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.

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.

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.

Gain Confidence and Skills at Our Speaker Training & Practice Group

Interested in developing your speaking skills to speak more confidently and comfortably about hearing loss or HLAA-WA?

This free, online training is open to everyone. It starts this fall, so don’t wait.

Read more about our upcoming Speaker Training & Practice Group.

Talking Hearing Loss at Seattle’s Civic Coffee

Thank you to Jacqui Metzger, who joined panelists Teresa Tam and Emily Machado to talk about hearing loss at Age Friendly Seattle’s Civic Coffee on August 25.

You can watch the video of the presentation on Age Friendly Seattle’s YouTube channel.

News & Events from the Washington State Independent Living Council

Our friends at WASILIC are doing a community survey, hosting community feedback sessions, and providing emergency responder training. We encourage you to participate in their outstanding work to support people with disabilities.

• This community survey will help determine how services and advocacy are prioritized for people with disabilities in Washington State.
• Two online Community Engagement Sessions will share details on the State Plan for Independent Living and how we can help ensure that people with disabilities maintain independence and access. Register for the September 19, Noon – 2pm session, or September 24th, 5:30 – 7:30 pm.
• An Inclusive Emergency Practices training series geared toward first responders is on October 20, 1-3 pm, via Zoom. ASL and CART are provided. This training is free and could save someone’s life. Please share this training with all first responders and emergency managers you know.

Coming Up: Author Events with Sara Novic!

We’re excited to partner with the Seattle Public Library for a series of Seattle Reads events featuring bestselling author Sara Nović.

Register now by clicking on the links below to attend one of these author events. Note that you’ll be joining several of our members who are also attending! Tickets are limited, so act fast.

• September 25, 11:00 am at Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. 
• September 25, 7:00 pm at Hugo House, Lapis Theater, 1634 11th Ave 
• September 26, 11:00 am at SouthEast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S. Holly St.
• September 26, 3:00 pm at the Central Library, 1000 4th Ave
• September 27, 11:00 am at Central Library. This is a private event held in conjunction with Deaf Spotlight and designed for the Deaf community. It will take place completely in ASL.

All public programs will have ASL and CART live captioning. Venues do have assistive listening systems as well.

Sara is also an activist and instructor of Deaf studies and creative writing. Learn more about Sara and purchase their books on their website.

If you’re interested in helping HLAA-WA at an informational table at one of these events, please contact our volunteer manager, Jullie Johnson: jjohnson@hearingloss-wa.org.

Hearing-Friendly Entertainment
Town Hall Seattle

Town Hall Seattle has hearing loops in all three event spaces, making it an incredibly hearing-friendly venue.

The folks at Town Hall Seattle are ramping up for the fall, including events such as the Jaipur Literature Festival, a panel discussion on accessibility, and a book talk with author Emily St. John Mandel.

We’re proud to be a Town Hall Seattle rental partner.

In Memory: Sandra Vidgoff

We’re sad to share the news of the recent passing of Sandra Vidgoff, longtime HLAA-WA member. In the early days HLAA-WA, Sandra was a caring, welcoming member of our Bellevue Chapter. Later, she became a gracious and friendly presence at our picnic and other community events.

Our deepest condolences go out to Sandra’s loved ones, especially Ed Friant and Kirsten Robbins. You can read more about Sandra in our blog post.

Hawaii Takes a HUGE Step Toward Better Hearing Health

In July, Hawaii passed a law (HB 1974 CD1) directing state government to develop a comprehensive statewide plan to help people with hearing loss. This plan will address access to hearing healthcare services, affordability, workforce development, treatment, and more.

This is a huge victory for hearing loss advocates and for anyone experiencing hearing loss in Hawaii.

Can we do something like this in Washington State, you may be thinking? Stay tuned!

What Everyone Should Know about Hearing, Hearing Aids & Healthy Aging

In this outstanding video, advocates Juliette Sterkens and Wynne Whyman do a deep-dive into hearing loss, hearing aids, assistive listening, and more. Juliette and Wynne also explain why caring for our hearing is fundamental to healthy aging.

