How to Have a Better Conversation with Someone with Hearing Loss

All of us with hearing loss know how hard it can sometimes be to converse comfortably with our friends and family. We get tired, frustrated and sometimes just tune out. But it is hard on those that love us as well. They don’t like to see us struggle or be unhappy; and they can get annoyed that we don’t understand what they are saying. Today’s post is for them. Please share these tips with your friends and family and enjoy better conversations!

HOW THOSE WITH HEARING LOSS HEAR

The first step in having better conversations is for our friends and family to understand how those of us with hearing loss actually hear. The best way I know to explain it, is as a game board from Wheel of Fortune. Some of the letters are filled in, others are blank. The contestant (or listener in this case) is trying to make sense of the assorted and incomplete sounds he or she is hearing and turn these sounds into a word or phrase that makes sense in the context of the conversation.

It is also useful to point out that hearing aids don’t work like glasses. Glasses, by bending light through a curved lens, can transform an image that is blurry and distorted into something crisp and clear. So if you wear glasses, in most cases, you can see just like someone with typical vision, or pretty darn close. With hearing aids, this is not the case. Hearing aids are helpful in amplifying sounds, but this just makes them louder, not necessarily crisper or clearer. Most people with hearing loss can hear that someone is talking to them; they just can’t understand what words are being said. The clarity is not there.

Hearing aids also have a tough time differentiating among sounds so that the background noise (i.e., the hum of the refrigerator or the air conditioner) is amplified in addition to the more important sounds of the conversation. This can actually make it harder to hear in certain situations!

HOW TO HAVE A BETTER CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE WITH HEARING LOSS

So, with that as background, here are our tips for having more satisfying conversations with someone who has hearing loss. Please share your tips and ideas in the comments.

1.  Provide Context Before and When Speaking: Context makes it easier to fill in the blank spaces of the words on the Wheel of Fortune game board. If all you hear is “__oot,” knowing if the conversation is about owls (hoot) or a robbery (loot) or musical instruments (flute) is a big help!

2.  Get Their Attention Before Speaking: Hearing takes concentration for those with hearing loss, so make sure they are ready and are paying attention. Talking to them before they are ready will have them playing catch-up and make it harder for them to understand the context of the conversation.

3.  Make Sure They Can See Your Lips: Lip-reading is helpful in filling in the blanks of what is not heard. I always tell people I can’t hear you if I can’t see you. See Shari's post, I Can’t Hear in the Dark, for more on this. Don’t cover your mouth with your hands and make sure that you are well-lit.

4.  Enunciate Clearly and Speak at a Steady Rate: Remember that volume is only part of the problem. Clarity of the sounds is really key. Speak your words clearly, and try to maintain a regular pace of speech. Rapid speech is very difficult to follow since all that brain processing time is condensed, while slower than typical speech will look weird on the lips and make lip-reading less useful.

5.  Be Aware of The Surroundings: Background noise is a problem, so try to avoid it if you can. Turn off the A/C or at least turn the fan down to low. Don’t play music in the background. Pick a quieter restaurant or request a corner booth. A quiet and well-lit spot always works best.

6.  Take Turns Speaking: If there are multiple people in the conversation, it is important that only one person speaks at a time and that each speaker makes the effort to face the person who has trouble hearing.

7.  Be Prepared to Repeat or Rephrase: Get ready for hearing, “What?,” at least a couple of times during the conversation. Try not to get frustrated, but simply repeat what you have said. If the person does not get it the second time, try rephrasing your thought using different words that might be easier for him or her to hear. Or spell a word that is giving a particularly hard time. Often knowing the first few letters of a word can help to connect the dots.

8.  Keep Your Sense of Humor:  Hey, it can be frustrating, I know. But remember the goal is to connect with one another, so why not laugh at the misunderstandings. It is better than the alternative.

Readers, what tips do you have for improving conversations with someone with hearing loss?

Shari is the Chairman of  HHF's Board of Directors and founder of the blog, Living With Hearing Loss. 

Thank you Greg F. for these great ideas. Greg is a member of Hearing Health Foundation‘s National Junior Board and is working on a mobile phone app to help those of us with hearing loss find quiet spots in NYC.  

