Washington State Hearing Loss News
Live Out Loud with Your Hearing Loss
In honor of Better Hearing & Speech Month, be a hearing ambassador. Whenever you say “I have a hearing loss” or “I need help hearing,” you’re helping not only yourself but others, too. And the best part is that all you have to do is talk. Find out more about becoming a hearing ambassador on our website.
Another action you can take: Share Governor Inslee’s proclamation for Better Hearing Month with your local city or county council, library, community center, or place of worship. Ask that they share the proclamation with their networks and take action to make their programs and services hearing-friendly.
Slaying the Dragon at the Doctor’s Office
A lack of access in healthcare settings is one of the most upsetting—and all-too-common—experiences for people with hearing loss.
On our blog this week, Becky Montgomery shares her recent experience and offers some tips on how to make your next doctor visit easier. And you don’t have to break out into a Beyonce-inspired dance to get the receptionist’s attention.
We’re Connecting with the Community This Month in Federal Way
One way we fulfill our mission is by connecting and serving people with hearing loss out in the community. Thank you to these HLAA-WA leaders: Treasurer Rick Faunt, Board Member Sandra Bunning, Secretary Glenda Philio, and member Bev Ziarko for taking time to meet with interested seniors at the Federal Way Health and Senior Services Expo.
If you’re interested in us being part of your event, meeting, or conference—or you’d like to do outreach yourself—let us know: info@hearingloss-wa.org.
Reminder: Deaf & Hard of Hearing Expo in Washington State on June 1, 2023
Learn about resources, assistance, and services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people at the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing’s Expo on June 1, 2023, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue E, Lacey, Washington. Stop by and see us—we’ll be there.
Visit the ODHH website calendar for more information on this Expo and for other upcoming events that people who are hard-of-hearing or Deaf might be interested in.
Next HOPE Meeting: Wednesday, June 7, 2023: A New Format To Better Serve You
To better serve our HOPE community, we’ll launch our new format at our June HOPE meeting.
With the goal of reaching everyone, we will be focusing more time on exchanging ideas. After creating an agenda at the top of the call, we will
address each question or concern before moving to the next topic. Our facilitators will ensure everyone has a chance to share and has a chance to talk and get support. We learn from each other’s experiences, and this new format will allow us to create a better flow of information and to spend more time talking about what’s most important.
Join us at our next HOPE meeting and let us know how the new format works for you.
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 and hearing tech.
Facilitated by a caring, compassionate HOPE Crew, these monthly virtual meetings are free, live-captioned, and open to everyone with hearing loss and to their friends and family. You’re welcome to relax, listen, and simply spend time with people who understand what it’s like to live with hearing loss.
Final Reminder: Hearing-Accessible History Talks in Seattle This Spring and Summer
The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle is continuing its terrific series of hearing-friendly, in-person history talks.
Programs with both CART captioning and ASL Interpretation:
History Café: A Decade of Gender Justice on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 6:30pm.
Reflections on Art Practices in Seattle: 25 Years of the Neddy Artist Award on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 7:00pm.
You can also visit our events webpage for more hearing-friendly entertainment ideas in the Seattle area.
Meeting with ODHH’s Earnest Covington III Is CANCELED
Due to budget limitations, the ODHH community meeting in Tacoma on June 10, 2023, has been canceled. Leaders at ODHH tell us they’re exploring options and hope to have an update in the fall. We look forward to seeing Earnest and the ODHH crew in the future.
National Hearing Loss News
Rediscovering Lost Sounds with Help from Your Hearing Aids
Which lost sounds did you miss when you lost your hearing but were pleased to reclaim when you got your hearing aids?
The inimitable Gael Hannan shares the sounds she found again after receiving her cochlear implant: a clock ticking, rain on the roof, and leaves falling on pavement.
Dialogue Improvement Now Available in Amazon Prime Video
Hearing dialogue on your television, even with tech help, can be hard. But on Amazon Prime, you can now try their new dialogue boost, which “lets you increase the volume of dialogue relative to background music and effects.”
As always, tell us know how it works for you in the comments below.
Hearing Aids vs. Meaningful Hearing Care
Hearing aids can transform your life. But sometimes, you need tech help, support, and education to get the most out of even the very best hearing aids.
Hearing loss advocate Stephen O. Frazier explains the difference between hearing aids and hearing care in this excellent article.
Meet Us in New Orleans at the Convention
Have you registered for the 2023 HLAA convention? Here’s what you’ll find….
- A research symposium, “Joy of Music/Loving Your Ears”
- A keynote from Dr. K. Renee Horton, NASA engineer
- A Welcome Back Bash at the historic Presbytere
- Educational workshops on OTC hearing aids, workplace accommodations, wireless resources, loop advocate tools, and more
- An awards reception featuring several HLAA-WA award winners
- More!
We’re Here for You
Thank you for your interest in HLAA-Washington State and in all things hearing health related. As always, let us know how we can help you: info@hearingloss-wa.org.
HLAA-WA does not endorse any technology, nor does exclusion suggest disapproval. We support the full spectrum of hearing technologies for everyone. 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.