Thank you to the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging for creating this opportunity to talk hearing loss.

HLAA National Online Meeting:
Artificial Intelligence and Hearing Loss

September 16, 2026 | 4:00 pm Pacific

At this meeting, Dr. Jan Blustein will share highlights and key insights from the 2026 HLAA Research Symposium, “The AI Revolution in Hearing Health – Smarter Tech, Greater Access.”

Afterward, participants can connect in virtual breakout sessions to discuss the theme “The Silver Lining of Hearing Loss.” Shari Eberts, Holly Cohen, and Roxana Rotundo will moderate these small group discussions.

Research Participant Opportunity: Communication Barriers in Healthcare

People with hearing loss are invited to share our experiences with communication barriers in healthcare in this research study.

The study is led by Kemeny Ridley, a doctoral candidate in audiology at Central Michigan University.

Reminder: Research Study Opportunity: Do You Use Captions for Voice Phone Calls?

If you’re over 50, have a hearing loss, and use captions for phone calls, you may qualify for an ICAAT research study. This study aims to improve captioned telephone services.

Participants will receive an Amazon gift card.

Find out more and apply at this link.

Auracast? Yes, But Keep Your Loops, Too

Auracast assistive listening systems will be more and more available in the coming years. A few smartphones, such as Google Pixel 9 and 10 and newer Samsung phones, offer “native Auracast reception” already.

But many venues are choosing to have both hearing loops and Auracast for many reasons, including ease of use and lack of access in many devices, including Apple phones.

Read more in this article from AV Interactive. You may need to register for a subscription, but it’s free.

Google Launches Sign Language to Text Dictation

Google’s new sign-language-to-text option is now available in Gboard and Live Transcribe on Pixel 11.

Through this method, Deaf people can sign to their phone rather than typing into it. This may be easier, faster, and more natural for many people who use ASL.

For more information, read this Google DeepMind article.

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

September 19, 2026 | 9:30 – Noon, Bellingham
HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter

This month’s program: “Coping Strategies When Hearing and Communication Matter,” with advocate Dean Olson.

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

September 24, 2026 | 9:30 Pacific

HLAA is launching a new online support group, The Genetic Connection, a peer support for parents of children with genetic hearing loss.

This welcoming virtual group will give parents an opportunity to connect, share experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another. The first meeting, led by Michelle Hu, Au.D., will focus on what families should know after their child has been identified with genetic hearing loss—including what the diagnosis means, what steps to consider next, and how genetic hearing loss may differ from other types of hearing loss.

National Online Support for Parents of Kids with Hearing Loss

September 16, 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

September 15, 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.

We’re Partnering with the Seattle Public Library for Seattle Reads

We’re excited to partner with the Seattle Public Library for a series of Seattle Reads events featuring bestselling author Sara Nović.

Register now to attend one of these author events.

• September 25, 11:00 am at Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. 
• September 25, 7:00 pm at Hugo House, Lapis Theater, 1634 11th Ave 
• September 26, 11:00 am at SouthEast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S. Holly St.
• September 26, 3:00 pm at the Central Library, 1000 4th Ave
• September 27, 11:00 am at Central Library. This is a private event held in conjunction with Deaf Spotlight and designed for the Deaf community. It will take place completely in ASL.

All public programs will have ASL and CART live captioning. Venues do have assistive listening systems as well, though these systems aren’t hearing loops.

Sara is also an activist and instructor of Deaf studies and creative writing. Learn more about Sara and purchase their books on their website.

If you’d like to help us by volunteering to staff our table at one of these Seattle-area events, please contact Julie Johnson, our volunteer manager: jjohnson@hearingloss-wa.org.

Hearing Loss and Falls Prevention

Did you know that hearing loss is associated with an increased risk of falls? The connection is important—and often overlooked.

