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Washington State Hearing Loss News
Hearing Aid Bill Coming to Washington State for 2023
Rep. Tina Orwall will introduce a bill to the 2023 Washington State Legislature that will require group private insurance plans to cover hearing aids.
Read more from Cynthia Stewart this week in our Washington State Hearing Loss Blog.
Giving Back to Others with Hearing Loss with an End-of-Year Gift
If you’ve been touched by the work and service of HLAA-WA, please make a tax-deductible gift. Need inspiration? Read our “Oh, What a Year!” blog post capturing our shared 2022 success and offering a peek at 2023.
Hearing-Friendly Holiday Fun
There’s still time to catch some holiday entertainment before the year slips away. Here are some hearing-friendly options in the Seattle area.
- Mr. Dickens and his Carol, Seattle Rep, ending December 23, 2022. Hearing loops throughout the venue.
- Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music from Earshot Jazz, Town Hall Seattle, December 30, 2022. Hearing loop.
- Paddington Saves Christmas, Seattle Children’s Theater, ending December 31, 2022. Hearing loop.
- The Wiz at the Fifth Avenue Theater, ending December 23. Sennheiser listening system with headsets.
- Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Village Theater, ending in Issaquah December 30, 2022 and ending in Everett January 29, 2023. Hearing loops.
Watch Our Annual Meeting Video
If you didn’t attend our annual meeting in November, or you want to go back and catch something you missed, you can watch our November 2022 Annual Meeting on our YouTube channel. And while you’re there, subscribe to our channel and help us grow.
Thank you to HLAA-Diablo Valley’s Alan Katsura for his hours of patience and technical know-how in getting this captioned version uploaded correctly.
Why Hearing Loops on Google Maps Are a Big Deal
By checking Google Maps, we can now find out before we go if a venue has an assistive hearing loop. That’s a big deal! In this national HLAA blog post, HLAA-WA President Cheri Perazzoli explains why and shares what you can do to spread the word.
What’s Your Hearing Test All About?
What’s in your audiogram, and what’s a QuickSIN, anyway?
Carolyn Odio, HLAA-WA board member, offers some advice on your hearing test this week in our Washington State Hearing Loss blog.
Next HOPE Meeting: January 4, 2023
How did the holidays go for you? Were you able to enjoy your time with friends and family, navigate your hearing loss and public events, and be able to hear the things you needed to hear? At our January 2023 HOPE meeting, we’ll talk about our experiences during the holidays, share our victories and issues, and problem-solve and encourage one another.
Our Hearing Other People’s Experiences (HOPE) meetings are a safe, welcoming space where you can ask questions from your peers about anything and everything hearing loss related.
Facilitated by a caring, compassionate HOPE Crew, these monthly virtual meetings are free, live-captioned, and open to everyone with hearing loss and their friends and family. You’re also welcome to relax, listen, and spend time with people who understand what it’s like to live with hearing loss.
National Hearing Loss News
New Study: Treating Hearing Loss Can Reduce Dementia Risk
Treating hearing loss can help prevent dementia, and now there’s more scientific evidence for that.
In this JAMA Neurology study, scientists found a 19% decrease in “hazards of long-term decline such as incident dementia” thanks to the use of “hearing restorative devices.” Which means it’s a good idea to treat your hearing loss early.
Keynote Announced for HLAA Convention
We’re excited about next year’s convention keynote speaker: Dr. K. Renee Horton, a NASA engineer, leader, and physicist who happens to have a hearing loss.
You can now register for the convention, which runs June 29 – July 1, 2023.
Are You Identity-First or Person-First?
How we talk about hearing loss and other disabilities can affect how we feel and think.
Some people with disabilities prefer person-first, such as “I’m a person with a disability.” Others prefer to identify with a community by saying “I’m disabled.”
In this Psychology Today article, hearing loss advocate Shari Eberts explains how she manages this distinction when she refers to herself, and why it matters.
What do you think? If you have a hearing loss, how do you describe yourself, and why? Share with us in comments below.
Navigating Restaurants When You Have a Hearing Loss: Is It Possible?
The terrific Chelle Wyatt and Julia Stepp of Hearing Loss Live take you on a restaurant tour and show you—with humor and wisdom—how to enjoy a meal in a restaurant when you need help hearing.
Join HLAA and HLAA-WA
Member benefits include product discounts, reduced convention registration fees, help with the latest hearing loss tech, and HLAA’s award-winning quarterly magazine, Hearing Life. Your HLAA membership automatically includes HLAA-Washington. Dues start at $45 a year.
HLAA-WA does not endorse any technology, nor does exclusion suggest disapproval. We support the full spectrum of hearing technologies for everyone.