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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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

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Telecoils to the Rescue! (When Performers Can’t Hear)

If I didn’t already have enough reasons to love the telecoils in my hearing aid and cochlear implant – I recently discovered another one. Telecoil and loop systems let me hear myself! As a public speaker and performer, I use the amplification system provided by the venue. Often, hearing my voice as it goes out to the room, there’s

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Gulp! First Visit to a New Audiologist

Today, I met with a new audiologist for the first time. Well, she’s not a new audiologist…she’s been practicing for a while. But she was new to me, and as I took the ferry to Vancouver from Victoria, I was nervous because there was a lot riding on this visit. “Breaking in” a new hearing health professional can be as

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I Say “Speak Up, I’ve Got Hearing Loss”, They Say….

“Would you mind speaking up, I’ve got hearing loss.” When you say this to a stranger, a barista in a coffee bar, for example, there’s a list of standard replies you can expect. (“Wow, that sucks” is not a standard or acceptable answer.) “Pardon? Yuk-yuk.” Oh, gosh, I’ve never heard that before, thanks for sharing. 99% of the time, this snappy

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Are You Stressed About Tinni-Cusis?

I have a confession to make. After a lifetime of hearing loss and two years of head noise I still get stressed about it. To be honest, it’s mostly about the tinnitus and hyperacusis. I look back to the days before head noise, when I was “just” severely hard of hearing and think, “Wow, life was great back then”. I