Many kinds of support
November 2024
After the game
From left, Stephen, Ellen, Don, Paula and Bob pose after the Denver Chapter’s first mini-golf outing at the Family Sports Center in Centennial.
Coming: HOPE for us; support for partners; and disability law
In addition to chapter meetings and the friendships they engender, the Denver Chapter is developing other ways to find support and information.
Vice President Jennifer McBride has organized a branch of the national program Hearing Other People’s Experiences, or HOPE. The group met via Zoom for the first time October 23. In a confidential setting, they shared goals and memories. After a break in November, meetings will resume in December, Jennifer says. To receive an invitation with the Zoom link, email her at jen427mcbride@gmail.com, and put “HLAA HOPE” in the subject line.
Deb Lamfers, whose husband, Don Scott MacDonald, is a chapter member, is organizing a support group for people who are partners of someone with hearing loss. To express your interest, or recommend someone else who might be interested, email Deb at debra@lamfers.com, with “HLAA Partners” in the subject line.
Spencer Kontnik was born with a profound hearing loss. Now a disability rights attorney, he works with people with many forms of disability, as a founding partner with Kontnik and Cohen, LLC. At the Denver Chapter’s November 16 meeting, Spencer will explain the state of disability accommodation law in Colorado, especially as it applies to access for people with hearing loss. He will also tell the story of his efforts to be accepted for jury duty. That meeting will be at a different time than usual, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Koelbel Library’s Meeting Room B.
Cochlear update: new technology improves comfort, effectiveness
Amy Holley of Advanced Bionics (AB) gave the Denver Chapter a refresher class on cochlear implants, along with the latest news about the technology, at the October 19 meeting.
Advanced Bionics, based in Valencia, California, is one of three major cochlear implant manufacturers in the U.S. In 2009, AB joined hearing aid maker Phonak as part of the Sonova Group, so, as the company’s marketing brochure states, “We’ve got all sorts of devices to help you hear better.”
Amy grew up with hearing loss and now sports a pair of implants. Before joining AB as cochlear implant consumer specialist, she taught deaf children in classrooms and in their homes. Citing HLAA statistics, she noted that 48 million Americans, or 20 percent of the population, have some degree of hearing loss: “Hearing loss is more common than most people think.”
While she stressed that not everyone with hearing loss needs an implant, when the most powerful hearing aids are no longer effective, it is time to ask an audiologist for a referral to a cochlear implant center for more specialized testing.
New and improved
The partnership between AB and Phonak means the companies can make sure their devices are compatible, and work with the same types of accessories. But the cochlear technology itself has made major improvements that current users might want to investigate. They include:
Built-in Bluetooth
Artificial Intelligence (AI) that adapts to environmental sounds
Improved MRI compatibility
Possibility of retaining some residual hearing
Waterproof batteries
Processors that are more comfortable, less visible, and in multiple colors
And yet, Amy noted, “Less than 20 percent of people who could benefit from a cochlear implant actually get one.”
See also “Taking the plunge: deciding on a cochlear implant” in the Winter 2020 HAH.
Hearing devices ready for Auracast rollout
Auracast, the new Bluetooth-based transmission technology, has not yet taken over many public spaces such as airports and conference centers, but it is making inroads in the hearing device industry. That means when it becomes widely available, hearing aids and a few cochlear implants will be compatible.
According to an article by Stephen O. Frazier in the Fall issue of Hearing Health, the following brands have models that can be paired with over-the-air Auracast transmitters: ReSound, Jabra, Beltone, Signia, Oticon, Phillips, and Rexton. Cochlear's Nucleus 8 cochlear implant processor will be Auracast-capable pending a software update, he adds. Frazier was trained by HLAA as a hearing loss support specialist.
Unlike a hearing loop, an Auracast transmitter brings public announcements directly to a wide variety of devices, such as earbuds and smartphones. As Frazier notes,
Auracast is set to improve audio accessibility for both those with hearing loss and the general public. While it may take years to fully replace older systems, adoption will be quicker in new or upgraded venues. . . Auracast is expected to rapidly grow in use, meeting ADA requirements and becoming a key assistive listening technology for all.
See also “Auracast: the new horizon” in the April 2024 HAH.
Feliz Navidad, amigos
Following last year’s entertaining and delicious holiday lunch party at the Blue Bonnet Restaurant, the Denver Chapter will gather there again on December 14, from noon to 2 p.m. The Blue Bonnet features Mexican food, and is located at 457 S. Broadway, Denver, CO 80209, across from the Sam’s Club parking lot.
