In this issue, we share hearing-friendly October entertainment, how to create your new normal when you have a hearing loss, which hearing aids give you worldwide access, and more.
Hearing Loss Presentations Coming Up in SW Washington
If you live in the Longview or Kelso area, don’t miss these hearing loss presentations coming up soon from Heidi Crabtree.
- Buying a Hearing Aid
- Hearing Loss Alternatives: Maximizing Your Ability to Hear & Connect
- Hearing at Holiday Gatherings.
Visit our blog post for full details and dates.
Heidi Crabtree is a hearing loss advocate and HLAA-WA Board Director.
Local Deaf Musician Luke Criner Stars in Documentary
Luke Criner was born with limited hearing, lost more hearing over time, and eventually received cochlear implants. He identifies as Deaf. Now, he’s a musician who stars in the documentary Sound Again.
Watch this King5 Evening news story about Luke’s hearing loss journey and his joy in making others dance.
Luke lives in Poulsbo, Washington.
Hearing-Friendly Entertainment
Coming This Fall
An ABBA cover band, a talk on saving our orcas, Eureka Day, Ignite Seattle, and even Bill Nye the Science Guy: So many fun hearing-friendly events are coming up this fall.
We’ve updated our Hearing-Friendly Events webpage with lots of fun things to do. Be sure to check back regularly.
And as always, we encourage you to attend these events with friends and family, ask for and use the hearing access provided, and thank the venue afterward.
Note: If you’d like to see the Bill Nye show with open captions, at the 5th Avenue Theatre, contact accessibility@stgpresents.org. Seats in the OC section are limited. The 5th Avenue Theatre has an excellent infrared assistive listening system, so request a receiver and connector that works for you, such as a neckloop if you have a telecoil in your hearing aid or CI.
National Hearing Loss News & Events
Poor Caption Quality?
Here’s How to File a Complaint.
Poor captions on our television sets can be beyond frustrating. The FCC requires captions to be accurate and correctly timed (synchronous), but too often, they’re not.
When you see a “craption” — a poor quality caption — you can take action by filing a complaint with the FCC.
In this article, HLAA explains what to do. It’s easy!
You can also learn about caption quality from the Global Alliance of Speech-to-Text Captioning, a group dedicated to improving transcription and captioning.
Creating Your New Normal When You Have a Hearing Loss
Sometimes the way we’ve always done things just doesn’t work for us any longer when we have a hearing loss.
Sitting still, not drawing attention to ourselves, not interrupting — these “polite” behaviors might not serve us when we need to ask for hearing accommodations or request that people repeat themselves.
In this fantastic blog post on Hearing Loss Live, Chelle Wyatt talks about how we can create our new normal, which might involve breaking a few old rules and even doing the opposite of what we used to do.
Singer Geoff Castellucci Shares His
Sudden Hearing Loss Story
Bass singer Geoff Castelluci recently had a sudden loss of hearing and tinnitus. He went to several doctors — learning much about self-advocacy and speaking up for himself along the way — before he was eventually diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Steroids and hyperbaric oxygen therapy helped Castellucdi restore some hearing. Find out how he’s doing in his recovery now on this YouTube video.
Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency, and we encourage you to seek medical care immediately. For more information, visit HLAA’s webpage, Sudden Deafness.
WEBINAR
Beyond Performance: Building a Personal Brand with Hearing Loss
October 21, 2026 | 11:00 am Pacific
Having a hearing loss at work sometimes means you fall into a visibility gap. You may have less access to informal conversations or experience challenges in group settings, and this can impact your visibility–and ultimately your career.
What can you do?
Get recognized for your stronger performances and value by building your personal brand. Learn to make your value visible in this free, captioned HLAA webinar.
Hearing Technology News
Hearing Aids Should Provide Worldwide Access
Our friends at the Center for Hearing Access (CHA) encourage people to “future-proof” their hearing aids by choosing both telecoils and, where possible, Auracast capability.
The CHA folks call this “worldwide access” because hearing aids with both telecoils and Auracast capability allow you to connect wirelessly to all kinds of venues all over the world.
In this CHA handout, read more and find out which hearing aids CHA considers to have worldwide access.
Auracast Is Coming to Faith Communities
Churches can be tough places to hear. High ceilings, hard floors, poor acoustics, and background noise can make it hard to follow sermons and programs.
Auri, an assistive listening system that uses Auracast technology, is being marketed for use in churches and other houses of worship. Already, Auri is helping listeners hear in several churches, including a beautiful Catholic church in Switzerland.
Do you need help hearing in your church? Contact us: webmaster@hearingloss-wa.org.
Hearing Through Your Glasses?
Nuance Audio is offering a pair of glasses with hearing aids built into the frames. You can also answer phone calls via these glasses without ever touching your phone.
Have you tried these glasses?
Hearing Loss Support Meetings
Local, In-Person Support for Hearing Loss: Renton, Washington
October 9, 2026 | 1:00 pm
Our Renton Support Group meets the second Friday of each month. We’re meeting temporarily at the Renton Community Center until we can resume meeting at the Renton Senior Center, which is currently closed for renovations.
No registration necessary. Free.
Local, Online Support for Everyone with Hearing Loss: HOPE
October 7, 2026 | 4:00 pm Pacific
Need HOPE and support for your hearing loss? You’re warmly invited to come our online hearing loss support meeting: HOPE Hearing Other People’s Experiences.
Facilitated by a caring, compassionate team, these monthly virtual meetings are free, live-captioned, and open to everyone with hearing loss and their friends and family.
HOPE meets the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 pm.
Local, In-Person Support for Hearing Loss: Bellingham – Northwest Washington
October 17, 2026 | 9:30 – Noon, Bellingham
HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter
This month’s program: The Power of Speech Reading with Kimberly Peters, PhD, Western Washignton University.
The HLAA-NWWA chapter meets the third Saturday of the month at Christ the Servant Church, 2600 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, Washington. Looped, captioned, and free. Open to all, including friends and family.
NEW: Support Group for Parents of Kids with Genetic Hearing Loss
October 22, 2026 | 9:30 am Pacific
This welcoming virtual group gives parents an opportunity to connect, share experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another.
National Online Support for Parents of Kids with Hearing Loss
October 21, 2026 | 5:00 pm Pacific
Hear Together: Parents of Children with Hearing Loss
Led by a speech-language pathologist and an audiologist, this virtual national parents’ support group is designed to connect families and provide resources and support. The group meets regularly on the third Wednesday of the month, with the meeting moved to the fourth Wednesday in February only.
National Online Support for Veterans with Hearing Loss
October 20, 2026 | 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Pacific time
The national HLAA office has a virtual chapter dedicated to veterans with hearing loss: the Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter Meeting (VVAVC) They meet online every third Tuesday of the month, and everyone is welcome, including friends, family, and caregivers of veterans.
Free and captioned.
Stay Involved with HLAA and HLAA-WA
We’re glad you’re part of our community.
What more can you do to support people with hearing loss?
The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and HLAA-WA do not endorse specific products or services,
but educate and advocate for a range of assistive technology options to help people with
hearing loss understand, connect, and stay engaged in their lives.
As an all-volunteer run organization, 100% of every dollar donated is directed to our programs. HLAA-WA is an IRS non-profit 501(c)(3) organization; all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by relevant IRS code.