Our HLAA-WA President Cheri Perazzoli recently presented to the King County Falls Prevention Coalition about how hearing loss can affect awareness of our surroundings, communication, balance, and cognitive load, and why addressing hearing loss should be part of a comprehensive approach to fall prevention.

Using hearing aids consistently can help reduce some of the challenges associated with hearing loss and may help reduce fall risk. Good hearing health, effective communication, and accessible environments also play a role in falls prevention.

HLAA-WA also encouraged the falls-prevention community to consider simple ways to incorporate hearing into their work, including adding a hearing question to falls assessments and identifying hearing-related action items in falls-prevention resources and programs.

Because this connection is so important, we’ve added a new Hearing Loss and Falls Prevention webpage to provide resources for people with hearing loss and for families, caregivers, and professionals.

You can also view Cheri’s presentation to the King County Falls Prevention Coalition.

Provide Feedback on the Washington State’s Age- and Dementia-Friendly Action Plan

Healthy aging means healthy hearing. Let the Washington State Healthcare Authority know how you’d like to see our state be the best place in the country for seniors and people with dementia.

We encourage hearing loss testing, hearing aid coverage, staff training in hearing loss and communication strategies, and building hearing-friendly communities.

Read the draft Reimagining Aging & Memory Loss in Washington plan here.

Send your comments to olderadults@hca.wa.gov with the subject line “Action Plan Comments.”

Deadline for public comment is September 4, 2026.

Hearing-Friendly Entertainment
Village Theatre in Issaquah & Everett

Thinking about your fall entertainment? Get tickets now to see a hearing-friendly performance of Ragtime at Village Theatre.

Ragtime – a Tony award-winning musical that explores how three families from different backgrounds pursue the American dream at the turn of the century.

• Issaquah – September 15 – October 18, 2026
  Open-caption show – October 17, 2026
  ASL show – October 3, 2026
• Everett – October 24 – November 15, 2026
  Open-caption show – November 14, 2026
  ASL show – October 31, 2026

Both Village Theatre locations have hearing loops. Turn your hearing aid or CI to “T” or telecoil mode to hear sound directly, or ask an usher for headphones.

To hear a little from the Broadway production of Ragtime, here’s a beautiful live performance of “Wheels of a Dream” on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

A New Hearing Aid Discount Program Is Available from AARP and Soundly

The folks at AARP and Soundly have announced a new hearing care and hearing aid discount program.

Members of AARP can save up to 50% on prescription hearing aids, and the program includes unbundled pricing and access to a nationwide provider network. You can find out more and start the process with Soundly here.

If you try it, let us know how this program works for you: webmaster@hearingloss-wa.org.

Webinar: “The Information We Carry: Genetics and Hearing Loss”

August 26, 2026 | Noon Pacific

Genetic hearing loss affects people of all ages. Find out how genetics plays a role in our hearing, what genetic testing can do, and how advances in research are shaping the future of hearing healthcare.

Free and captioned, as always.

HLAA National Online Meeting:
Artificial Intelligence and Hearing Loss

September 16, 2026 | 4:00 pm Pacific

At this meeting, Dr. Jan Blustein will share highlights and key insights from the 2026 HLAA Research Symposium, “The AI Revolution in Hearing Health – Smarter Tech, Greater Access.”

Afterward, participants can connect in virtual breakout sessions to discuss the theme “The Silver Lining of Hearing Loss.” Shari Eberts, Holly Cohen, and Roxana Rotundo will moderate these small group discussions.

Research Study Opportunity: Do You Use Captions for Voice Phone Calls?

If you’re over 50, have a hearing loss, and use captions for phone calls, you may qualify for an ICAAT research study. This study aims to improve captioned telephone services.

Participants will receive an Amazon gift card.

Find out more and apply at this link.

Video: Why Assistive Listening Matters

Hearing aids are powerful ways to hear people close to us. But in many settings, hearing aids aren’t enough. That’s where assistive listening systems come in: these systems are the bridge between audio and our hearing aids or CIs.

