Dr. Hecker & Associates

11/12/2025

It's almost basket time!

10/17/2025

This is great!😂

Seen at the World Clydesdale Show in Springfield. We're pretty selective about shirts, and this one is great! 🙉😉

09/09/2025

https://www.drhecker.com/blog/apps-for-an-empowering-season-of-sound/

In a world rich with sound, hearing loss can make everyday communication feel like an uphill climb.

But thanks to user-friendly smartphone apps, you now have more tools than ever to enhance sound clarity, transcribe speech in real time, and support connection — regardless of whether you wear hearing aids.

We’ve curated seven standout smartphone apps and accessibility features to make this season a season of clarity.

Discover 7 smartphone apps that boost speech clarity, provide live captions, and support hearing in everyday life — with or without hearing aids.

09/02/2025

Join Us! Support Group Meeting
Whether you live with hearing loss, are hard of hearing, or simply wish to support friends and family in the community, your presence is valued. Mark your calendar and join us for a meaningful morning of information, camaraderie, and support.
Event Overview
We are pleased to invite you to a Support Group Meeting for members of the hearing loss and hard of hearing community. This gathering will be a wonderful opportunity to connect, share experiences, and learn valuable insights from our featured guest speaker.
• Date: September 27, 2025
• Time: 10:00 AM until 12 Noon
• Location: Newport News Police Department Headquarters Community Room
• Address: 9710 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News, VA 23605
• Guest Speaker: Dr. Eric Hecker, Clinical Audiologist
What to Expect
• Insightful presentation by Dr. Eric Hecker on hearing health, assistive technologies, and strategies for thriving with hearing loss.
• Open discussion and Q&A session with the community and guest expert.
• Supportive environment to meet others facing similar challenges.
• Resources and information about local services and advocacy.
Contact Information
For more details or special accommodation, please reach out to Bobby Graves:
• Email: bgraves@hlaavb.org website: www.hlaavirginiapeninsula.com
• Phone: 804-426-6186 or 804-426-6187

08/06/2025

Next Month!

*Happening NEXT MONTH!* 🎭🔑

Join us Saturday, September 6, 2025 for the production of The Neil Diamond Musical, A Beautiful Noise at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk! Showtime is at 2:00 pm!
“Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon. With 120 million albums sold, a catalogue of classics like ‘America,’ ‘Forever in Blue Jeans,’ and ‘Sweet Caroline,’ an induction into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award, and sold-out concerts around the world that made him bigger than Elvis, Neil Diamond’s story was made to shine on Broadway-and head out on the road across America.”

Presented in association with and endorsed by Neil Diamond.
”—https://www.sevenvenues.com/events/detail/a-beautiful-noise

Purchase tickets at: https://www.sevenvenues.com/events/detail/a-beautiful-noise
The show is being audio described and open captioned.

Ask for reserved seating for Audio Description and Open Captioning. Patrons using Audio Description, please arrive 30 minutes before showtime to check out equipment and hear pre-show narration.
Call the box office at 757-664-6964.
For a list of upcoming shows and locations, visit http://accessvirginia.info
Click the Events tab to view.

— 🎭🔑
Access Virginia is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was created to provide open captioning and audio description at live theatrical performances so that Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Blind, Visually Impaired persons can attend performances and experience the wonder of live entertainment at public facilities. Access Virginia will work to expand accommodation services to other public venues.
— 🎭🔑

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07/29/2025

Bobby Graves grappled with hearing loss for years before he finally went to a doctor. At his wife’s urging, Graves saw an audiologist through Veterans Affairs and was given hearing aids. A couple years later, the hearing in his right ear got worse.

“I was in denial at first,” Graves said. “I didn’t want to admit that my hearing was bad.”

While the hearing aids made sounds louder, they didn’t help with clarity.

“You could talk, and I could hear you, but I couldn’t understand anything you were saying,” he said.

Hecker is a second-generation audiologist and has been serving the hearing loss community on the Peninsula for the last 37 years. His father started the practice in 1974. At the time, it was the first private audiology practice in the state.

He was thrilled to be asked to help with the creation of a new HLAA chapter.

“Having (an HLAA chapter) on the Peninsula allows a little bit more of the population that we serve to have easier access to a group of people who have like minds, like needs and like any support group, can really share stories of what they’ve been going through,” Hecker said.

Being in a support group can let people get together with those going through similar situations and give them a chance to discuss strategies they’ve found that can help them communicate better in different situations, he said.

Hecker said hearing loss can be particularly difficult for people because it’s considered a “hidden handicap.”

“If you’re on a street corner with a white cane, a car is going to stop and let you cross or someone is going to offer their arm to help you,” Hecker said. “If you have a hearing aid, nobody notices, or if they do, they expect you to hear perfect. Helen Keller made a great comment — she said, ‘When I lost my vision, it separated me from things. When I lost my hearing, it separated me from people.’

“So, having a place where people can sit down together and communicate with one another about their shared experiences with hearing loss is very powerful,” he added.

After months of hard work, the Virginia Peninsula Chapter of the HLAA became official in June.

07/29/2025

We are experiencing a power outage. If you are trying to get a hold of us or have an appointment we will contact you soon

07/15/2025

This is truly wonderful. This allows everyone to be still in the moment.😊

For many with hearing loss, traditional meditation practices fall short—one woman is working to change that. Janaki Zaremba is a lifelong meditator who also ...

07/09/2025

Going on Vacation?🏖

Smart Planning Starts at Home
Successful travel with hearing aids begins well before you zip up your suitcase. Preparing your devices, supplies, and accommodations in advance ensures you’re ready for anything — from delayed flights to damp climates.

Pack Smart: What to Bring

Here’s a comprehensive checklist of hearing aid essentials for travel:

Hearing aid case or protective storage container
Extra batteries (for non-rechargeable aids) or your charging station with any needed adapters

Power adapters or voltage converters for international travel
Cleaning kit (brush, wax pick, microfiber cloth, alcohol-free wipes)

Drying device or dehumidifier to counter moisture or humidity

Spare domes, wax guards, and tubing

Bluetooth® accessories (remote mic, streamer, or phone clip)
Instruction manual or QR code link to support docs

Battery caddy for easy storage and security checks

A hearing aid lanyard for high-activity trips

A backup pair of hearing aids, if available

07/02/2025

Wow check out the latest tech in these AI glasses..😮

TranscribeGlass can subtitle conversations in nearly real time and will soon be able to translate languages and tell you when the person you’re talking to you is feeling socially awkward.

07/01/2025

Did you know?🧐
➡️ Untreated hearing loss can increase feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
➡️ People with hearing difficulties are more likely to withdraw from conversations and social events.
➡️ Staying connected is key to overall wellness—healthy hearing plays a big role in that!
This Social Wellness Month, take a step toward better connections. Get your hearing checked and keep the conversation flowing.