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.

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Me vs. The Mask: A Pandemic Hearing Problem

As we crawl our way through this global pandemic, I understand the need for masks. But that doesn’t mean I have to like them. People with hearing loss are not good at masked communication because it cuts off the vital information we get from lipreading. Before the pandemic, my suffering was limited to trying to understand a mask-wearing aesthetician giving

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When There’s No One to Say “Pardon” To

“Socially distant and Spiritually Connected.” I heard this attributed to Andrew Cuomo, the Governor of New York State whom I’ve decided will be my husband in my next life, but it doesn’t matter who said it first. They are words to accept, right now, to help us through this nightmare of a global pandemic and our necessary physical isolation from

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What a HoH Can Do During Isolation

Editor’s Note: HoH is short for hard of hearing, but is increasingly understood to be a person with hearing loss who uses residual hearing, speech and technology to communicate. So, fellow HoHs – what are you going to do today? Tomorrow? Every day, all day, until this global pandemic is a thing of the past? Besides not hear very

Featured image for “Bikes and Masks: Hearing in a Pandemic”

Bikes and Masks: Hearing in a Pandemic

As I write this from the patio of our sunny Palm Springs AirBnB, the news is gloomy – coronavirus panic is creating stock market chaos which screams of economic doom because the world is cancelling any get-together larger than two people or using any mode of transport beyond your two legs or a bicycle. GAHH! And hidden in all this

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How Social Media Can Help Your Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

Yesterday, on a FaceBook group devoted to Tinnitus, I read a heartbreaking post: “My tinnitus is really really bad. I’m leaving this world.” My eyes immediately jumped to see how many comments were made in response and felt relieved. 147! I scanned through some of then: “Hang in there, bro!” “It will get better.” “Get help. Cal your doctor now.”

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If I Were a Hearing Person (2020)

Several years ago, I wrote about the dream that many of us with chronic hearing loss have, although we would rather lick paint than admit it. In that dream, our hearing loss disappears and we can hear perfectly, unaided by technology or other people. We imagine how every part of our life would be different in a world where we

Featured image for “Why I Go to Hearing Loss Conferences (and Why I Think You Should, Too)”

Why I Go to Hearing Loss Conferences (and Why I Think You Should, Too)

What is your biggest complaint about having hearing loss? For many people, it’s the isolation they feel when they don’t hear what others are saying, or when they miss sound cues. What used to be easy is now a challenge. We can’t keep up in conversations. In groups, whether large or small, competing voices dissolve into noise, making even idle

Featured image for “Hot Tips for Audiologists and Their Clients (Such as Me)”

Hot Tips for Audiologists and Their Clients (Such as Me)

Disclaimer: I have never trained or obtained a degree in the science of hearing healthcare. I do, however, have a lifetime of training as a person with hearing loss and I’ve worked with a lot of hearing care professionals. I’ve got a few hot tips to share. If you have hearing loss, you most likely spend time on the

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Putting Hearing Loss In Its Place

Having hearing loss is no cakewalk, but compared to some other conditions, it’s not so bad. It’s not the worst thing that could happen, or is it? It has been a sad week. Who has not been moved by the tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other people? The world is shocked at losing a beloved, towering

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Does Your Hearing Loss Make You Sad?

If you have hearing loss, the above title might make you go, Oh, duh! What kind of person would be delighted to have hearing loss? Actually, I can think of someone – the person who was worried they were developing dementia. Hearing loss is a much easier diagnosis to deal with, don’t you think? But once you’re over the profound