This excellent video from Hearing Health & Technology Matters features hearing loss advocate Shari Eberts along with Juliette Sterkens and Wynne Whyman from the Center for Hearing Access. This trio of hearing loss stars discuss how assistive listening works, why it matters, and how venues can choose the best system for the venue and their listeners.

Auracast Comes to Albuquerque, New Mexico

Grace Lutheran Church and Albuquerque Hearing and Balance are using Auracast assistive listening systems to help people with hearing loss. In both places, Auracast supplements the hearing loop systems they already had, giving listeners another way to hear better.

Read more in this Hearing Health & Technology Matters article.

Local, In-Person Support for Hearing Loss: Renton, Washington

September 11, 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

September 2, 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 to their friends and family.

HOPE meets the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 pm.

National Online Support for Parents of Kids with Hearing Loss

September 16, 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

September 15, 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.

Help Make the Washington State Ferries Hearing-Accessible

We’ve been working with the Washington State Ferries to make sure that people with hearing loss can get important announcements and safety info. We’re happy to report that the WSF is creating an advisory board to help with a text-based alert system.

Find out more, including how you can volunteer to help, in this blog post.

Ask Twice, Receive Hearing Access

When you ask twice for open captions, and you receive them, what happens when you show up the third time?

Kirsten and John Robbins, longtime HLAA-WA advocates, recently attended a FIFA viewing party given by the City of Renton and requested captions–twice.

Their story is a good reminder that in hearing advocacy and in life, persistence works.

Research Study Participant Opportunity: Hearing Access in Primary Care

Central Michigan University is recruiting Deaf and hard-of-hearing folks to answer questions about their experiences with communication barriers in primary care settings. The survey will take just 15-20 minutes to complete.

Please see this flyer for more information. There will be a QR code on the flyer that you’ll want to follow. (If you see an advertisement, simply click on “continue to destination,” and that will take you to the survey.

Short Survey: Help Prioritize Services for People with Disabilities in Washington State

The Washington State Independent Living Council (WASILC) would like to hear from people with disabilities, including hearing loss, as they create their 3-year plan.

Your answers to their short survey will help guide policy and resources for people with disabilities in our state. We encourage you participate. You could win a $100 gift card, too.

Disability Pride? Me? Yes!

July is Disability Pride Month. Do people with hearing loss have reason to be proud? Our wonderful writer Becky Montgomery says YES in this blog post.

Celebrating 36 Years of the ADA

July 26 marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed by President George Bush in 1990. This landmark civil rights legislation expanded access and opportunities for millions of Americans with disabilities.

For people with hearing loss, the ADA helped ensure access through assistive listening systems, captioning, interpreters, and the right to effective communication in employment, education, and public life.

While much progress has been made, creating accessible communities is an ongoing effort–and a job for all of us.

We encourage you to join an ADA event in your area. For example, you can register for “The Fundamentals of Accessibility” webinar presented by the Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium, July 22, Noon- 1:15 pm.

Get ASL and Other Communication Access at SEA Airport

Our SEA (formerly SeaTac) Airport now provides live video ASL, called Mobile Video Remote Interpreting.

People with hearing loss might also benefit from other disability access help at SEA, including communication tip cards, sunflower lanyards, and the hearing loops at information desks.

Find all the details in this Port of Seattle article.

Disability Performance in the Spotlight: ILLUMINATE 2026 at Seattle Center

Enjoy films, plays, readings, and a panel discussion by artists with disabilities at ILLUMINATE 2026. July 21 and July 27, 2026. This festival celebrates Disability Pride Month with art and entertainment for everyone.

The festival is held at the Seattle Center Theatre Black Box. Here’s more information about Sound Theatre Company’s accessibility. We aren’t sure if there is an assistive listening system in this specific venue, so if you go, please request the hearing access that you need: accessibility@soundthearecompany.org.

