Welcome to the September edition of Aging and Still Engaging, provided by the SLO County Commission on Aging. This month’s column, written by Noni Smith and Susan Savage of the Hearing Loss Association Central Coast Chapter, focuses on an issue that affects people of all ages, especially the elderly. The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Central Coast Chapter was established to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss in our communities by providing information, education, support and advocacy. Approximately 48 million people in the U.S. live with some degree of hearing loss, making it one of the three top public health issues. HLAA is a national non-profit organization that promotes self-advocacy for people with auditory loss. Being aware that you have a hearing loss and developing the ability to communicate your needs to others is crucial. HLAA offers strategies and suggestions to help cope with hearing loss.
HLAA plays a major policy role in advocating for people suffering with auditory loss. It works to pass legislation that promotes full participation and equal opportunity in society for persons with disabilities. By breaking down barriers, they work to raise awareness, enforce existing laws and push forward new legislation that will improve and protect quality of life. For example, the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act requires that the FCC ensure that telephones made in the U.S. or imported into the U.S. are hearing aid compatible. Captioned phones are available free of charge to anyone with a documented hearing loss, closed captioning is accessible on TV sets, movie theaters, performing art venues and churches offer assistive listening devices (ALD’s) or are looped to wirelessly transmit sound directly into hearing aids that have internal receivers.
Other advocacies focus on insurance coverage, tax relief for hearing devices, providing assistive hearing devices in classrooms, implementing airport accessibility such as captioning at airline terminals to announce cancelled flights/gate reassignments, and captioning in-flight entertainment. There is an emphasis on public safety to expand emergency preparedness communication systems on landline and mobile phones to ensure those with hearing loss stay safe in case of emergencies.
HLAA Central Coast Chapter meetings provide resources on how to successfully manage hearing loss and improve listening skills to live a more active lifestyle. The meetings are both educational and social. Knowledgeable speakers discuss topics such as: hearing aids, cochlear implants, hospital stays, speech reading, communicating with family and friends, emergency preparedness and travel. The Chapter is involved in community outreach and encourages hospitals to distribute ‘hospital kits’ for people with hearing loss. Meetings are free of charge and the meeting room is looped for compatible hearing aids and captioning is provided.
September 24 is the next meeting at 10 a.m. at The Villages in San Luis Obispo and the topic is “Children and Hearing Loss.” Panelists include an audiologist, a teacher of deaf children and a parent of a child with hearing loss. They will discuss symptoms, solutions and most importantly hope! To RSVP and for more information about local Chapter meetings, contact Noni Smyth at [email protected]. For more information on HLAA, the national website is www.hearingloss.org.
San Luis Obispo County Commission on Aging invites the public to join us at the Veteran’s Hall on Grand Ave. in San Luis Obispo on September 16, 2016 from 10:00a.m. – Noon. Our topic of the day is “What to Do if You Feel Sad and Lonely.” For more information visit www.slocounty.ca.gov/coa.htm or call 235-5779.