How to Handle the Holidays When You Have a Hearing Loss

By Shari Eberts

My post How to Tackle Thanksgiving Dinner When You Have a Hearing Loss received so many helpful tips in the comments, I decided to incorporate them into a new post that focuses on the holidays more generally. Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas! There were so many great ones. I wish you all a very happy and healthy holiday season!

The holidays are a great time of year, filled with family dinners and celebrations, gatherings with friends, holiday parties, and lots of socializing. I love getting dressed up, enjoying the decorations and participating in the general feeling of happiness that comes along with the season. But if I’m not careful, all the socializing and holiday hubbub can become exhausting and overwhelming. I want to be a part of the fun, but the concentration required to hear can be taxing, particularly at holiday parties held in noisy restaurants or similar venues.

But, let’s NOT let that put a damper on the holiday season! I hope these tips will help you approach the holiday season with more joy and less fear. Please let me know your suggestions in the comments.

Living With Hearing Loss’s Tips to Survive and Thrive at Holiday Gatherings

1. Position yourself in a good spot: For me, it is very helpful if I have a wall behind me to block the background noise. If it is a seated meal, I try to sit near the middle of the table, which gives me a better shot at hearing more conversation. If it is a cocktail party, I scope out a quieter area of the room away from the music and high traffic areas like the buffet or bar area and try to spend time there. If the party is in multiple rooms, I head to the quieter room. You can invite some friends to come with you. I bet they will enjoy the lower volume too.
   

2. Avoid background noise when possible: If I am hosting, I always keep background music to a minimum. Other hosts may like to play music more loudly. Try asking your host to lower the volume a bit or to adjust the volume in different parts of the room or venue. I always ask restaurants to turn down the volume of the music too!
   

3. Converse with those next to you: At a seated dinner, don’t try to participate in conversations across large distances. If you would like to talk with someone, move closer to him, or ask that you continue the conversation when you have a chance to be closer together. If it is a party with multiple rooms, you can ask someone to join you in a quieter spot.
   

4. Wear your hearing aids: Many of us hate to wear our hearing aids, but they really can help. Experiment with a couple of different settings to find what is optimal. You can even practice at home if you don’t want to spend time experimenting at the event. It may take some time getting used to the new setting, but the investment of that time will be worth it.
   

5. Try other technologies: There are many new technologies now available that can help you hear in a group setting including personal FM systems or other one to one communication devices. Some of my friends swear by these.
   

6. Have reasonable expectations: You probably won’t hear everything that everyone says, but that is ok. Enjoy talking to the people near you, then seek out others to talk with during other parts of the party.
   

7. Take a break: Don’t be shy about taking a break from the action for a few minutes to give your ears and brain a rest. Head to the restroom, or find a quiet spot in another room. Or go stand outside for a few minutes. It really helps me to clear my head and build up some energy for another round of socializing.
   

8. Don’t fake it: It is very tempting to just nod along and pretend that you hear what others are saying or laugh just because others are laughing. But it can be dangerous, particularly if someone is asking you a question. Be brave and be honest with others if you are having trouble hearing. It will make your interactions more memorable on both sides.
   

9. Give visual clues to indicate if you are having trouble hearing: If you are having trouble hearing, you can cup your ear with your hand to indicate to the speaker to speak louder without interrupting the flow of the conversation. I have seen this in action and it is very effective.
   

10. Bring your sense of humor: It can be hard to keep it all in perspective during the holidays when you feel like you are missing out on the fun, but try to laugh a little and be grateful for the wonderful friends and family around you. You may not hear every word they say, but you can partake in all of the good feelings nonetheless. Try to enjoy the moment.

Readers, what tips do you have for enjoying the holidays when you have a hearing loss?

