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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Dancing, Again, to the Melody of Life

I’m pleased to welcome Ed McGee as my guest writer this week, who shares his story of coming through Ménière’s, hearing loss and a curtailed lifestyle, to a new world of hearing and activity. online pharmacy https://www.diamondhealthinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ozempic.html with best prices today in the USA I remember my first episode with vertigo in 1977. I had developed Ménière’s disease, a

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Fire and Flood: Helping People with Hearing Loss

The devastating destruction of Hurricane Harvey has caused massive people displacement in the southern US. In my home province of British Columbia, historic wildfires continue to rage, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Most of us watch these real-life dramas on our TVs, perhaps while eating dinner and drinking our water-wine-soda-beers. We’re safe and comfortable – not soaking

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When Hearing Loss Embarrasses You

Are you embarrassed by your hearing loss? I am – but not by the fact of it. I’m not ashamed of my hearing loss and I don’t try to hide it. But it’s those embarrassing moments – when you mis-hear something, or didn’t hear in the first place – that get me. Those lovely little social faux pas – perhaps when you

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Why I Write About Hearing Loss

I’m celebrating an anniversary! I know this because recently I got a whole bunch of emails from LinkedIn connections saying, “Congratulations on your work anniversary!” As I am mostly retired from paid contract work, this was confusing. Then I remembered that LinkedIn congratulates people for any position they hold, paid or volunteer – say, that’s nice of them, hey? So, they

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Stand Back – I’ve Got Hearing Loss!

It happened again the other day. What I didn’t hear almost caused an accident. I was walking briskly along a trail path when I stopped suddenly to look at something. A man right behind me – on a bike – almost plowed into me. “Oh, I’m sorry”, we both said. I’m Canadian – we apologize for everything, even when it’s

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OTC Gets My OK!

The topic of Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids is of intense personal and professional interest to me. However, I’m Canadian and our hearing loss advocacy on OTC is years behind that of our American colleagues. But I don’t feel qualified to write about the issue from the consumer point of view because, quite frankly, like many Canadians, the American health system

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At Night, When I am Deaf

At the end of a long, noisy day Some people remove their hearing aids Or sound processors For some quiet time, some peace Before going to bed. These are the moments of ahhh…… For others, removing their technology And moving about, soundless Makes them feel uncomfortable, disconnected, Floating in a world of cotton batten. Footsteps are silent Light

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Why I’m a HoH

I’m a HoH. That’s pronounced ho. If I were to say that out to a person who doesn’t know me, I’d expect their face to turn a fine shade of shock, disbelief and horror – after all I’m no spring chicken and why am I telling them this? So I don’t say this to strangers. I use more common terms

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Summer Tips for (Hard of Hearing) Dipsticks

I ask you. Who in their right minds would neglect their exquisitely high tech and internally delicate (not to mention expensive) hearing devices by exposing them to seawater, sticky sand and sloppy storage? The dictionary says that dipstick (ˈdipˌstik/) is a ‘stupid or inept person, but I think that’s a bit harsh for what we’re talking about. Like other humans,

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Helping Your Peers to Hear

by Patricia Eastwood To some, it may not seem like the experience of a lifetime, but that’s what being a HearPeers Mentor has meant to me. A HearPeers Mentor is a person who lives with a hearing implant, or whose child has a hearing implant, and has volunteered to share their experiences with others. Becoming a Mentor for people who