Hearing-Friendly Entertainment: Author Talks, Governor Inslee, and More at Town Hall Seattle

Town Hall Seattle is an extremely hearing-friendly venue, with hearing loops in all three event spaces. Here are just a few of the events coming up this summer.

• July 23rd, 7:30 pm – The Emperor of Gladness: A Novel, with Ocean Vuong and Putsata Reang
• July 29th, 7:30 pm – “This is the Plan: How to End America’s Meltdown and Save Democracy,” with Ben Wikler and former Washington State governor Jay Inslee.
• August 12, 6:30 pm – “Noticing” with Richard Louv and Sally Jewell.

Many Town Hall Seattle events are free or low-cost. The venue itself is also accessible to people with other disabilities, with an elevator, wheelchair ramps, Braille signage, and more.

Three Views on Auracast

We get a lot of questions about Auracast, the emerging assistive listening system that’s getting a lot of attention at the moment. While we’re excited about Auracast’s possibilities, we also believe that we need the full spectrum of technologies — including hearing loops — to truly include all people with hearing loss in all settings.

This excellent series of articles in Hearing Life magazine, including one by our president Cheri Perazzoli, takes a deeper dive into Auracast.

A Startup Company Has Invented a $20 Hearing Aid

At McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, three students have developed a hearing aid that they say needs no battery and could cost as little as $20 a pair. The students were inspired to do so by watching their family members’ experiences with hearing loss and struggling to pay for many expensive hearing aids.

Read more in this story from the CBC.

Local, In-Person Support for Hearing Loss: Bellingham – Northwest Washington

August 15, 2026, 11:00 – 2:00, Bellingham
HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter
This month’s meeting is a picnic at Whatcom Falls Park Pavillion. Members and friends are welcome.

While their picnic will be at a different location in August, the HLAA-NWWA chapter generally 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.

National Online Support for Veterans with Hearing Loss

July 21, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Pacific time
Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter Meeting

The national HLAA office has a virtual chapter dedicated to veterans with hearing loss. They meet online every third Tuesday of the month, and everyone is welcome.

Meet with veterans from across the county to talk about issues related to veterans and hearing loss. Caregivers and family members of veterans are welcome to attend. Free and captioned.

Come Enjoy Our Annual Picnic on
July 11, 2026

Games, grilling, a raffle, friendship, a special award, and fun: Our annual hearing loss community picnic is on your calendar already, right? Of course it is. And you need the details, which you’ll find in our blog post.

You can download and share a copy of our flyer, too.

Let City of Seattle Know About Your Barriers to Disability Access

The City of Seattle is updating its ADA Transition Plan, and they want to hear from you.

While it looks like the focus is on mobility access, they do ask if you have a hearing disability. We encourage you to fill out the survey and let the City of Seattle know how and where you need hearing help or other disability access.

The deadline is September 15, 2026.

Do You Have a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Designation on Your State ID or Driver’s License?

In Washington State, we have the option of adding a designation to our ID or driver’s license that tells first responders that we’re Deaf or hard of hearing. You can choose to put the designation on the actual ID or license, or the information can simply be in the system for law enforcement officers to see. Medical personnel can only see the designation on your license or ID.

You can submit the information in person, at a driver’s licensing office, or you can download, complete, and mail in a form. If you do visit the DOL in person and you need hearing or ASL accommodations, be sure to request them.

For more information, visit the Department of Licensing website.

A New Program at the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)

A new DSHS initiative, Seniors Thrive Access and Resources or STAR, will focus on improving senior services and caregiver training. The program will be led by Hope Crumley, and our good friend Michael Fox will transition to this new program.

Watch Earnest Covington III make this announcement in this video, which includes audio, captions, and ASL. You can view the updated organizational chart with new roles and responsibilities here.

Our E-News Schedule for Summer

Summer means sunglasses and sprinklers and also that our newsletter becomes monthly rather than twice-monthly. Here’s our schedule for this summer.