To read more posts by Shari Eberts, please visit her blog, Living With Hearing Loss

Puro Sound Labs Officially Launches Hearing-healthy Headphones for The Entire Family to Enjoy

California-based company to debut with the first ever studio-grade Bluetooth wireless headphones for kids

LA JOLLA, Calif., December 18, 2014 – Puro Sound Labs, a premiere consumer electronics audio company, is proud to announce their official launch into the market today. The company will provide consumers with premium quality, hearing-healthy, contemporary designed on-ear and over-ear headphone monitors at disruptive prices. Puro Sound Labs introduces the BT2200, Bluetooth “Kid-friendly” headphones with built-in volume optimization. This is the first in a line of products that aim to deliver this unique experience and value.  

The Puro Sound Labs BT2200 are Bluetooth headphones created specifically for kids and designed with the health and safety of a child as a priority. They will be the first ever and only studio-grade Bluetooth headphones on the market made especially for kids with volume limiting ear protection. Volume levels over 85 decibels (dB) have been known to cause hearing loss over time. Their unique headphone design protects children’s ears, while delivering studio-grade sound. With hearing health and education in mind, Puro Sound has committed to donating a portion of every sale of all Puro Sound products through 2015 to the Hearing Health Foundation.

“Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable; however prolonged exposure to sounds that are 85 decibels (dB) or above, such as loud music, is often the culprit. By placing an 85 dB volume limit on their headphones, Puro Sound is taking significant strides towards protecting children’s hearing against premature hearing loss. We are excited to work together to achieve the same goal of both educating and providing consumers with hearing-friendly solutions,” said Claire Schultz, CEO, Hearing Health Foundation. “We are looking forward to their continued support and their on-going efforts towards our collective cause.” To find out more about safe listening levels and how to prevent hearing loss, visit us here.

Puro Sound Labs headphones are designed with a unique frequency response curve called Puro Balanced Response®, designed to recreate the natural sound produced in a perfectly tuned listening room in the headphone listening experience. This helps to maximize the satisfaction of Healthy Ears® hearing protection.

Great care has gone into the design and materials used in the headphones. A soft and supple cushioning material and durable lightweight aluminum are used to make the headphones comfortable for young ears and to stand up to everyday use. Their design also attenuates 82% of ambient noise, eliminating a need for higher volume limits. When combined, Puro’s Balanced Response® Curve and the headphones’ noise attenuation design, kids can enjoy their music with no need to exceed safe playback levels.

Parents will love them for their great value and hearing health while kids will love them for their comfort, wireless Bluetooth freedom and great sound. Plus, when employing Bluetooth wireless technology, the chance of a child getting tangled or caught on the headphones’ cable is reduced.

---

• Unique volume governor system that limits sound output on most portable devices to 85 dB for parents’ peace of mind

• Puro Limiter cable insures 85 dB sound limit for the auxiliary wired experience

• Puro Balanced Response® equally balances bass, mids and highs, delivering clear, understandable vocal reproduction without excessive volume

• Ambient noise limiting by up to 82%* - even in noisy environments like an airplane, allowing for reasonable listening levels

• Integrated microphone for seamless use with a phone

• 18 Hours of Battery Life for Music Playback & 200 Hours Standby

• Durable, Lightweight Aluminum Construction

• Supple Protein Leather Ear Cushions and Headband

• Puro EQ App for iOS (Android coming soon)

• Folds Flat for Travel

---

Puro Sound has also developed the Puro Sound Equalizer App, an iOS 16-band EQ application that allows headphones to be customized to the listener's sound and genre preferences. A version of the app for Android devices will be available after the first of the year.

“Using only the very best of science and engineering available, we have mastered the art of methodically replicating big room sound by fine-tuning our audio products with our signature Puro Balanced Response Curve. We are creating products that will lead to a new generation of premium sound entertainment and I am excited about what’s to come in 2015,” said Jason Wehner, CTO of Puro Sound Labs.

The “Kid-friendly” Puro Sound Labs BT2200 will be available for $79.99 in White/silver and Tan/gold colors and available through authorized online resellers including amazon.com and purosound.com.

*Source: Puro Sound Labs

About Puro Sound Labs
Established in 2014, Puro Sound Labs is a premiere consumer electronics audio company that designs innovative and audiophile quality audio products. Using only the very best of science and engineering available, Puro Sound Labs engineers have been able to master the art of methodically replicating big room sound and fine-tuning audio and introducing a new generation of premium sound entertainment. You know great sound when you hear it – Puro Sound Labs know the science behind creating it. For more information please visit www.purosound.com. 

