I’m learning about hearing loss and the technology available to provide accommodations to those of us with hearing loss. About ten years ago, I was relieved when I got my first set of hearing aids and found once again I could hear and participate in meetings and social occasions.  I am a huge fan of hearing aids.  They have brought me back some measure of communication.

As my loss has gradually increased over recent years, I’ve been able to make adjustments to accommodate. I watch the speaker closely to read their lips, especially in places with poor acoustics or loud background noise. I position myself close to the speaker and in line of sight of the person I want to hear at a lecture or meeting. I avoid noisy restaurants and crowded parties. I explain to my companions that I have hearing loss and request they look at me when they speak.  However, I still struggle. I am missing more information than I am comfortable with.

I have phones selected to work with and accommodate my hearing aids. They also have volume control, a useful feature for anyone.  I now watch TV with the closed captions turned on. I prefer watching movies at home where I can turn on captions (also known as subtitles) as well rather than visit the movie theater. I have an alarm clock with a vibrating pad that slips under my pillow and was thrilled to find a travel alarm version as well. No longer do I need to worry that I will sleep through the alarm in the hotel without my hearing aids on.

At home, I try to reduce the bounce of sound around the rooms. That reflection of noise creates a garbled sound that distracts from the speaker or source of sound.  Adding soft surfaces (rugs, wall hangings, upholstered furniture) absorbs some reflection of sound in rooms. Having bookcases and other irregular surfaces on the walls breaks up sound as well. All these together help me use what hearing I do have effectively.

Still there are things in my world that aren’t yet compatible. I frequently miss the audible alert on my cell phone that a text message has arrived. I can’t hear my phone in loud places so have settled for leaving it on vibrate at all times. But what if my needs were more significant or included vision impairment?

President Obama recently signed into law a landmark bill that will increase accessibility for some of the communications and information equipment we use every day. As the President shared in his remarks at the signing, “The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act will make it easier for people who are deaf, blind or live with a visual impairment to do what many of us take for granted — from navigating a TV or DVD menu to sending an email on a smart phone.“ These changes will make it possible for Americans to live life more fully and get or retain jobs. More information on the bill and the President’s comments can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/08/remarks-president-signing-21st-century-communications-and-video-accessib.

I am certainly not an expert in hearing loss and the best equipment for everyone. I do know that as an active adult with a busy life, I want to find solutions to my struggles to get information and communicate effectively with my friends, family and colleagues. Some are already out there and I’m eager to see what comes next.