Category: News articles

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids are Here!

Advocacy, Better Hearing, News, Resources

On October 17, Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids were finally approved for consumers to learn, explore and try. With countless millions of people suffering with hearing loss and high hearing aids costs, this may potentially be a real game changer.

Please see the HLAA resources below to learn more about OTC hearing aids, if you need one, and how to approach finding hearing aids that you can feel happy with.

Learn about OTC hearing aids

OTC Tip Sheet

Shopping Checklist

HLAA played a big role in not only providing guidance on OTC regulations and rules, but also getting the word out to the media and our consumers. It will take time to truly find what works for you, but your hearing wellness should be your top priority!

See what HLAA has been involved with in the OTC news!

U.S. Department of Labor Wants to Hear from You

Advocacy, Help Us, News, Resources

The U.S. Department of Labor wants feedback from persons who are deaf or with hearing loss and their experience accessing employment services through American Job Centers. They are looking for people who have recently used or interacted with American Job Centers who would be willing to share their input in an hour-long virtual listening session.

To participate in an hour-long listening session hosted by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Civil Rights Center (CRC), participants should have:

  • interacted with public or government-funded employment agencies, such as American Job Centers or One Stop,
  • had these interactions within the past five years,
  • used either a phone call, in-person meeting, or virtual meeting as part of this interaction.

Two meeting dates are set. Each meeting is 60 minutes long on Zoom platform and will include live/ASR captioning, CART captioning, and ASL.

Monday, September 12 at 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, September 14 at Noon ET

To participate or to learn more, contact *Michael Petrick, Program Manager at Economic Systems at petrick@econsys.com.

Join us and Learn About the California Telephone Access Program

Better Hearing, Meetings, Resources

Topic: Learning all the great benefits of CTAP!
Date: Saturday, August 27, 2022
Where: Online Zoom Meeting
Time: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. PT
Audience: Open to all for this free event. Please pass along this invite to others!

Visit California Telephone Access ProgramThe California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) is an invaluable service that many individuals are unaware of or don’t fully understand the free services they may be entitled to. CTAP products are geared to meet many needs including telephones, amplifiers, ring-signal, speech devices, headsets, and many accessories. So much help is available, you just need to ask!

Please join us as Oskar Aguilar, from CTAP, will explain the program and benefits and get your questions answered. This service could make a difference for you and others you care about that could benefit.

REGISTER

Presenter:

Oskar Aguilar

 

Oskar A Aguilar
Outreach Specialist
California Telephone Access Program

FDA Issues the Final Rule for Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

Better Hearing, News, Resources

On August 16, the FDA issued a final rule for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids and how they will be sold to consumers. This is a big day for those with mild to moderate hearing loss as many more affordable hearing aid options will become available within the control of the consumer themselves.

This is a long-awaited FDA rule and couldn’t come soon enough for millions of Americans who have put off buying or even considering a hearing aid due to costs.

To get all your answers to your questions and to learn more, please visit the HLAA OTC site.

Google Maps Adds Hearing Loops Information

Better Hearing, Hearing Loop, News, Resources

Google Maps has recently begun including hearing loops in the accessibility information on its website. This has received little notice from the national media or hearing loss–related entities but, for the hard of hearing, this is important news. A national database of looped venues has been a goal of hearing loop advocates for years and it’s finally becoming a reality. This action, a joint undertaking of the Get in the Hearing Loop Committee (GITHL) of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and Google Maps, is the latest example of the growing awareness and availability of hearing loops in public places.

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Partnering with Your Hearing Professional

Accessible Entertainment, Better Hearing, Resources

Animated guide partnering with hearing care professional

Everyone who needs assistance and help with their hearing needs will benefit greatly by having a supportive and strong relationship with their hearing care professional.

IDA Institute has put together an informative and fun guide called Partnering for Great Hearing Care. This brand-new animated guide shows a great partnership in action and provides practical tips for both clinicians and clients for how to build a successful partnership, based on four building blocks: build trust, connect as people, be active partners, and invite family and friends.

LEARN MORE

March Presentation Lip Reading Summary

Accessible Entertainment, Meetings, Research, Resources

Those who attended our March chapter meeting enjoyed a great presentation about what is lip reading, how it can help us in noisy situations and training opportunities. And a special thank you to Ed Auer, Ph. D. and Nicole Jordan, Au.D. to take time out of their Saturday morning to present to us.

Some meeting notes to share:

There is a wonderful opportunity to participate in the speech recognition study. To learn more go to https://seehear.us/study/.

You may also reach out Ed Auer, Ph.D., with any questions at eauer@gwu.edu.

Clear masks options to review and purchase:

Watch the presentation below.

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