• July 21, 2026 – deadline: July 15
• August 4, 2026 – deadline: July 30

We’ll resume our regular schedule in September.

Do you have a story idea for us? Or would you like to do a blog post or an article? We’d love to hear from you: webmaster@hearingloss-wa.org.

Hearing-Friendly Live Entertainment: Open-Caption Movies at Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)

The Seattle International Film Festival shows fascinating movies all year round. And they present many films with open captions on Sunday matinees and all day Tuesdays.

SIFF Cinema venues also have assistive listening devices. Check with the theater before you go to confirm what’s available, then once you’re at the cinema, ask for a device.

As an independent film house, SIFF also presents many films with subtitles, including films from all over the world.

Coming up this summer…

• Disclosure Day at SIFF Cinema Downtown (formerly the Cinerama): Tuesday, June 23rd; Sunday, June 28; and Tuesday, June 30th.
• I Love Boosters at SIFF Cinema Uptown: Tuesday, June 23rd, all showings.
• Backrooms at SIFF Cinema Uptown: Tuesday, June 23rd, all showings.
• Disclosure Day at SIFF Cinema Downtown: Tuesday, June 23rd, all screenings and Sunday, June 28 matinee screenings, and Tuesday, June 30 all screenings.
• Leviticus at SIFF Cinema Uptown: Tuesday, June 23, all screenings.

Coming soon: Rose of Nevada and Minions & Monsters.

Another Study Links Hearing Aid Use to a Reduced Risk of Dementia

If you have a hearing loss, wearing a hearing aid may lower your risk for dementia — but you need to use your hearing aids effectively, according to this study in Cell Reports Medicine.

We talk further about the complex links between hearing loss, hearing aids, and cognitive decline on our webpage.

Hearing aids can boost your health and well-being in many ways, whether directly or indirectly.

Highlights from the HLAA Convention in Lexington, Kentucky

Miss the convention this year?

Check out the interviews with attendees on this video from HLAA’s Facebook, and watch the highlights here (hey, that’s our dear friend Ann Thomas!). You can also read about the award recipients.

Plan now to join next year’s convention in Atlanta, Georgia, Jun3 24-26, 2027, at the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta.

What Is an ADA-Access-Ready Hearing Aid, Exactly?

Getting the most out of your hearing aids means connecting them with other things you use: phones, laptops, televisions, and public assistive listening systems like hearing loops.

The wise folks at the Center for Hearing Access (CHA) look at it this way: When a hearing aid or CI has both telecoils and Auracast technology, it’s ADA-access-ready. That means you can connect to public assistive listening systems, which are required under the ADA.

More details on what that means exactly, plus a downloadable list of ADA-compatible devices to consider, are on this CHA webpage.

A Doorbell Chime That You Can See

Hearing loss might mean that we can’t hear our doorbell, which can make us feel stressed and anxious.

Try a doorbell designed for people with hearing loss and people who are Deaf.

These systems can flash, show text, or provide an adjustable chime transmitter. Some doorbells are integrated with other alert systems, such as smoke alarms.

Diglo sells some of these, as do other companies, such as Safeguard Supply. You could also check with ODHH or your caseworker to see if you might qualify for a free or discounted doorbell.

Note: We don’t endorse one company or one technology over another. Rather, we support a spectrum of technologies and resources to help people with hearing loss to live fully and safely.

Local, In-Person Support for Hearing Loss: Bellingham – Northwest Washington

July 18, 2026, 9:30 – Noon, Bellingham
HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter
This month:  “When Scholarships Really Have Extra Meaning,” with the FF Team, student recipients, and the Whatcom County Foundation.

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.

National Online Support for Veterans with Hearing Loss

July 21, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Pacific time
Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter Meeting

The national HLAA office has a virtual chapter dedicated to veterans with hearing loss. They meet online every third Tuesday of the month, and everyone is welcome.

Meet with veterans from across the county to talk about issues related to veterans and hearing loss. Caregivers and family members of veterans are welcome to attend. Free and captioned.