About Hearing Health Foundation
Hearing Health Foundation is the largest private funder of hearing research, with a mission to prevent and cure hearing loss through groundbreaking research. Since 1958 Hearing Health Foundation has given away millions of dollars to hearing and balance research, including work that led to cochlear implant technology and now through the Hearing Restoration Project is working on a cure for hearing loss. Hearing Health Foundation also publishes Hearing Health magazine, a free consumer resource on hearing loss and related technology, research, and products. To learn more, subscribe to our magazine, or support this work, visit www.hhf.org.

Tips for Hearing Well in the Classroom

By Yishane Lee

It’s hard to hear well in school. Between the hard surfaces, open spaces such as gyms and cafeterias, shouting teachers, and the children themselves who can be counted on NOT to be quiet, it’s hard for hearing children as well as children with hearing loss to always hear well.

TED Talk speaker Julian Treasure says children sitting in the fourth row of a classroom lose as much of half of what is being said.

“Now that's not just deaf children. That could be any child who's got a cold, glue ear, an ear infection, even hay fever,” he says. “On a given day, one in eight children fall into that group. Then you have children for whom English is a second language, or whatever they're being taught in is a second language,” Treasure says in his TED Talk on why architects need to use their ears.

Fortunately, there are ways you can hear better in the classroom. Here are some tips.

• Sit in the front of the classroom, and make sure the classroom is well lit, particularly the teacher or whoever is doing the talking.

• Don’t sit too close to air conditioners and other appliances or machinery that can make it difficult to hear.

• Use assistive devices. As 7-year-old Samantha Brownlie recounts in the YouTube video about how she hears better in school, “Samantha’s Fun FM and Hearing Aid Book” (which you can now buy), an FM unit can help. The teacher wears a microphone around her neck that transmits wirelessly to Samantha’s hearing device.

• Schedule time with the teachers to review how to use the FM unit. As the parents of Lily, who wears bilateral cochlear implants, note in their blog post about prepping for school, “Make sure there is a management plan in place, especially for the FM unit.... There are so many moving parts.”

• Bring extra batteries and cords.

• Encourage the school to use drapes, carpets, and soundproofing material to help dim noise and reverberation.

• Consider auditory training programs that can help your child hear better in noise. A recent study in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America found that auditory training boosted speech understanding in school children with hearing loss by 50 percent, even three months after the study. The training involved practicing the comprehension of speech in the presence of “interrupted” white noise—white noise with brief silences. Read about auditory training programs and other tips for hearing better in noise in the Spring 2012 Hearing Health magazine “Hearing Aids 101” column.

People Make Spaces Quieter

By Kathi Mestayer

I used to think that crowded spaces were noisier. But I was wrong. More people can make a space quieter, especially if it's an echoey, reverberant room. That's right—people make spaces quieter.

I noticed this the other day when I was leaving a large gathering that I attend often. The crowd was much smaller than usual, but the echoes were way worse than usual. I asked a couple of friends, who echoed (really!) my observation. Way noisier than usual.

So I got home and emailed an acoustician, Richard Peppin, of Engineers for Change. My question: "Is it possible that the space was really noisier with fewer people in it?"

His terse, but (as always) helpful, reply: "Yes. Because people absorb sound and hence reduce reflections."

Who knew?

Kathi Mestayer writes articles on a wide variety of aspects of hearing loss: office acoustics, building acoustics, ADHD and hearing loss, hyperacusis and recruitment, nonverbal communication, and language and culture.

Dads and Grads: Listen Up!

By Tara Guastella

If you’re still searching for a Father’s Day gift (like I am), consider scheduling Dad for a hearing screening. Since men are more likely to experience hearing loss than women, show him how much you want him to have a lifetime of healthy hearing this year.

Many men that I know feel that losing their hearing is “just part of the aging process.” Yet most people wait 7 to 10 years after they begin having difficulty hearing to get their hearing tested. While age-related hearing loss does affect many as they grow older, having a hearing screening can help your loved one to learn if there indeed is a hearing loss and receive treatment if it is recommended by the doctor.  

