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 “An Idiot’s Guide to the Pinna (Outer Ear)”

An Idiot’s Guide to the Pinna (Outer Ear)

Have you ever stared at something so familiar—a sight you’ve seen a thousand times a day, every day of your life—for so long and so hard that all of a sudden it looks different? It’s as if you’re seeing it for the first time, and it looks bizarre! This is the pinna, the flap on the side of the head that comes in pairs,

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Having a Bad Hearing Day?

Ever had one of those days? A day that is pocked, from sunrise to moonrise, with hearing faux pas and embarrassing moments? A day when, no matter what the situation or conversation, communication brings more pain than pleasure? A day that tempts you to hide from all human interaction—forever? You know you’re having a bad hearing day when: You’re missing

Upholding the Family (Hearing Aid) Tradition

My guest writer this week is David Drake, the founder and headmaster of the White Oak School in Westfield, Massachusetts, a school serving bright students with dyslexia and related learning disabilities. He lives with his family in Northampton. by David Drake I’m pretty sure I come from a line of serial hearing-aid abusers. My grandfather’s hearing aids were fascinating

What a HoH Needs to Know (to Explain Hearing Loss)

Note: Person with hearing loss = hard of hearing person = HoH She did it again—she started talking to me from another room. His baseball cap shades his eyes, and I always have to ask him to take it off. People with hearing loss complain that other people don’t accommodate us, or make an effort to meet our

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Getting Caught with Naked Ears

Sometimes when people want to communicate with us, we may not be fully functioning, hearing-wise. In the shower, for example, or when we are abruptly awakened from sleep. Or when going down for breakfast at a weekend house party, and realizing you’ve put on all your clothes and all your makeup, but have forgotten the minor detail of your hearing

Featured image for “Breaking My Own Communication Rules”

Breaking My Own Communication Rules

Last week, I flew from San Jose, California, to Ottawa, Ontario, a three-flight trip that was scheduled to take 10 hours. But because of one delayed departure, the journey ultimately included the three flights, an unexpected hotel layover, lost luggage, a few tears and a total of 28 hours. And if that’s not bad enough, I broke a lot of

Featured image for “How to Make Hearing Aid Popsicles”

How to Make Hearing Aid Popsicles

I have a question for those of you who wear things in your ears. And I don’t mean on your ears like earrings and hats and such, I’m talking in your ears—hearing aids, specifically. Have you ever put them in when they were cold? Really, really cold? If not, you’re lucky. It’s not a pleasant sensation plugging little popsicles in

Featured image for “The Shape of Things to Fight For”

The Shape of Things to Fight For

What is the shape of things to come in 2015—what does the year hold for people with hearing loss? Beyond manufacturers introducing their increasingly fantabulous hearing technology, darned if I know. But shape is an active verb—we have the power to shape and influence new standards for our own lives. When we look forward to the year ahead, we make both resolutions and

Featured image for “Readers’ Choice 2014: Stupid Things to Do with Your Hearing Aids”

Readers’ Choice 2014: Stupid Things to Do with Your Hearing Aids

Dear Readers: During this holiday season, the editors at Hearing Health & Technology Matters (HHTM) are taking some time off. However, we are not leaving you without anything to read on our blog this week. Instead, we are publishing a special holiday edition filled with what we call our Readers’ Choices. HHTM has had more than half a million page

Featured image for “Happy Holidays for HoHs”

Happy Holidays for HoHs

Whoo hoo! Christmas is almost here—and so are Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice! The excitement and sparkle, the food and wine, the gifts, the spirituality, the music! Activities to share, beauty to both see and hear…. Sheesh, it was all good until that last point—the bit about hearing. The season is supposed to be one of joy, but for some