Do you know about Telecoils & Hearing Loops in Public Spaces?

Yes

There are many times when I try to tell myself that life is easier without folks, but - speaking only for myself - I find that even very superficial interactions with people make me feel a bit happier. Right now I agree with you that it's just too hard - after six months of hoping I'll be able to join in the discussion with a local book group, I find the room where they meet (and the pace of the discussion and the distance they sit from one another) is just an impossible hearing situation for me. I know I'm supposed to whip out a microphone or Roger pen for them to pass around and ask them to talk more slowly to accommodate me. But I doubt it would help even if I were assertive and well equipped enough to ask. I'm feeling embarrassed because I rarely join in the discussion and still feel like a not very bright outsider, so I'm planning to quit the group. Bummer.
All I can think - speaking only for myself again - is that eventually I'll come across another situation which will work out better. But right now I'm feeling discouraged and planning to take a few months before I try something new.

I belong to book club at the local library and have little problem hearing with my HAs.

Yet, I know the difficulty you may be having because I attend meetings for a group that I belong to in my church. I have tremendous difficulty hearing in that setting which LOOKS about the same size. So I wondering if there is something about the acoustics that might account for the marked difference. Could someone with knowledge of the factors that go into good acoustics pipe in here?

Thanks,
Peg in Philadelphia

Don’t they have a device that can be put is in a middle of a table err. that bigger than a mike - any inventors out there.

What I've heard people (who know much more than me) say: Hearing aids amplify ALL sounds and in some spaces that is counter-productive - causing distortion, reverberation and overall, a lack of clarity for the sounds that you DO really want to hear. Some hearing aid manufacturers offer "apps" that offer options via your phone and these may help - letting you control the "direction" of the hearing aids. The hearing loop solution discussed here isolates the audio signal produced by a PA system, or local microphone, from all background noises and pipes it directly to the telecoil in a hearing aid, implant or loop listening device. The local microphone could be a "boundary mic" or a few of them, placed on a table used by a group such as the book club, that links to the loop system. I hope this helps but if not, please let me know.

There are small 1:1 loop devices that can be used on table tops and they can be linked to one or more external microphones. The "boundary" mic can be daisy-chained to cover a long table and allows for any speaker's voice to get piped to all of the telecoils in the "loop" field. Loop designers/installers can get very creative with where they install the cooper coil loop that creates the audio field -- under a table or counter, overhead in a ceiling tile, overhead in a hanging disc, under a floor mat, or within a seat cushion.

Thanks for the information. My Phonak hearing aides do have a "hearing in noise" setting, but it doesn't seem to work very well for me - it's as if what I'm trying to hear is reduced in volume along with the background noise. Maybe I'll try for another brand of hearing aide next time. I think I will check out the small loops if I can find a vendor (does anyone know where small loops are sold?). Thanks again!

There are a few listed in the Harris Catalog and you could purchase one, and carry it with you...but your best bet may be to contact a local hearing loop designer/installer because it is typically a B2B (business-to-business) transaction. (The general public doesn't pay for wheelchair ramps - and should not have to pay for hearing loop installs.) See this site for some ideas or let me know where you are located. http://www.hearingloop.org/vendors.htm This site is published by Dr. Myers, a super-champion of looping in the US.

@asklar02492
Hi,

I have Phonak aids with 2 speech in noise programs , one is directional and the other is omnidirectional. I asked my Audi if she could up the speech volume without touching the noise suppression setting in both these programs and she did. The way she raises the volume is different from the way we do it which just makes everything louder.
So it can be done. Now the voices are louder and the background is not. I am not losing any speech sounds and I have not adjusted the volume in any environment since she made the adjustment. I have the omnidirectional voice setting just a tad louder....it sounds a little loud in a quiet setting but out in the real world it works.
If your Audi is unsure how to do this, have her call Phonak while you are in the office and they will instruct her. Don’t let the Audi tell you it can’t be done.

Regards from FL Mary

Thanks for the information. I'm not sure which hearing in noise program I have, but I will definitely make an appointment with my audiologist to adjust. I'm really excited - I hope it works!