Press room

Eden Prairie, Minnesota (April 25, 2024) – – Starkey was proud to serve as a Diamond Sponsor of “The Power of Research: The Need for Gender Equity Symposium,” hosted by Women’s Alzheimer's Movement (WAM) at Cleveland Clinic and the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR). The event, which took place on April 24, 2024, at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., was a celebration of the innovative WAM research grant program and its impact, including firsthand insights into what we’ve learned and what we still need to know about women’s neurological health, featuring WAM founder and award-winning journalist, Maria Shriver.

“At Starkey, we know hearing plays a significant role in our overall wellbeing, which is why it was so critical for us to be a part of this conversation,” said Tani Austin, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Starkey. “Thank you to our partner and friend, Maria Shriver, for your commitment to changing the story of Women and Alzheimer’s by funding women-based Alzheimer’s research, supporting those impacted by the disease, and educating people about their brain health. Together, we will help more people not only hear better, but live better, too!”

In partnership with organizations like WAM, Starkey has been a longtime advocate around the connection between hearing health and overall health. Those suffering from hearing loss often withdraw from social situations, and untreated hearing loss could lead to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. These symptoms may lead to a variety of health conditions down the line, like cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. But recent studies have found that wearing hearing aids regularly can have a life-changing impact on overall health, including increasing life expectancy by nearly 25%. In fact, treating hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for the prevention of dementia, and is associated with delayed diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, depression, anxiety, and injurious falls.

Findings like these are why Starkey has enhanced personal health monitoring to levels unlike anything else in the industry. Starkey is the first and only manufacturer to offer an app for caregivers to see health and wellness information from someone wearing Genesis AI or Evolv AI hearing aids. The app, called Hear Share, can track social engagement and even distinguish between a wearer’s own voice versus others’ voices to track time spent in conversation and help minimize loneliness and social isolation. This technology is designed to give family and friends added peace of mind and help the user feel more independent, which uniquely emphasizes hearing health’s impact on overall health and wellness.

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About Starkey
Starkey is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Founded by Bill Austin in 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development, and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey is the only American-owned provider of hearing technologies. The company has more than 5,000 employees, operates 29 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide. Learn more at starkey.com.