Dad isn’t the only one who should have his hearing checked though. Teens and young adults are also heavily impacted by hearing loss. It is estimated that 1 in 5 teens now has hearing loss which may be a result of regular exposure to unsafe sounds such as loud music on iPhones or mp3 players.

If you need help finding a hearing healthcare provider for your loved one, consider using the search features on our partner organization websites. You can also learn how to recognize the signs of hearing loss and how hearing works.

This June, show your dad and grad just how much you care by encouraging them to have their hearing checked.

The State of Deaf Education Today

By Yishane Lee

Have advances in technology, changes in attitudes, and decades of research influenced how children with hearing loss learn and are taught?

The answer is a resounding yes on all counts, and the result is a change in what “deaf education” actually means today. In our Spring issue of Hearing Health magazine, three respected, experienced educators in the field of educating children with hearing loss weigh in with what these changes are and what they mean.

Susan Lenihan, Ph.D., is a professor and the director of Deaf Education at Fontbonne University, in St. Louis. She has four decades of experience, instructing teachers, speech-language pathologists, and early interventionists. She describes the educational experiences of children diagnosed with hearing loss as dramatically changed from a few decades ago.

She writes that early identification of hearing loss in newborns, thanks to universal hearing screening (an effort that HHF was instrumental in advocating for), provides children with earlier access to listening devices and intervention services.

“Listening technology (such as digital hearing aids, cochlear implants, and classroom audio systems) provides better access to higher quality sound at younger ages than ever before. Infants and toddlers can be fit with hearing aids during the first weeks of life. Research shows that when children with severe to profound hearing loss begin using cochlear implants between 6 and 18 months of age, listening, language, and speech development improve.

“Many children who learn to listen and use spoken language when they are young will receive educational services at their neighborhood school. Advances in sound field technology (a teacher using a microphone whose sound is transmitted to room speakers) and FM systems (a teacher using a microphone whose sound is transmitted into a receiver worn by a listener) provide needed support for students who benefit from enhanced sound from a distance and in noisy environments.”

As a result, she says, “Increasing numbers of children with hearing loss are receiving elementary and secondary educational services in their neighborhood school rather than in a specialized school for students who are deaf.” In a word, they are mainstreamed.

Patricia M. Chute, Ed.D., the dean of the School of Health Professions at the New York Institute of Technology, and Mary Ellen Nevins, Ed.D., the national director of Professional Preparation in Cochlear Implants, detail how changes affecting education as a whole are touching education efforts for children with hearing loss.

“National efforts to engage and empower families to be their child’s first teachers—regardless of whether that child has a hearing loss—open the door to the possibility that children with hearing loss born today will be kindergarten-ready, and as such, will be primed to learn with typically hearing peers. As children with hearing loss increasingly are mainstreamed, attending their neighborhood school, they are set to benefit from the same changes in education affecting all schoolchildren.”

They concisely summarize the revamped focus in educational goals this way:

“Traditional approaches to public education have focused on the three R’s: reading, writing, and ’rithmetic. But now the three R’s may be considered the three T’s: teaching, technology, and transitions.”

Read more from these educators in our story “The State of Deaf Education Today” in the Spring issue. It includes a profile of a now-college-age student who was fitted with a cochlear implant at age 6 and successfully mainstreamed into her local public school.

Healthy Habits: Hearing Loss Awareness

Motherhood Moments conducted a Q&A with Hearing Health Foundation.

1. A lot of parents don't realize how prevalent hearing issues can be. What hearing disorders are there besides being totally deaf? 
There are many types of hearing disorders and gradations of hearing loss. In fact, over 50 million Americans have some form of hearing loss, including 1 in 5 teens and 60% of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is also widespread, affecting 20% of Americans, with hearing loss occurring in 90% of those cases. Hearing loss is a huge social issue that has both economic and social consequences. For example, hearing loss can make it harder to obtain and maintain a job. It is also highly associated with serious medical problems like diabetes and dementia. In fact, studies show that those with even mild hearing loss are twice as likely to develop dementia. With serious consequences like these, hearing loss deserves significant attention and research support. At HHF, we are proud to be funding research for cure for hearing loss and tinnitus Information about the many types of hearing disorders can be found on our website in HHF’s online dictionary. 

