Hearing Loss Takes a Toll

In a recent article in WebMD, HealthDay reporter, Robert Preidt, wrote a piece called The Social Toll of Hearing Loss.  He told about a new study involving 1100 seniors with hearing loss, aged 70 and older, which was conducted over a 4 year period.  It concluded, among other things, that those with hearing loss are at an increased risk for hospitalization, illness, injury, and depression. According to Dr. Frank Lin, "Hearing deficits can lead to social isolation, which in turn contribute to physical and mental declines."

Dr. Dane Genther recommended Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for hearing-related health care services, wider installation of hearing loops in various facilities, and more accessible and affordable approaches for treating hearing loss.

 Check out the website http:/aldlocator.com to see which places in your area have assisted listening devices.  I did, and was surprised to see how FEW hearing loops there were in my city.

Walk in my Shoes ( part 2)

I just ran across an article that I thought would be interesting to the hearing impaired community.  
Lance Cairns, a cricket legend from New Zealand, who is also hearing impaired, is asking KIWI CEOS  to participate in a challenge on August 2 . They will be wearing hearing protectors which will simulate deafness. During the day, they will experience a one-to-one meeting, a team meeting, a social get together, and tv time with the family. The purpose of the challenge is to raise nationwide awareness and funds for the National Awareness for the Deaf.

I think this would be a good activity for family and friends so that they could experience "walking in our shoes".

Did You Know?....Part 2

  10 FUN FACTS ABOUT HEARING

Fish do not have ears, but they can hear pressure changes through ridges on their body.

 

The ear’s malleus, incus and stapes (otherwise known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup) are the smallest

bones in the human body. All three together could fit together on a penny.

 

The ear continues to hear sounds, even while you sleep.

 

Sound travels at the speed of 1,130 feet per second, or 770 miles per hour.

 

Dogs can hear much higher frequencies than humans.

 

Ears not only help you hear, but also aid in balance.

 

Snakes hear through the jaw bone and through a traditional inner ear. In essence, snakes have two distinct hearing mechanisms, which helps them hear and catch prey.

 

Sitting in front of the speakers at a rock concert can expose you to 120 decibels, which will begin to damage hearing in only 7 1/2 minutes.

 

Thirty-seven percent of children with only minimal hearing loss fail at least one grade.

 

Male mosquitoes hear with thousands of tiny hairs growing on their antennae.

 

The Telecoil

A reader just sent me a link to a very interesting article written by an audiologist with hearing loss.  It's about hearing loop technology called the telecoil.  For those of you who have had the pleasure of using it, I'm sure you'll agree it makes the world of difference.  Please click on the link below.

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/06/06/hearing-aids-can-serve-a-second-purposeas-wireless-speakers/

Did You Know….? (part 1)

 

Did you know that the football huddle was invented by a quarterback at Gallaudet University in the 1920s? He realized that just using sign language openly was giving away his secrets to the opposing team.  So he formed this tight circle (huddle) in order to strategize and motivate his own team.

 Gallaudet is a college for the deaf in Washington, DC.  I had the privilege of visiting this prestigious university when I   took my students on a field trip there about 20 years ago.   We were given a tour of the classrooms (seating set up in a circle) as well as the campus.  It was an eye-opener for my hearing students, who came away with empathy for the challenges of the deaf. 

In my opinion, children, as well as adults, need to be sensitized to all the issues facing disabled people!

 

 

My Epiphany

Recently, I attended a venue that is always very crowded.  (No, I don’t know why I subject myself to this.)  However, on this particular day, my 5 friends and I had the place to ourselves.  Usually, I am the one who has her faced scrunched up and a furrow between her brows, trying to catch key words of the conversation.  But, lo and behold, on this day, I heard everything that was being said…no background noise, no distractions, just good friends “chewing the fat”.  Then, on the way home, I had an epiphany….this is what people with normal hearing experience every day…WOW!   I was still too happy to be jealous (well, maybe a little bit).   So, here’s hoping for more struggle-free days in the future.  And, if not, I’ll deal with it!

 

Enjoy the Play!

It just came to my attention that our local theater for the performing arts (www.scfta.org), will have one performance for each play which will be
 signed and opened captioned.   Before purchasing tickets to a performance in your area, you may want to check ahead to see if they have this convenience for those of us with hearing issues. 

It was also advised that if you use their infrared headsets, it is better not to sit in the first few rows.

Kudos to the theaters that are showing this consideration!