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Hearing Loss: Come introduce yourself and connect with others
Hearing Loss | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (1446)Comment receiving replies
@lindleys: One of the greatest challenges for those of us who have become functionally deaf suddenly is that all the places you can go to get help require that you CALL them to make an appt. Yes, e-mail isn't secure, but, dammit, it is one way that we can communicate knowing that we have the details we need. Not long ago, I made an appt. at the local vet for routine shots for our cat. I arrived a few minutes early on Monday...only to learn that the appt. had been made for Sunday. Not only was I embarrassed, but I had to pay a $25 fee as a "drop in." AARGH!!! I live two hours from Oregon's only metro area, and I've found that the only sure way to set appts. is either to drive to the clinic and do it in person or write a letter. So sad that not even communicating with hearing centers can be via e-mail.
Replies to "@lindleys: One of the greatest challenges for those of us who have become functionally deaf suddenly..."
The telephone can be a problem, but technology available can remedy that. Get a captioned telephone. CapTel and CaptionCall are the two prime providers. They require landline connections, so work everywhere. There's a cell phone app called Innocaption that works with cell phones. You're hearing healthcare providers should be sharing this information with you IF you tell them about the issues you have that are problematic. There's a heck of a lot more to helping hard of hearing people than simply putting a hearing aid in their ear! They must also do some counseling, which means asking about your life, your lifestyle, the things you enjoy, and perhaps miss doing, etc. By the way, those captioned phones are free in most instances when you have a diagnosed hearing loss. Your state office or commission for deaf and hard of hearing will have information. Each state is a bit different, but they all have departments of health and human services that cover disability issues.
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@joyces: I live near Portland! I'd love to learn about any local resources you can share. I have my sister staying with me for now, making appointments for me currently. Although even my insurance company needs me to verbally confirm she's authorized to speak to them each time. That's a little frustrating and concerning for when she goes back home. I setup INNO Caption on my cell phone. Hopefully that helps.