2. How can parents support families that have a child with hearing loss? 
Universal hearing screening for newborns has helped to identify most children with hearing issues quickly and accurately. With simple tests, 80 to 90 percent of hearing loss can be detected, and children can begin early intervention with the best possible outcomes for language development. However, even if your child passed the newborn screening at birth, hearing loss that is genetic or progressive may not appear until later, when a child is a toddler or older. It is important to identify the signs that may suggest a possible hearing loss in your child as quickly as possible, so that the next steps can be taken: testing, followed by appropriate treatment and management. 

The signs your child may have a hearing loss include:

• If your child doesn’t respond to repeated entreaties—especially when you’re not facing him or her.

• A baby who doesn’t react to a sudden noise, such as a toy dropping to the floor, may have a hearing loss.

• Evolutionarily speaking, humans (and all animals) make sounds in reaction to hearing sounds, so a hearing loss can be indicated when a baby does not make word-like sounds, such as “gaga” or “dada” by 10 months of age.

• Speech milestones are critical for making sure your child’s development—and hearing—are on track.

Talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns, no matter how slight. 

3. Sometimes hearing loss doesn't happen until adulthood. Can you share some of your story? 
I first became involved with HHF in 2010, when I retired from Wall Street and was searching for a way to give back in the area of hearing loss. I have a genetic hearing loss, as did my father and grandmother, and I knew this was an area where I could make a difference When I first heard about the Hearing Restoration Project, I was thrilled, and immediately wanted to be a part of it. I am in my third year as Chairman of the Board of Hearing Health Foundation and am even more excited about the prospects of a cure for hearing loss and tinnitus. 

When you have hearing loss, it impacts your life almost every minute of every day. Whether it is trying to hear schedule announcements at the train station, watching TV, hearing the waiter discuss the specials at a restaurant, or talking with a shy child, having hearing loss makes everyday tasks more challenging. Socializing becomes less fun, particularly in settings with significant background noise. Movies and plays are harder to enjoy. Communication in general takes more effort and concentration than it does for those without hearing loss, and can sometimes be exhausting. 

Supportive family and friends are key, as is advocating for yourself. I have now begun to request quiet tables at restaurants and to remind friends to face me when they speak to me. Being vocal about your hearing loss can make a big difference in enhancing communication and improving the quality of your life. 

4. What tips do you have for people when they're interacting with someone who has hearing loss?
There are many myths and misconceptions about people with hearing loss. In order to better interact with someone with hearing loss, please avoid the following misconceptions: 

5. What does HHF do? 
HHF’s mission is to prevent and cure hearing loss and tinnitus through groundbreaking research. Since 1958, HHF has been the largest private funder of hearing and balance research. HHF has been a leader in driving new innovations and treatments for people with hearing loss for more than fifty years. This includes funding research that led to the development of cochlear implants and many of today’s standard treatments for otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the ear) and ear infections. 

Today, HHF continues to support groundbreaking research in hearing, through the search for a biological cure for hearing loss and tinnitus. HHF’s Hearing Restoration Project (HRP) aims to achieve just that in the next 10 years. HRP officially launched in 2011 and is currently funding 5 projects from its consortium scientists, but the initial discovery that led to the HRP came many years before. Many types of hearing loss result from damage to the delicate hair cells of the inner ear. Humans can't regrow these cells—but in a game-changing breakthrough in 1987, HHF-funded scientists discovered that birds can. Chickens can naturally regenerate their inner ear hair cells, restoring their hearing after damage.

Let's Get Looped!

By Yishane Lee

We’re talking about hearing loop systems, of course. As writer Elizabeth Stump describes in “Keeping You in the Loop,” in our new Spring issue of Hearing Health magazine, hearing loop systems deliver clear sound—free from background noise, echo, or distortion—directly into hearing aids that are equipped with telecoils (T-coils). About two-thirds of hearing aids have T-coils, and hearing loop systems are available at a growing number of public venues, ranging from churches and other places of worship to New York City taxis to auditorium ticket booths.

