How does hearing loss change you?

Posted by joangela @joangela, May 11, 2019

For me, hearing loss has always been a part of my life. Those darn hearing tests in elementary school always put me in the category of hearing loss. Now, that I am much older, in my late 50s my hearing loss is profound. It is so bad, even my hearing family, has a real hard time adjusting to it.
How it has really changed me?
I was a small business owner, and a top notch sales person. I was a huge people person and an excellent communicator. It’s all gone.
A major change in my life.
How about you?

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@judysmayo

How timely @bookysue! This is brief info regarding upcoming Augmented Reality/Smart Glasses in the Phila area.
"In partnership with the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and the National Theatre, London, People’s Light is embarking on a project that will revolutionize arts accessibility for the Deaf and hearing loss communities. By integrating Augmented Reality/Smart Glasses technology with a new voice following algorithm developed by the National Theatre, London, we will provide theaters with real-time captioning for live performances. Lightweight and customizable, our smart glasses will enable people who are Deaf or experience hearing loss to enjoy live performance on their own terms and in the company of their friends, family members and neighbors.
Our pilot testing of this remarkable new system will begin in the Fall of 2019.

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Awesome. I would like to be tested for the device.

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@judysmayo

How timely @bookysue! This is brief info regarding upcoming Augmented Reality/Smart Glasses in the Phila area.
"In partnership with the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and the National Theatre, London, People’s Light is embarking on a project that will revolutionize arts accessibility for the Deaf and hearing loss communities. By integrating Augmented Reality/Smart Glasses technology with a new voice following algorithm developed by the National Theatre, London, we will provide theaters with real-time captioning for live performances. Lightweight and customizable, our smart glasses will enable people who are Deaf or experience hearing loss to enjoy live performance on their own terms and in the company of their friends, family members and neighbors.
Our pilot testing of this remarkable new system will begin in the Fall of 2019.

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@judysmayo @bookysue Thanks Judy I was going to post the same thing when I got home. The Chester County PA chapter had Marcie Bramucci from People's Light & Theatre (they are located in Chester County) and Lisa Sonneborn from Temple give a brief explanation of the new glasses at our March meeting. If anyone wants to be part of the focus group in the Fall they should contact Marci at People's Light bramucci@peopleslight.org . I am signing up for focus group. They already do captioning one week of every show they produce. They are very conscious of making the theatre accessible for those with disabilities.

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@lioness

@nurseheadakes
You mentioned your in a community in Fla. Is it in Northern Fla cant think of the name of it A friend from Pa use to winter down there they call them snowbirds coming down .I moved 2 times first after husband died had 10 room house we used all of them basement and attic that was a job then my mobile home to move to California I'm in a 62 and up building

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We are south of Tampa living in a non-incorporated community - a suburb or Bradenton. There are snowbirds that live in but we decided to stay here since our kids live down here.

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@bookysue

Weird a number of folks including myself. Mind you, I was born with this; always took aids out to read in quiwt( drive audiologist nuts- says it’s a no no- I do not like no no’s) never a consequence until the last few years. I now have “tin.... and for me it is resolved by keeping aids in. Still do not... FYI. See if that helps- there is more success with tin. Help - please check online as much as possible - always in any issue be as information gathering on your own on any issue . It saved my life last year.

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The audiologists frown on your taking out your aids because there should be a number of hours that your brain needs to have the stimulation of hearing from the sounds around you. If you don't have that stimulation, your brain actually atrophies and this is the research they have found that leads to dementia and alzheimers. A certain amount of hearing and discerning sounds, noises and voices to determine what and where they are coming from is needed to make sure all parts of your cortex/brain are working functionally. Your senses need to be on top of this as well - when you hearing is not all there, the other senses pick up to bridge the deficit. The norm for the day for like me is 7-10 hours of hearing. If I have a migraine, it may be less but then I put on my white noise or tinnitus noise and take a nap which usually goes away with my 'triptan' meds in less than an a half an hour. To keep my ears from getting itchy, I put my hearing aids in a cleaning machine at night, since our ears can collect bacteria and other things from the air. The Global Dry & Store uses a dry block and blue light to clean my hearing aids, extends the batteries life and makes sure the little domes are disinfected. No more itching ears for me. I even have one of them for my traveling.

