Our annual Community Day was the biggest and best ever. Over 65 people attended, and we were thrilled to see friends both old and new.

Here are the highlights of the day. Read on to hear what you might have missed, get links to more information, and download presentations.

Hearing Technology Tips

• Request technology you’ll need before you go. We tend to plan our day based on our best hearing day in the past–but if we arrive at an appointment or an event and discover we can’t hear well, it’s too late.
• Download your hearing aid manufacturer’s app and use it! You can switch programs, adjust the volume, use a music equalizer, reduce background noise, and improve speech understanding all without touching your hearing aid. It’s easier than you think.
• Embrace speech-to-text apps. There are many for both Android and iPhones, including AVA and Otter.

Safety and Emergency Support and Tech for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People

• Smart 911: Register to let them know about your hearing loss or any other health conditions, so that when you contact 911, they can help you faster. You can also receive weather, traffic, and other emergency alerts.
  
• The Coalition on Inclusive Emergency Planning: Sign up to receive their meeting notices and alerts. They’re working on our behalf.
  
• Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People are available from several places. These devices alert you via bed shaking and strobe lights.
  • The Washington State Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • The Seattle Fire Department and your local fire department
  • The American Red Cross Northwest Region
  • Buy them directly from Sonic Alert and Bellman & Symfon.

Asking for the Hearing Access You Need

Remember, you have the right to hear. Access changes everything.

Consider picking your battles: Where is it most important for you to hear? Perhaps it’s at your doctor’s office, or maybe an upcoming trip. Start there.

If you need help hearing at the doctor’s office or a medical setting, always arrange for access well in advance. When you arrive, let the receptionist know that you won’t be able to hear your name being called and ask them where you should sit.

• Air travel hearing loss tips
  • Let the airline staff know you have a hearing loss so that you can pre-board. That way, you’re not struggling to hear the group boarding announcements or gate changes.
  • Request extra help through security by contacting TSA Cares.
  • Contact Seattle-Tacoma Airport ahead of time and ask what hearing access is available: 206-787-3132, adacoordinator@portseattle.org. Don’t take no for an answer — the passenger Bill of Rights exists, and you have the right to hear. As a last resort, you can complain to the FAA. When you arrive at SEA, get a sunflower lanyard, which alerts staff that you may need extra help.

Dealing with the Emotional Impact of Hearing Loss

• Acceptance is a good place to start. You can move from challenges to possibilities.
• Find a community and hearing loss friends. HLAA-WA is a good place to start! A community of people who understand can change your life.
• Remember that many people have come before you and are now thriving. You can learn from them – and when you’re in community with them, they can learn from you, too.
• You don’t need to have all the answers in order to help others or yourself. Sometimes, the magic is simply trying new things, trying them again and maybe again, and being with people who get it.

The day was made stellar and memorable by many. Thank you to everyone below.

• Heather Patrick, event coordinator, whose quiet diligence took care of details before they even became issues and whose hard work is indispensable.
• Our sponsors Dr. Chad Ruffin, the Washington State Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Seattle Tacoma Airport Accessibility Team (Candace Field, Alex Andreotti), and our partner Town Hall Seattle (in partnership with a special family foundation).
• The many volunteers who generously gave their time to make the day sing, including board directors.
• The in-the-know people who demonstrated technology: Rick Faunt, Michael Fox, and Carolyn Odio.
• Our amazing presenters and panelists: Ann Thomas, Greg Bawden, Kimberly Parker, Cheri Perazzoli, Heidi Crabtree, Jacqui Metzger, and panel moderator Alexandra Alfieri.
• The people who sent your humble communications manager their chocolate cookies to keep her going.
  

To make sure everyone could participate, the day was fully hearing accessible: a hearing loop throughout the room, roving mics, a human captioner, and two ASL interpreters. If you need help making your event hearing-friendly, contact us: info@hearingloss-wa.org.