But hearing loop system advocates think we can do better. Here is advice from Juliëtte Sterkens, Au.D., the consumer and hearing loop advocate for the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and a member of the National HLAA/American Academy of Audiology Hearing Loop Task Force.

What are your recommendations to others on how to advocate successfully for looping systems in their community?

I usually make a phone call or a pay a visit and explain why people with hearing loss (even if they use hearing aids or cochlear implants) have trouble hearing. Most facilities are unaware of the difficulties people with hearing loss experience—it is my experience that they want to help. During the visit I often play parts of sound demos in and out of hearing loops. These sound demos can be eye—or should I say ear—opening?

I have also let some of the responses from hearing loop users help me in the process. Many comments can be found online, such as at LoopWisconsin.com.

Advocating is made easier if I know that a facility will soon be undergoing remodeling because the installation of the loop wire is usually easier and less expensive if completed when the carpeting is going to be replaced anyway.

If cost is going to be of concern, I will offer information as to how other venues have handled this. For example, there are grant monies available for some venues (libraries, some houses of worship), and many communities have a community foundation is interested in knowing what can be done to improve access.  

For example in Oshkosh, Wis., the community foundation was helping to fund a remodel of the Oshkosh Convention Center in the fall of 2008. I made a couple of phone calls and sent a letter with information to the executive director. The result was they helped fund two hearing loops at the convention center about two weeks before the carpeting was to be laid down. 

The executive director believed me when I told her that having a hearing loop at the convention center would convince other venues to do the same. Oshkosh now has more than 40 hearing loops including its 100-plus-year-old Grand Opera House, a funeral home, several retirement communities, a court room, and a new conference center at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

To increase attention to a need, I have found that a letter to the editor of a newspaper can be of tremendous help—and the best part is that this is free!

There is strength in numbers: If you are advocating for improved access ask a friend or family member or a hearing professional to write a short letter of support as well.  

The last resort would be playing the ADA card (Americans with Disability Act). The ADA mandates that facilities offer assistive technology. If a facility is unwilling one could file a complaint with the Department of Justice.

The HLAA has more tips to help you advocate for loops in your community, and we have additional links including looped spaces at hhf.org/loops.

Hearing Aid Pop Quiz

By Kathi Mestayer

This year, I'm getting new hearing aids! My existing aids are five years old, and have Bluetooth-compatibility, telecoils, adaptive directionality, and programs to fit my most idiosyncratic needs, including a birdwatching/music program with omnidirectional microphones.

But a lot can happen in five years, and I've been hearing from my audiologist, Sandy Burkes-Campbell, M.S., CCC-A, of Maico Audiological Services in Newport News, Va., that some of her patients are getting big improvements in speech comprehension, including in noise, with newer aids, so I'm pumped.

When I set up my appointment, she informed me that I would be getting a questionnaire to fill out for our consultation.  

Pop quiz! The pressure is on… and the questions include but are not limited to:

1. How important are the following:

a. having high-tech aids?

b. "cosmetic" issues (e.g. size, color, visibility)?

c. price constraints?

2. Do you experience frustration in family interactions?

3. Do you feel "left out" when with a group?

4. Is your social life limited by your hearing loss?

5. Do you have any ringing in your ears?

6. Is listening to music a priority for you?  

7.  Do your current aids present any of the following problems/challenges:

a. Tinny/metallic sounds?

b. Feedback or whistling?

c. Wind noise?

d. Trouble using a landline or other phone?

e. Difficulty changing batteries?

f. Don't like how your own voice sounds?

And then, I got the open-ended essay question:

If there was anything you could change about your current hearing aids, what would it be?

I'm working hard filling in the blanks and writing (and revising) my essay… I need to get an A. More importantly, I think the result will be a thoughtful, complete discussion of my needs and issues. Thanks, Sandy!

Also from our latest issue of Hearing Health magazine, you can get nuts-and-bolts answers to real-life hearing aid questions. Earlier, we featured the ultimate guide to hearing aid styles.

Also in the new Spring issue, you can learn about finding the right hearing health professional for you.