Better Hearing Consumer

Almost every day I read about a new hearing loss study, research or statistics. Most of them sound exciting and others are single-eyebrow-raising, such as surveys announcing how many of us actually have hearing loss. The stats for the overall population seem to fluctuate a great deal, from the often-quoted but urban myth of 10% to between 16-25%. Why the

I’m packing for a month at the lake – but one thing I’m not taking with me is my hearing loss. Yup, I’ve made up my mind. I’m taking a break from the stress, the demands and the accommodations that are the fabric of my personal hearing loss life. No, I won’t be trying to pass myself off as ‘hearing.’

From Gael Hannan:  This week’s blog is an interesting and emotional reflection written for a class assignment by Jacqueline Arsenault, a Speech-Language Pathology Masters student at the University of Toronto. It was partly inspired by my workshop on bluffing, The Masks of Hearing Loss (Bluffing 101), which I had presented to  her Aural Rehabilitation class, a course taught by my

Summer’s here, whoo-hoo! Hot weather, summer rain, swimming, fresh air parties, and simply being outside. What’s not to love about summer? Well, there’s bugs. Heat rash. Sunburn. Bad pedicures. And to be even more of a wet blanket, all that fabulous summer living poses a threat to both our hearing and our hearing devices, with Loud Noise and Moisture sharing

Next week I’m going to Portland for  the annual Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Convention, and I can’t wait.  Forgive me for being corny, but my absolute favorite part of the event is chatting with amazing people, who come from everywhere, with heart-rending and hilarious stories to share and a willingness to listen to yours. Betty Coombs is one

I have a shiny new bike.  It’s pale green and pretty and has 15 gears, although I don’t know what to do with 12 of them. It has a ringy-dingy bicycle bell which other riders can hear a mile away. But when I push the lever, I can only feel the vibrations. Even with my ear almost on top of

They say the best part of being a parent is becoming a grandparent. I’m sure that’s true for many people, but as a new grandma I’m still ironing out some of the kinks. (Note: Although my husband and I have only one 17-year-old child together, he is the father of four, one of whom made me an earlier-than-expected grandmother.  They

As a hearing aid user, I want to enjoy music the way other people do – clearly and on demand. Whom should I ask about this – my audiologist, a hearing aid manufacturer, or the government who helps me pay for hearing aids? All three, maybe? As my hearing loss progressed through the years, so did my music loss. and

“Were you born with ‘it’?” I get this question a lot when I, and my hearing loss, meet someone for the first time. Sometimes they ask hesitantly, not sure what to call ‘the problem’, which they indicate with little finger jabs at their own ear. Talking about hearing loss is usually one of my favorite things to do, and I’m

Yo, hearing care professionals!  Hey, hearing loss groups!  In your area, where can a family sign up for a communication strategies course? (And I’m not talking about mandatory programs involving a psychologist or the police.) It’s tough enough for a hard of hearing person to find access to effective aural rehabilitation, let alone a program that includes communication partners like