HEARING LOSS AND COMMUNICATION STRATIGIES

1
HEARING LOSS AND COMMUNICATION STRATIGIES

• Amy K. Boyle
• Director, Public Education
• League for the Hard of Hearing

2
League for the Hard of Hearing

• Located at 50 Broadway, 6th floor, New York, NY
  10004 (lower Manhattan)
• Main Phone numbers 917-305-7700 voice,
• 917-305-7999 tty
• Public Education Department and Center for Health
  Care Access 917-305-7809
• Audiology Appointment Desk 917-305 7766
• Website www.lhh.org
• The League for the Hard of Hearing has been
  helping people with hearing loss and their
  families since 1910.

3
Tips for Communicating with someone who is hard
of hearing

• GET THE PERSONS ATTENTION FIRST!
• FACE THE PERSON HAVE LIGHT ON YOUR FACE
• SPEAK UP, BUT DO NOT SHOUT
• SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY DONT OVEREMPHASIZE
• CUT OUT BACKGROUND NOISE BY TURNING OFF TV OR
  RADIO
• REPHRASE RATHER THAN REPEAT A MISUNDERSTOOD
  SENTENCE
• WRITE IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO BE SURE IT IS
  UNDERSTOOD
• HAVE THE PERSON REPEAT VITAL FACTS TO BE SURE
  THEY ARE CORRECT
• League for the Hard of Hearing
• 50 Broadway, 6th floor New York, NY 10004
• 917-305-7700 voice 917-305- 7999 tty

4
Prevalence of hearing loss

• Hearing loss can happen to anyone, at any age.
• Hearing loss is one of the most common
  disabilities.
• There are over 30 million people in the United
  States with hearing loss.
• 1 out of every 10 people have hearing loss.
• After the age of 65, 4 out of every 10 people
  have hearing loss.
• After the age of 75, 1 out of every 2 two people
  have hearing loss

5
Degrees of Hearing Loss

• Mild Hearing Loss 26dB to 40dB
• Reduced ability to hear average conversational
  voice at a distance
• Difficulty hearing with background noise
• Moderate Hearing Loss 41dB to 55dB
• Reduced ability to hearing the average
  conversational voice beyond a radius of 3 to 6
  feet
• Difficulty understanding in the presence of
  competing signals
• Difficulty identifying ambient sounds

6
Degrees of Hearing Loss

• Moderate to Severe Hearing Loss 56dB to 70dB
• Very limited ability to hear the average
  conversational voice
• Inability to hear most ambient sounds
• Tendency to miss out on warnings for safety
• Limited tolerance for loud sounds
• Severe to Profound Hearing Loss 71dB and
  greater
• Inability to hear and understand the average
  conversational voice presented near the ear
• Inability to hear anything but the loudest of
  environmental sounds

7
Myths About Hearing Loss

• Myth 1 Hearing aids solve all problems
• Myth 2 Everyone either does, or should wear a
  hearing aid
• Myth 3 When people tell you they can lip read
  you, they catch everything you say
• Myth 4 All people who are deaf use and
  understand sign language
• Myth 5 Someone with a hearing loss will
  always tell you when they cannot hear you or
  understand you

8
Recognizing Hearing Loss

• Will often ask you to repeat information
  (everyone here is mumbling)
• Will watch the speaker intently (I cant hear
  without my glasses)
• Will fail to hear someone if the speaker is
  behind them
• Sometimes, will have a flat voice
• Will sometimes mispronounce words
• Will sometimes fail to respond to requests or
  directions
• Will sometimes respond inappropriately to
  requests
• Will often have difficulty on the phone

9
What does it mean to have a hearing loss?

• Hearing loss comes in all shapes and sizes.
• Hearing loss affects two things
• Volume, how loud sounds have to be to hear them
• Frequency, low and high sounds. This means we
  hear some sounds and some sounds drop out. We
  lose our ability to discriminate sounds.

10
Impacts of hearing loss

• Affects our ability to communicate with one
  another
• Affects our relationships
• Affects our safety, ability to hear warning
  signals, important information from our doctors
• Affects our independence
• It is stressful
• Causes embarrassment when we mishear
• As communication gets more difficult, many people
  withdraw, just stay home or to themselves.
• Depression and loneliness can set in
• A recent study by the Department on Aging
  reported that more seniors with untreated hearing
  loss reported feelings of sadness and depression.

11
What can be done?

• First, a complete hearing evaluation which
  includes the services of an audiologist and an
  otologist
• Audiologist a specialist trained to test hearing
  and prescribe appropriate hearing aids (even
  people with cognitive problems can have their
  hearing evaluated)
• Otologist a doctor who specializes in diseases
  of the ear. The doctor examines the person to
  make sure the ears are clean, free of wax, clear
  of infections and decides whether medical
  intervention is required

12
Hearing Aids

• Hearing aids like hearing loss comes in all
  shapes and sizes. The audiologist determines
  what is most appropriate aid from the hearing
  evaluation and trial of various aids.
• Since each hearing loss is individual, it is
  important to find an audiologist that will work
  with you to determine the right hearing aid for
  you.
• Under NY State law you have 45 days to return a
  hearing aid and get your money back
• Medicare typically does not pay for hearing aids
  (some Medicare HMOs have small policies)
• Medicaid does pay for hearing aids
• Costs of hearing aids vary greatly

13
Assistive Technology

• In addition to hearing aids, there are assistive
  alerting and listening devices which can help.
• Lights to alert you to the doorbell, phone, fire
  and carbon monoxide alarms
• Telephones with amplified headsets to increase
  volume
• Personal Sound Amplifier (pocket talker)
• Infrared TV Listener
• Closed captioned programs (TVs made since 1993
  all have this feature which can be accessed)
• FM system
• The League conducts free demonstrations of these
  and other listening/alerting devices, you just
  need to call 917-305-7700 to reserve a space.

14
Assistive Technology

• Two companies that sell assistive listening and
  alerting devices and are happy to mail you their
  catalog free of charge or you can visit their
  website
• Harris Communications www.harriscomm.com
  1-800-825-6758 voice
  1-800-825-9187 tty
• Soundbytes www.soundbytes.com
  1-888-816-8191
  voice 1-516-937-3546 tty

15
Assistive Technology

• Examples of some of the equipment we spoke about
  today
• Sennheiser Direct Ear Infrared TV Amplifier
  TV100 TV Amplifier around 199.00 not
  compatible with plasma televisions or rooms where
  fluorescent light are in use. Can be found in
  the Soundbytes catalog.
• Radio Shack amplified listener around 25.00.
  Note you do need to purchase headphones
  separately.
• FM Systems for personal and group use can be
  found in the Harris Communications catalog.

16
Just taking the time to care and do the following
can help!

• Get the persons attention first!
• Face the person Have light on your face
• Speak up, but do not shout
• Speak slowly and clearly dont overemphasize
• Cut our background noise by turning off TV or
  radio
• Rephrase rather than repeat a misunderstood
  sentence
• Write important information to be sure it is
  understood
• Have the person repeat vital facts to be sure
  they are correct

17
Need Help?

• The League for the Hard of Hearing has been
  helping people with hearing loss and their
  families since 1910. We are there for you. If
  you have any questions concerning hearing loss,
  communication access, health care access or
  League services the Public Education Department
  of the League is here to help. Feel free to call
  917-305-7809 or email aboyle_at_lhh.org.