is helpful for tracking the change in cognitive function over time, and is often used to predict dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Tests at the event measured physical and mental abilities for communication. Lung capacity and breathing were examined by sustaining vowel sounds for as long as comfortably possible, volume modulation by counting progressively louder numbers and natural breathing rhythms by reading passages aloud. The hearing screening consisted of subjects raising a hand when they heard a tone, which was played alternately in one ear and then the other at a wide range of frequencies.
Each screening was completed in about twenty minutes. After the tests, subjects were able to speak to FTRI representatives if the results of their screenings indicated they might need the complementary telephones, or the staff of the Clinic for further specialized care.
The Schendel Clinic (direct phone number is 850-644-2238) typically runs Monday through Thursday, and serves a range of clients. Dr. Lisa Scott, SCSD professor and director of clinical education, manages the clinic. She also oversees graduate students, who gain hands-on experience by working with clients to diagnose and treat communication/hearing disorders.
