Hearing loss – some handy tips
One quarter of all adults aged 75 have hearing loss. Three-quarters of adults aged 85 have hearing loss. If you live long enough, odds are you will have hearing loss. Losing hearing can lead to isolation, loneliness and depression. We do not realize how much energy it takes for a hard-of-hearing person to strain to listen and how tiring that can be.
Photo courtesy Sam Mugraby
I was the secretary of the Board of Directors for the California Communications Access Foundation (CCAF) which oversees the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP). CTAP provides a free accessible phone for any disabled Californian. Each of us pays a small portion of our phone bill each month towards CTAP.
In addition to amplified phones for hard-of-hearing persons, CTAP also has phones available for vision, mobility and cognitive impairments. I bet you are wondering what a phone looks like for a cognitive impairment. It is a book of pictures of loved ones with a button beside each person’s picture. By pushing a single button, a person with memory loss can call their special person. There are also phones for people who have speech difficulties such as a damaged voice box, phones with digital readouts of the text, and phones that can beam sound directly into a person’s hearing aids making it possible for them to hear on a phone again, phones with flashing lights, and much more.
Here are three easy steps to order a free phone for yourself or a loved one.
1. Download the application or click this link. Fill in the top part and sign it.
2. Take the application to your doctor. Ask s/he to sign it and fax it to CTAP. The fax number which is on the bottom of the application is 1-800-889-3974.
3. Get a phone one of two ways. CTAP will call you once they have your application and you can either go to a service center, or have a field representative call on you at your home (great for frail people who have difficulty leaving their home). The field rep can even help set up your phone if needed, although most phone installation is very simple.
In working with a client who is hard-of-hearing, I always address the hearing loss first. I use assistive technology to help me in this work. I love the Williams Sound Pocket Talker. It is a joy to see people’s faces light up when suddenly they can hear. These are a great tool to take to the doctor’s office, or for a family meeting.
When talking with a hard-of-hearing person, here are some important tips for how to maximize their hearing ability and have better communication.
* Speak with the person one-on-one in a quiet room without other distractions.
* Turn off the television or radio when trying to communicate with them.
* Do not sit in front of a window because your face will appear black, eliminating any chance of them watching your lips and the nuances of communication on your face. Instead close the shades and have lamp light or overhead lighting.
* Sit directly in front of the person about 3-4 feet away. Make sure they have a clear view of your face.
* If more than one person is present, take turns talking. The hard-of-hearing person cannot hear both at once. If several people are present it is vitally important that all others remain quiet while each person is speaking. Whispering in the room will add unwanted sound waves distorting the speaker’s voice.
* Do not cover your mouth with your hand when you talk. Also, do not eat, drink, or chew gum while conversing.
* Speak clearly and distinctly. Shouting makes things worse. Do not shout at the person, as this leads to hard feelings and can make them feel attacked or depressed. Instead slow your speech down and speak very clearly with good annunciation. If you are not being understood, try saying it in a different way.
* Try to have your conversation in a smaller room with carpet, and wall coverings such as paintings, curtains or tapestries. Shiny painted walls and floors cause sound to bounce around more distorting it.
* Lip reading is not something everyone can do. In fact, only 20% of speech is visible on the lips anyway. Do not think that the hard-of-hearing person should simply take lip reading classes. They may help, but some people will never be able to do it.
* Accents make everything more complicated. Take your time, sit directly in front of the person, and go slow.
* Use a message board to help if needed.
* Hearing aids do not restore normal hearing. Even with them, the person will still be concentrating hard on what you are saying. Some people simply cannot hear, even with hearing aids.
* Understand that it takes a great deal of energy for a hard-of-hearing person to listen to you. Keep your visits shorter and more frequent. Also know that they may need to take a rest from listening because it is physically very tiring.
* One of the first signs of hearing loss is the feeling that others are mumbling or not speaking clearly. This is because higher frequencies are often damaged. These are where consonants occur. Vowels occur in lower frequencies. Can you imagine hearing a sentence in which you only heard the vowels, and no consonants? You would feel others were not speaking clearly! Difficulty hearing in restaurants or noisy large venues, or hearing speakers such as the pastor at church is another sign. Frequent misunderstandings of what others have said, not hearing the door bell or phone, or needing lots of repeating can all be indicators of hearing loss.
If you or someone you love has a hearing loss, a trip to the audiologist is the best thing. New hearing aids can be fine tuned with a computer to match the frequencies where you have deficits. Go to a reputable dealer who offers a wide variety of hearing aids, not just a single type. Hearing aids are expensive and not always covered by insurance. Organizations such as the Lion’s Club Ear of the Lion Foundation can help.
I am credentialed in Counseling Late Deafened and Hard-of-Hearing Persons, a unique program from San Francisco State University. In addition to two years of classes, I also had a one year internship working with late deafened and hard-of-hearing people. I learned to use a wide variety of technology during that time in working with clients.
I can assist when you or a person you love is struggling with hearing difficulties. Please call me at 707.889.9168 or send me an email – LCStrom@gmail.com. I will be happy to help or connect you with someone who can!
