A person becomes hard of hearing, caregivers and families start raising their voices, no one likes shouting at another person, the conversations decline.
Why Knowledge Isn’t Enough
A simple, universal visual warning system (like a red, yellow, or green noise-level indicator at a concert venue, racetrack, or theme park) instantly conveys danger, warning, or safety to people of all ages. Combined with access to basic foam earplugs and insertion instructions, a simple prompt can transform behavior.
Sound of the Future
Hearing loss began affecting how I saw myself. There is a word in Chinese that describes how I felt: 自卑 (zìbēi), a feeling of insecurity and inferiority that makes you shrink yourself around other people.
Are You ‘Otoaging’?
Otoaging is a new word I coined to describe both the premature aging of cochlear hair cells and synapses caused by noise, and the end result, hearing loss in old age. I was inspired by the term photoaging, used by dermatologists to describe the premature aging of the skin by sun.
Finding the Middle Ground
The key is to introduce myself as usual and let people get to know my personality first. If I miss something during the conversation, I simply let them know: “Hey, I have hearing loss, do you mind saying that again?”
The ADA Has Teeth: Your Complaint Will Be Heard
A review of recent Department of Justice resolutions shows a clear trend: Communication access failures now outnumber physical accessibility complaints.
How to Protect Your Hearing at Concerts Without Missing the Music
Wear well-fitted protection, create distance from loudspeakers, take quiet breaks, and limit additional noise afterward.
When Hearing Support Becomes Part of Your Personal Style
Sponsored content: Created for women and men who care about personal style, H·earrings Cuffs combine hearing technology with the look and feel of a contemporary accessory.
Hearing Loss Doesn’t Define Me
I don’t always think my teammates understand that I have hearing loss. It’s because hearing loss is invisible. But I live with it every moment.
A Poem About Living With Hearing Loss Since Birth
Partial silence/Hours in thought and talk/My dog listened and understood/Time in hours on the old back porch/I was in my own safe, social world.