Introducing the CALM programme at Cubex
We are very excited to be the first Audiological practice to create and launch cognitive based hearing health & audiological wellbeing programme our CALM programme at Cubex. This page will help you understand what CALM is and why it is so important to the field of audiology.
[divider]What is CALM?[/divider]
CALM stands for:C - CognitionA - AuditionL - Lifestyle PracticesM - Meditation & Clinical MindfulnessBut what does this mean? Why are we talking about meditation and mindfulness as Audiologists? Put simply; the reason is to do with cognition.
[divider]Cognitive health[/divider]
Audiology & hearing healthcare is not just about the ears - it is about looking at the whole person, their unique needs and how their brain processes information and turns it into the information that we use to communicate and stay socially connected in everyday life. Hearing tests & hearing sensitivity is indeed part of this process, but the way the brain interprets sounds, handles distractions, focuses attention and processes the information is what leads to good or poor communication skills. This can be described as our cognitive health and communication wellbeing at Cubex, we put equal importance on both hearing health & cognitive health, because they are both a vital part of the communication process. Furthermore, reduced hearing also impacts on our social, mental and emotional wellbeing and our ability to maintain healthy and fulfilling communication relationships with our loved ones.
CALM is about helping you make sense of information effectively so that your cognitive resources are released for use in other tasks in life
- Adam Shulberg, Senior Audiologist and MD, CubexHearing loss impacts on the quality of information that the brain has to work with and increases the amount of listening effort and cognitive capacity that is required to understand information. Our cognitive capacity is finite, and we have to use this capacity for a variety of different tasks throughout the day.This is why we have introduced our CALM programme. CALM considers our cognitive health, our hearing health and a range of lifestyle and mind practices that aim to free up our cognitive resources, increase awareness and improve our overall well-being so that we can begin to rejoin the conversations in our lives with confidence, remember more information and participate effectively in social situations.We have been talking about cognition and 'brain hearing' for many years, and these have always been an essential component of hearing treatment plans at Cubex. Now we have gone a step further to introduce a complete programme aimed at cognitive well-being, incorporating all of the factors necessary to achieve optimal cognitive health.Achieving optimum health is about incorporating medical rehabilitation with a healthy lifestyle and general wellness. Our CALM programme looks to achieve just that; incorporating meditation practices, clinical mindfulness, working memory training, psychotherapy support and lifestyle best practice alongside hearing treatment technology and aural rehabilitation.
[divider]Meditation practice & clinical mindfulness[/divider]
Meditation and mindfulness can benefit our brain and body in unique ways. There is a wealth of evidence suggesting that regular meditation and mindfulness techniques can influence cognitive function, gene expression and immune response. Long term meditation practice can lead to increased grey matter changes in the brain, strengthening the brain's neural networks and slowing the effects of ageing on cognition.Regular practice of mindfulness and meditation is critical for changing old negative habits and 'rewiring' our brains to create new healthy connections and learn new ways to react to life’s stressors and contributing to healthy cognitive function collectively and individually.
[divider]What does CALM involve?[/divider]
The CALM Programme is a cognitive-based audiological wellness program created by Cubex that utilises lifestyle practices, cognitive training and clinical mindfulness techniques to support and enhance the wellbeing of our patients.Joining our CALM programme begins with a unique set of audiological and cognitive assessments to determine what your current state of living is. Once we understand this, we can work on a programme which aims to improve your ability to live well with hearing loss, tinnitus. In addition to hearing loss, the CALM programme is also facilitated to support those who experience distressing tinnitus, Meniere's disease and other balance disorders.You can find out more about what our CALM programme involves here, or get in touch to arrange your consultation & discovery session.[contact link="https://www.cubex.co.uk/contact" text="Book a consultation & discovery session"] [contact link="https://www.cubex.co.uk/cognitive-wellbeing/calm-programme" text="Learn more about CALM"]