Hearing loss – some handy tips
One quarter of all adults aged 75 have hearing loss. Three-quarters of adults aged 85 have hearing loss. If you live long enough, odds are you will have hearing loss. Losing hearing can lead to isolation, loneliness and depression. We do not realize how much energy it takes for a hard-of-hearing person to strain to listen and how tiring that can be.
Photo courtesy Sam Mugraby
I was the secretary of the Board of Directors for the California Communications Access Foundation (CCAF) which oversees the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP). CTAP provides a free accessible phone for any disabled Californian. Each of us pays a small portion of our phone bill each month towards CTAP.
In addition to amplified phones for hard-of-hearing persons, CTAP also has phones available for vision, mobility and cognitive impairments. I bet you are wondering what a phone looks like for a cognitive impairment. It is a book of pictures of loved ones with a button beside each person’s picture. By pushing a single button, a person with memory loss can call their special person. There are also phones for people who have speech difficulties such as a damaged voice box, phones with digital readouts of the text, and phones that can beam sound directly into a person’s hearing aids making it possible for them to hear on a phone again, phones with flashing lights, and much more.
Here are three easy steps to order a free phone for yourself or a loved one.
1. Download the application or click this link. Fill in the top part and sign it.
2. Take the application to your doctor. Ask s/he to sign it and fax it to CTAP. The fax number which is on the bottom of the application is 1-800-889-3974.
3. Get a phone one of two ways. CTAP will call you once they have your application and you can either go to a service center, or have a field representative call on you at your home (great for frail people who have difficulty leaving their home). The field rep can even help set up your phone if needed, although most phone installation is very simple.
In working with a client who is hard-of-hearing, I always address the hearing loss first. I use assistive technology to help me in this work. I love the Williams Sound Pocket Talker. It is a joy to see people’s faces light up when suddenly they can hear. These are a great tool to take to the doctor’s office, or for a family meeting.
When talking with a hard-of-hearing person, here are some important tips for how to maximize their hearing ability and have better communication.
* Speak with the person one-on-one in a quiet room without other distractions.
* Turn off the television or radio when trying to communicate with them.
* Do not sit in front of a window because your face will appear black, eliminating any chance of them watching your lips and the nuances of communication on your face. Instead close the shades and have lamp light or overhead lighting.
* Sit directly in front of the person about 3-4 feet away. Make sure they have a clear view of your face.
* If more than one person is present, take turns talking. The hard-of-hearing person cannot hear both at once. If several people are present it is vitally important that all others remain quiet while each person is speaking. Whispering in the room will add unwanted sound waves distorting the speaker’s voice.
* Do not cover your mouth with your hand when you talk. Also, do not eat, drink, or chew gum while conversing.
* Speak clearly and distinctly. Shouting makes things worse. Do not shout at the person, as this leads to hard feelings and can make them feel attacked or depressed. Instead slow your speech down and speak very clearly with good annunciation. If you are not being understood, try saying it in a different way.
* Try to have your conversation in a smaller room with carpet, and wall coverings such as paintings, curtains or tapestries. Shiny painted walls and floors cause sound to bounce around more distorting it.
* Lip reading is not something everyone can do. In fact, only 20% of speech is visible on the lips anyway. Do not think that the hard-of-hearing person should simply take lip reading classes. They may help, but some people will never be able to do it.
* Accents make everything more complicated. Take your time, sit directly in front of the person, and go slow.
* Use a message board to help if needed.
* Hearing aids do not restore normal hearing. Even with them, the person will still be concentrating hard on what you are saying. Some people simply cannot hear, even with hearing aids.
* Understand that it takes a great deal of energy for a hard-of-hearing person to listen to you. Keep your visits shorter and more frequent. Also know that they may need to take a rest from listening because it is physically very tiring.
* One of the first signs of hearing loss is the feeling that others are mumbling or not speaking clearly. This is because higher frequencies are often damaged. These are where consonants occur. Vowels occur in lower frequencies. Can you imagine hearing a sentence in which you only heard the vowels, and no consonants? You would feel others were not speaking clearly! Difficulty hearing in restaurants or noisy large venues, or hearing speakers such as the pastor at church is another sign. Frequent misunderstandings of what others have said, not hearing the door bell or phone, or needing lots of repeating can all be indicators of hearing loss.
If you or someone you love has a hearing loss, a trip to the audiologist is the best thing. New hearing aids can be fine tuned with a computer to match the frequencies where you have deficits. Go to a reputable dealer who offers a wide variety of hearing aids, not just a single type. Hearing aids are expensive and not always covered by insurance. Organizations such as the Lion’s Club Ear of the Lion Foundation can help.
I am credentialed in Counseling Late Deafened and Hard-of-Hearing Persons, a unique program from San Francisco State University. In addition to two years of classes, I also had a one year internship working with late deafened and hard-of-hearing people. I learned to use a wide variety of technology during that time in working with clients.
I can assist when you or a person you love is struggling with hearing difficulties. Please call me at 707.889.9168 or send me an email – LCStrom@gmail.com. I will be happy to help or connect you with someone who can!