In this issue, we share a legal victory for people with hearing loss, why staying connected keeps us well, tinnitus tips and information, and more.
Mark Your Calendars for Our Annual Community Event
Our annual community event is April 25, 2026. In past years, this event was our annual meeting, but this year’s event will reflect a new format and a new approach.
Hearing Loss Community Day:
Take Charge Of Your Hearing Loss
Come learn how advocacy, support, and technology can help you hear better in more places. Includes hands-on learning.
Town Hall Seattle
Saturday April 25, 10:00 am to 3:00, lunch included
Staying Well Means Staying Connected
We appreciate this thoughtful article from our friends at AgeWise King County. The author, Alex O’Reilly, talks about how staying connected as we age can help us age well.
O’Reilly also mentions how connecting with others is linked to our physical and emotional health. We keep this in mind as we create programs and events to help older adults and others with hearing loss to come together in community and friendship.
Treating your hearing loss, trying technologies, and learning communication techniques can also help you stay connected. And we’re here to help.
Join Our Board Director Greg Bawden at an Employment Help Webinar
If you have a hearing loss and work in a noisy, fast-paced environment, don’t miss this February 18, 2026, webinar.
HLAA-WA Board Director Greg Bawden is a panelist. Read more on our blog, or click below to register directly.
Reminder: Two Workshops Coming Up at the Longview Public Library
If you’re in the Longview area, don’t miss our HLAA-WA Board Director Heidi Crabtree at these two workshops.
- March 12, 2026, 12:30 pm – Hear Better, Live Better
- April 9, 2026, 12:30 pm – Beyond the Ads: How to Choose the Right Hearing Aid
For more questions or additional information, contact Heidi at sarlife@gmail.com.
National Hearing Loss News
Legal Victory for People with Hearing Loss
Deaf and hard-of-hearing folks recently won a big court victory for the right to accommodations.
Read more details on our blog about how one person with hearing loss secured his right to CART captions.
Sharing News and Hope During Tinnitus Awareness Week
Tinnitus — that annoying ringing or noise that only you can hear — can be not just annoying but aggravating and painful, and it can disrupt your sleep and quality of life.
But help and treatments are available.
Get started by reading our tinnitus 101 post, “Ringing in the Ears, Ringing in the Brain,” and this article from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
Next, learn about treatments, which include hearing aids, masking devices, behavioral therapies, and newer approaches and technologies. And Lenire is an FDA-approved device that some people have found helpful.
A New Study on the Risk of Dementia and Hearing Aids
Do hearing aids help prevent cognitive decline? A new study suggests that wearing hearing aids may make us less likely to develop dementia. But in that study, hearing aid wearers didn’t have better memory or thinking tests than those who didn’t wear hearing aids.
Why? The study suggests that hearing aids act may as a “buffer” for our brains, perhaps protecting us from harm that may come later. This article in Smart Senior Daily explains more.
HLAA’s Executive Director Barbara Kelley is quoted, reminding us that caring for our hearing is part of our overall health and wellness. Hearing aids can help us stay connected with our families and communities, which is vital for our emotional health and our brains, too.
New Bill Would Help Veterans Who Need Hearing Aids
Might over-the-counter hearing aids help our veterans with hearing loss?
A new bill would create a two-year pilot program to evaluate OTC hearing aids in veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. The program would work with the VA and then issue a report to congress.
The national HLAA office supports the bill, as does the American Legion, the Consumer Technology Association, and the AARP. And of course, HLAA-WA supports efforts to help our vets hear better.
An AI Revolution in Hearing Health?
Learn More at the HLAA Convention Research Symposium
“The AI Revolution in Hearing Health: Smarter Tech, Greater Access,” is the theme for this year’s convention symposium in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday, June 12, 2026.
You can attend the full convention — and we encourage you to do so! — or you can attend only the symposium for just $25.
Hearing Loss Support Meetings
Local, Online Support for Everyone with
Hearing Loss: March 4, 2026
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.
Local, In-Person Support for Your Hearing Loss
- February 13, 2026, 1:00 pm, Renton
Renton Support Group
Our Renton Hearing Loss Support Group meets the second Friday of each month at the Renton Senior Activity Center, 211 Burnett Avenue North. Looped, open to everyone, and free. Simply check in at the front desk. - February 21, 9:30 – 11:30, Bellingham
HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter
This month: “The Emotional Impact of Hearing Loss.”
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
February 17, 2026, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Pacific time
Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter Meeting
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.
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.
National Online Support for Parents of Kids with Hearing Loss
February 25, 2026, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Pacific time
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.
Toastmasters Online for People with Hearing Loss
Need a boost in confidence? Some friendly coaching to improve your speaking skills?
If so, you might like to join the Audible Talkers Toastmasters, which is specifically designed for people with hearing loss. This friendly group meets twice a month, online via Zoom, the first and third Mondays from 6-7:15 pm Arizona time. Their next meeting is February 9, 2026. Everyone is welcome.
Access the meeting at zoom.audibletalkerstoastmasters.com. Questions? Contact Christy Abrams (c.abrams@acdhh.az.gov) or Harry Wolfe (hwolfeaz@gmail.com).
Hearing Access Technology
The Frankfurt Airport Tests Auracast
The airport in Frankfurt, Germany, has begun a trial run of Auracast Broadcast Audio. Two of the airport’s gates will send announcements to Auracast-compatible hearing aids, earbuds, and smartphones.
Read more about the project, including its interesting sponsorship, in The Hearing Review.
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.
Thank you for this information. I have severe hearing loss and the best hearing aids I ever had still don’y allow me to pick up comments and speech in which I am not in front of the person and then can lip read.
I had seen and done a little research information on AI smart glasses for people who are hearing impaired, and others, in which the captions of what is said can be seen. Not much in the U.S. on these as yet.
Do you know of any U.S. research being done on this type of device? I have looking in Air Caps and they look good but they cost around $700.
Are you considering having this kind of device on a program or in the e-news?
Thank you,
David
Hi David!
It turns out some folks are indeed studying caption glasses technology. https://researchexpo.ipat.gatech.edu/captioning-glass-captioning-eyeglasses-deaf-and-hard-hearing
There are several companies making caption glasses, including XanderGlasses, XRAI Glass, Captify, and Air Caps as you mentioned. Here are a couple links with more details…
https://hearingloss-wa.org/wp-content/uploads/Caption-Eyegleasses-for-Seniors.pdf
https://www.hearingtracker.com/hearing-glasses/hear-with-your-eyes-five-ar-live-captioning-glasses