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 Old(er) HoH Learns a New Trick!”

An Old(er) HoH Learns a New Trick!

Note: “HoH” is a term that some people with hearing loss use occasionally to describe themselves – usually to other HoHs. It’s an acronym for ‘hard of hearing’, a term that ‘hearing people’ (how HoHs describe people without hearing loss) tend to understand. Sort of, sometimes. (Are you still with me?) I’ve had hearing loss my entire life. I became

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Hearing Help: Pay It Forward!

I once was lost, but now I’m found…. These words of renewal from the old hymn can also describe people who have found a new way to live with their hearing loss, free from the tyranny of stigma and frustration, fear and isolation. And when that happens, they often want to share what they’ve learned by paying it forward. Obviously,

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America, You’re Beautiful to Hear!

For people with hearing loss, nature is a different experience than for the ‘hearing people’. For us, many outdoor sounds – rustling, whistling, babbling, chirping and whatnot – don’t travel successfully through our auditory system. Traveling with Hearing Loss On a recent hike at the Pinnacles, our favorite California park, the Hearing Husband and I came across a sign that

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The Absolute Basics of Talking with People Who Have Hearing Loss

It’s not a university level course, or even a highly specialized skill. It simply shouldn’t be that difficult for ‘hearing’ people to communicate well with people like me, the ones who have hearing loss. After all, WE have the hard job – trying to hear and understand what people are saying, especially those with less than stellar communication skills –

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Now That I Know (About Hearing, Loss & Hope)

When I look back to my life before I met other people with hearing loss, I can see how they changed my world in ways I never expected. The following tries to express my gratitude for their impact on my hearing journey. _____________ The new baby smiled and thrived, and her parents said, she’s good, she’s beautiful, she’s perfect. But

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Taking Back the Power from Tinnitus

This is Tinnitus Awareness Week…and let me tell you, those of us who have it are very aware of it! It’s always there in some form. Soft or screaming, single note or techno-pop, screeching high or thumping low. Or all at once. It follows you everywhere, this tinnitus, like a painful itch you can’t scratch, monopolizing your focus, diverting it

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“Have You Got Your Hearing Aid In?”

All people with hearing loss have experienced the two most painful words in the hearing loss dictionary—never mind. The hurt at hearing them never gets old, even though we may learn how to respond to them better. But how about that six-word question that plagues every hearing aid or cochlear implant user: “Have you got your thing in?” This can set off

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Would You Repeat That, Please?

Everyone does it. Everyone, not just the people with hearing loss, asks for things to be repeated and for many reasons. We are momently distracted from the speaker’s words. What’s being said doesn’t quite make sense. The speaker is talking and eating at the same time. People are talking over each other. The words and facial expressions don’t match, such

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Noise Zaps My Energy!

I don’t like noise. It’s not so much the noise itself, but what it does to me – and what I have to do to counteract its toxic effects. For many people, noise exposure can cause a stress reaction. Others have noise sensitivity. For the person with hearing loss (aka ME), the noise of public spaces, large gatherings or even

Featured image for “How Can People with Hearing Loss Help Other PWHL?”

How Can People with Hearing Loss Help Other PWHL?

This the week we vow to exercise more, eat better, be nicer, and reduce, reuse and recycle – and this week, we mean it. Ask us next week how it’s working out so far. But as a person with hearing loss, I’ve realized that there is more that we can do, not just for ourselves but for other people impacted