This first appeared on Liz's Deaf Blog this week. Liz kindly asked if I would like to be a guest writer for her blog. You can find the link to Liz's website below the post. Be sure to check her site out.
I recently attended a meeting with Hearing Loss Association of America, HLAA. We had real time captioning (CART) on the screen beside our speaker which made it possible for me to catch just about everything being said. I say "just about everything" because there were a few things I typed into my phone for future reference and when I looked away, I missed what was being said or captioned. The lecture was on the topic of Tinnitus, and the speaker was Dr. Jason C. Schmitt Au.D. Doctor of Audiology.
As soon as I was signed in, Nancy Kingsley who is the President, HLA Lancaster County and State Co-Dirctor, HLAA Pennsylvania asked if I needed her to sign for me. What a kind offer! We had CART (real time captioning) set up next to the podium so we could see what was being said, not just by Dr. Schmitt, but it also captioned questions from the audience. I wish more organizations would use this wonderful visual for gatherings, services and presentations. What a world of difference it made for someone who doesn't hear well, or at all!
I met kind and interesting people. Some had hearing aids, some had cochlear implants, some are deaf, some are not. I'm looking forward to the next meeting where we will be learning about how to use Bluetooth technology with our hearing aids. I wonder if it works for people who have cochlear implants as well?
It is wonderful to have found a place to meet with warm, open, supportive people sharing information and genuinely wanting to help others by being present and sharing their experience with deafness and/or hearing loss. If you've not attended one of these meetings as yet, I would encourage you to do so.
To find a meeting near you in the U.S. http://www.hearingloss.org/content/hlaa-chapters-and-state-organizations
To find similar meetings in the U.K., social groups in the Nottinghamshire Deaf Society go to: http://www.nottsdeaf.org.uk/acquired-deafness-project.html
Liz's Deaf Blog: http://lizsdeafblog.blogspot.com/
Raised on the Southern Oregon Coast, now retired on the Southern Oregon Coast. I was a hard of hearing child who grew up to be a deafened adult. I share and write about deafness, hearing loss and other things I find interesting. I am a 50 something year old woman who could be anyone's mother, grandmother or friend. I've traveled the U.S., and I've lived in Europe. I'm currently residing near the beach with Fabulous Husband and 11 year old son. ~ Joyce Edmiston
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