Better Hearing Consumer

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

“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

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

Hearing loss advocate and loop installation expert, Reverend Mary Dyer, puts up the passionate cry for political meetings that are accessible to those with communication and hearing issues.   By Mary Dyer    It was with mixed feelings that I recently read about a political picnic where a number of the gubernatorial candidates were to meet with constituents to share