Gael Hannan

Gael Hannan is an author, speaker and advocate on hearing loss issues. In addition to her weekly blog at the Better Hearing Consumer, which has a passionate international following, Gael has written two acclaimed books, “The Way I Hear It: A Life with Hearing Loss”and “Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss”, written with Shari Eberts. She is regularly invited to present her uniquely humorous and insightful work to appreciative audiences around the world. Gael has received many awards for her work that advocates for individuals to become more knowledgeable and successful at dealing with their hearing loss and a more inclusive society for them to live in.

Featured image for “The Big Communication-Accessible Trip to Europe”

The Big Communication-Accessible Trip to Europe

I’ll admit it – I’m excited! For most of this month, I will be in Europe (Poland, Germany and France) with girlfriends to celebrate a birthday of significance. And while any big trip requires preparation, there are a few extra things on the packing list for people with hearing loss. Because I often travel on my own for business, it’s

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Do People Wish You’d Shut Up About Hearing Loss?

Does this happen to you? Someone asks you about your hearing aids, or cochlear implant, or ask how long you’ve had ‘it’. And as you start talking, eyes glaze over as your family or friends listen to that same hearing loss talk once again. When I told the Hearing Husband that this week’s blog topic is about whether people (i.e.

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The Social Cringe of “Talking Over”

I had one of those hearing loss cringe-moments last night. Actually, it was this morning. OK, it happened last night, but I found out about it this morning, when the Hearing Husband pointed out what I had done last night: repeatedly talked over another person. Apparently, as they talked, I loudly chimed in, more than once and on a

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Don’t You ‘Never Mind’ Me!

Hearing loss is a big, bottomless bowl of emotional soup. The constant challenges of hearing loss keep our emotions in play: sometimes softer and manageable, often more painful and exhausting. And we don’t do one emotion at a time! Hearing loss is more complicated than that; emotions are close to the surface, always ready to erupt. Let’s say I’m

Featured image for “Please Change How You Speak…I Have Hearing Loss”

Please Change How You Speak…I Have Hearing Loss

Fact #1: If a conversation is to survive, both parties need to understand the other. Otherwise, it’s not a dialogue but two monologues. Fact #2: People with hearing loss often don’t understand what the other person is saying. This is also an incomplete conversation: one monologue and one chunk of confusion. In conversations, people with hearing loss often ask

Featured image for “Praise for Hearing Aids (Both Human & Tech)”

Praise for Hearing Aids (Both Human & Tech)

The annual convention of the Hearing Loss Association of America just wrapped up in Phoenix, Arizona. This means I must wait an entire year for the next one in Indianapolis, Indiana. (I’m clarifying the states for one of my sisters-in-hearing loss who is geographically challenged. I’m Canadian and good at American geography. I do what I can to help.)

Featured image for “Leaning In for Hearing Help”

Leaning In for Hearing Help

Is this you? You’ve done all you can to hear and understand in a difficult listening situation, especially one that involves several people chatting and talking over each other. You’ve positioned yourself in the optimal position. The other people know what you need but still, in the flurry of animated voices, speaking and responding, you’ve fallen behind. There are

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Self-Forgiveness: A Great Hearing Hack!

Oh darn, I did it again. I slid into bluffing mode! Hey, the conversation was a nightmare to follow – it was noisy and I didn’t know the people very well. There were several things I could have done to not bluff, but they involved time, disruption, and putting more value on the casual conversation than I was prepared

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Let’s Amplify (and not just with Hearing Aids)!

Amplification (abridged from Oxford Dictionary) the process of increasing the volume of sound, especially using an amplifier (such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.) the action of enlarging upon or adding detail to a story (such as telling others about our hearing loss and articulating our needs.) the action of making something more marked or intense (such as increasing

Featured image for “A HoH Travels By Air and Wheelchair”

A HoH Travels By Air and Wheelchair

(Note: This is a longer-ish article, but it’s not boring and contains important stuff. Also, HoH means hard of hearing, a person with hearing loss.) A couple of weeks ago, I did something I swore I’d never do. I allowed myself to be pushed through the airport in a wheelchair even though my ability issue is profound hearing loss. I