As to reading with quiet, I have a program for my tinnitus that helps me keep things quiet, since I NEVER have quiet anytime. This tinnitus program on my hearing aids always has a background white noise close to my tinnitus noise that is soothing to listen to and so I have it on most of the time. If not that one, I can put on another tinnitus app that has many other sounds that I can choose from to listen to when I want to at anytime - just like music streaming although its without voices. My app came with the Resound Hearing Aids and it always changes with new sounds. Check out your hearing aids manufacturers and see what they offer - or ask your audiologist for assistance in this issue so that you help your brain stay elastic and functional. It will thank you years down the line.

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@nurseheadakes

The audiologists frown on your taking out your aids because there should be a number of hours that your brain needs to have the stimulation of hearing from the sounds around you. If you don't have that stimulation, your brain actually atrophies and this is the research they have found that leads to dementia and alzheimers. A certain amount of hearing and discerning sounds, noises and voices to determine what and where they are coming from is needed to make sure all parts of your cortex/brain are working functionally. Your senses need to be on top of this as well - when you hearing is not all there, the other senses pick up to bridge the deficit. The norm for the day for like me is 7-10 hours of hearing. If I have a migraine, it may be less but then I put on my white noise or tinnitus noise and take a nap which usually goes away with my 'triptan' meds in less than an a half an hour. To keep my ears from getting itchy, I put my hearing aids in a cleaning machine at night, since our ears can collect bacteria and other things from the air. The Global Dry & Store uses a dry block and blue light to clean my hearing aids, extends the batteries life and makes sure the little domes are disinfected. No more itching ears for me. I even have one of them for my traveling.

As to reading with quiet, I have a program for my tinnitus that helps me keep things quiet, since I NEVER have quiet anytime. This tinnitus program on my hearing aids always has a background white noise close to my tinnitus noise that is soothing to listen to and so I have it on most of the time. If not that one, I can put on another tinnitus app that has many other sounds that I can choose from to listen to when I want to at anytime - just like music streaming although its without voices. My app came with the Resound Hearing Aids and it always changes with new sounds. Check out your hearing aids manufacturers and see what they offer - or ask your audiologist for assistance in this issue so that you help your brain stay elastic and functional. It will thank you years down the line.

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I'm not familiar with Global Dry. Is it safe for all hearing aids? Thanks.

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@mikepa

@judysmayo @bookysue Thanks Judy I was going to post the same thing when I got home. The Chester County PA chapter had Marcie Bramucci from People's Light & Theatre (they are located in Chester County) and Lisa Sonneborn from Temple give a brief explanation of the new glasses at our March meeting. If anyone wants to be part of the focus group in the Fall they should contact Marci at People's Light bramucci@peopleslight.org . I am signing up for focus group. They already do captioning one week of every show they produce. They are very conscious of making the theatre accessible for those with disabilities.

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@mikepa I know exactly where that is on Chester Co. I use to life in Westmoreland all my life now in California

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@bookysue

Thankful Nurse Headshskes- Wow thank you so much for what you do. The letter spelling out what your needs with the docs other than me verbalizing/ reminding them even it is in the chart. That is an awesome idea that any person with a hearing loss should do. my Penn Care has done an awesome job but they do forget at times.
This will perhaps be my last convention-expenses are getting up there for me. This will be my 3 rd year .
I have 15 yest old hearing aids- I brought Nano aids last year as to be my backup. They do help. Closest aids to be a good higher than mild loss. ( most are for mild loss) I was amazed. I even spoke about them at the Philly chapter .
I hope you go to the convention- has a good research talk and I would like to meet you.
I am pushing advocating better commutation between docs and patients. I am also trying in a small way to get 911 to be done text style
We have come s long way with loops but Philly is not up there
We have a better captioning system in movie theatres . Other theatres needs some work. I will be helping someone in Philly on that . Weird and absurd placement of open captions I Arden, etc
We are far better than the UK .wow what issues they have there
Take care all. Poodle Dylan needs me to play .

