How do we explain what it's like to have hearing loss?

@julieo4

Thank you for the excellent documentary on YouTube. It’s so very relatable to everyone’s personal journey. I wish hearing people would take the time to view it. It’s a little long and I find that most hearing people have short attention spans when we try to explain what hearing loss entails. I love the part about everyone assuming you know ASL automatically, that it is an invisible disability and the very important part about communication in hospital or medical settings. I find the medical community in general very lacking in accommodations and understanding.

It’s an ongoing every day challenge and all we can do is advocate and educate those around us on a daily basis. I would love to see a TV series like Little People…not on the culturally Deaf but on the rest of us with invisible hearing loss….that would open peoples eyes.

FL Mary

Here's a little bit about that documentary and how/why it was produced and by whom. 🙂

“We Hear You.” was produced by HLAA Members Holly Cohen, Shari Eberts and Roxana Rotundo, the film also features HLAA Member Toni Iacolucci. “We Hear You” was named Best Film on Disability in the June 2021 awards of the Cannes World Film Festival.

For some time it wasn't available to the public due to copyright I believe. Thank you to another MCC mentor for providing the link that is now available on YouTube. Definitely, this kind of information is very much needed to help people understand how hearing loss affects us.

Thank you for your feedback.

Julie

Thank you for posting the documentary. I was able to relate to all that was discussed in the film as I have a hearing aid in my left ear and a cochlear implant in the right. To have this documentary available to more people would be very advantageous as it provides a very positive view of hearing loss and what can be achieved.

When in a situation where I have to ask someone to repeat themselves, I explain that I have a hearing loss and that I may hear them, but I may not understand them. This breaks the ice and the other individual is more aware of what I am experiencing.

Staying positive is the best way to handle this life changing situation. As with any medical condition, we are our own best advocates.

@capa6

Thank you for your feedback. We definitely have to be our own best advocates. Our invisible 'disability' is misunderstood and minimized. It's so important to be open about it if we want to participate in the hearing world.

HLAA deserves a ton of credit for all the organization does. Prior to its founding in 1979 the hard of hearing population wasn't identified separately from the culturally Deaf population. We had no voice. So much has happened since the early 1980s and we are the beneficiaries of that education, information sharing, peer support and advovacy.

Is there an HLAA chapter in your area? http://www.hearingloss.org It's worth getting involved.

Julie, Thanks for passing on the link to HLAA. There is a chapter in my area so I will definitely get in touch with them.

So glad to hear that! HLAA is a wonderful organization. Strictly a volunteer organization. Please let them know you heard about HLAA on Mayo Clinic Connect. 🙂

I've belonged to HLAA for many years and have attended local conference sponsored by local chapter. They had good speakers and many hearing product vendors were represented. Plus it was great to meet others with hearing issues. Let me know if you can attend local event?

Not sure where everyone lives, but feel I can announce that HLAA in Wisconsin is planning a state level conference the weekend of April 26-27 in Appleton WI. It will be an open conference with some excellent presenters. If this is of interest to anyone who is following MCC, please send me a private message. I will be happy to put you on the newsletter mailing list so you can keep up with the plans for this event.

I live in Florida so I'll pass on the Wisconsin HLAA conference, but it sounds good. Enjoy!

Thank you! Hey, the 2024 national HLAA convention will be in Arizona next June. You may want to check that out. Those conventions are always amazing.