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Thank you very much. My husband and I have been to at least 6 or 7 of them and have kept up to date with all of the research that has been going on with hearing loss, tinnitus and hypercusis, etc. Each state needs to work on the 911 issues since the federal government has given them the responsibility to work on it individually. In WI, when I was there, they were nearly ready to implement a plan that worked with all cell phones statewide. It was really exciting since it was the Hearing loss/deaf groups that worked behind the scenes to get the Sheriffs dept, the police dept. and the telecommunication companies to coordinate their services (triangulate) to provide services in the major cities like Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and cities along the major Freeway/highways. It was a start that would showcase how it would work. Now I am here in FL so we will have to see what we can do here.
As for the looping and using captioning/glasses - that's terrific. Keep that motivation going. Speak up and showcase the places that work and explain about that doesn't work. If you don't say anything, they assume everything is okay... but if you show them., they will want to make right because they want your patronage. That was how it worked in Milwaukee. I got one place to put in a loop and suddenly, they were the 'highlight' of the downtown - the little darling! A paper article that stood out and the audience (us) coming to try it out. I always wrote letters thanking them for their delivering a wonderful gift for us as well as to the community at large. Because what works for us also works for many more people who don't realize that they also need hearing aids or captioning as well. It's amazing what one little step a person takes can build into a small mountain after a time.
As for the UK - they will catch on in time because most of Europe is already looped.!!!

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@nurseheadakes

We are south of Tampa living in a non-incorporated community - a suburb or Bradenton. There are snowbirds that live in but we decided to stay here since our kids live down here.

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@nurseheadakes Love your title That sounds similar When I lived in Pa we use to vacation in fort Myers and other places plus my brother lived in Augusta ,Ga east coast has so much to offer I loved Ocean City Md

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@nurseheadakes

The audiologists frown on your taking out your aids because there should be a number of hours that your brain needs to have the stimulation of hearing from the sounds around you. If you don't have that stimulation, your brain actually atrophies and this is the research they have found that leads to dementia and alzheimers. A certain amount of hearing and discerning sounds, noises and voices to determine what and where they are coming from is needed to make sure all parts of your cortex/brain are working functionally. Your senses need to be on top of this as well - when you hearing is not all there, the other senses pick up to bridge the deficit. The norm for the day for like me is 7-10 hours of hearing. If I have a migraine, it may be less but then I put on my white noise or tinnitus noise and take a nap which usually goes away with my 'triptan' meds in less than an a half an hour. To keep my ears from getting itchy, I put my hearing aids in a cleaning machine at night, since our ears can collect bacteria and other things from the air. The Global Dry & Store uses a dry block and blue light to clean my hearing aids, extends the batteries life and makes sure the little domes are disinfected. No more itching ears for me. I even have one of them for my traveling.

As to reading with quiet, I have a program for my tinnitus that helps me keep things quiet, since I NEVER have quiet anytime. This tinnitus program on my hearing aids always has a background white noise close to my tinnitus noise that is soothing to listen to and so I have it on most of the time. If not that one, I can put on another tinnitus app that has many other sounds that I can choose from to listen to when I want to at anytime - just like music streaming although its without voices. My app came with the Resound Hearing Aids and it always changes with new sounds. Check out your hearing aids manufacturers and see what they offer - or ask your audiologist for assistance in this issue so that you help your brain stay elastic and functional. It will thank you years down the line.

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@nurseheadakes Thanks for all that information I never heard of TINNITUS music is it on c d ? Where did you get it from ?

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@suez

I'm not familiar with Global Dry. Is it safe for all hearing aids? Thanks.

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Yes - for hearing aids, cochlear implants and any device used for hearing. There are different types of devices that help keep moisture out of your aids and can be found by googling on line https://dryandstore.com/ There are other name products that your audiologists may have also. I just happen to use this product since day one.

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