League Buzz
Issue 12
You’re reading the League Buzz, April, 2006. Issue 12.
Go ahead…Spread the Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
SAY WHAT?
Do people accuse you of “hearing what you want to hear?” Does your significant other say that you have “selective hearing?” The truth is you may have a slight hearing loss. Don’t worry - there is no need to miss a word. There is a new trend in amplification devices to assist people with a mild hearing loss. Until recently, most hearing health professionals had limited tools to assist people with mild losses. Now, there’s something new and exciting – “open fit aids.” Talk to a League audiologist about “open fit” aids and see if they are the right “fit” for you! For more information call (917) 305-7751.
NO NEED TO ASK TWICE, COME CHECK OUT AN ASSISTIVE DEVICE! Free Device Demonstration
Tuesdays from 1pm to 2pm
Located at the League's office at 50 Broadway, New York City
Please call (917) 305-7700 or email info@lhh.org for more information.
TURN IT DOWN
Experts agree that continued exposure to noise above 85 dBA, over time, will eventually harm hearing. In general, the louder the sound, the less time required before hearing will be affected. According to EARinc.com, the following lists the Sound Levels, measured in decibels (dBA), of the Apple iPod:
Full Volume....120-125 dBA
3/4 Volume.....107-111 dBA
1/2 Volume......98 -101 dBA
These levels are dangerously loud. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), listening to your ipod for just 15 minutes a day at ½ volume or 100 decibels , over time, will damage your hearing. And once you lose your hearing from noise, there’s no getting it back. How loud are you listening??? Don’t take a chance.
The League’s Noise Center now offers Custom Music Enhancers (CMEs) for music lovers who can’t bear to part from their MP3 Player, but are afraid of the hazards of noise. With CMEs, the environmental sound is lessened and you can therefore reduce the volume to a less lethal level. In addition, the listener will enjoy better overall sound.
To learn more about CMEs for your MP3 and how to get your hands on a pair, please call (917) 305-7923 or email cme@lhh.org
SPOTLIGHT ON: HAPPY HATS
Kassie DePaiva, “Blair Cramer” on One Life to Live and League Board Member, is back again with her colorful and fashionable Happy Hats. Kassie makes periodic guest appearances at a new knitting hotspot, Knitty City located at 208 West 79th street. On March 16th, Kassie was joined by fans, fellow knitters and Upper West Side neighbors for a Happy Hats event hosted by Knitty City. Pearl Chin, owner of this new west side treasure says,“The store is a community center – knitting is a happy experience and it is a pleasure to work with Kassie.” Kassie sold over 40 hats on March 16th – with all of the proceeds going to the League for the Hard of Hearing.
THE LEAGUE IN THE NEWS
Don’t pump up the Volume – Hot Topic
Dr. Max Gomez of WNBC interviews the League’s Nancy Nadler on the harmful effects of noise & MP3s on hearing and discusses Custom Music Enhancers, or CMEs, and how they can help music lovers listen at a safer level.
http://www.wnbc.com/news/8000972/detail.html
FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT
There are many hearing impaired pilots but few deaf pilots. On February 24th, Stephen Hopson became the first instrument-rated deaf pilot. According to AVWeb.com, “the co-pilot listens and responds on the radio, then transmits the information to Hopson using signs and writing on a quick-erase board. Hopson is PIC in charge of the flight and makes all decisions. Hopson says, "By knowing what to expect and what to tell the co-pilot to say on the radio, a deaf instrument-rated pilot is PIC in the true sense of the word.” He plans to get a multiengine rating next, and then fly jets. He also is lobbying the FAA to expedite the implementation of datalink technology at the GA level, which he says would eventually enable deaf pilots to fly IFR on their own. "The Europeans are already using datalink," he wrote. "It's just a matter of time."
DID YOU KNOW?
1 in 3 people over age 65 have some degree of hearing loss and only 16% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss. Think about it – when was the last time that you had a hearing test? Probably not since elementary school. According to Dr. Ellen Lafargue, “Hearing loss affects communication and therefore often isolates people from family and friends. I have seen many clients who have been able to connect back to life once they’ve been fitted with the proper amplification.” Do you know someone who could benefit from a hearing screening? Forward this email on to the seniors in your life and encourage them to take advantage of the League’s free hearing screening (see below)!
SOUND SOLUTION
FREE Hearing Screenings
Every Tuesday, noon-2pm
Every Thursday, 4pm-6pm
Location: 50 Broadway, 6th Floor
When was the last time that you had your hearing screened? Not since elementary school? Chances are, your hearing has changed.
Call (917) 305-7766 or email appointments@lhh.org to reserve a screening time.
FLORIDA SUNSHINE
For all of you snowbirds (or any relatives or friends), the League for the Hard of Hearing- Florida provides hearing testing, hearing aid dispensing and mental health services. Exciting news - Broward County proclaimed March 13th as League for the Hard of Hearing Day!
League Annual Meeting
The League at 96! As we march to 100, we invite all League friends and family, including clients, parents, grandparents, alumni and members to join us for our Annual Meeting highlighting the past year and discussing the exciting year ahead. Join us on Tuesday, May 2 at 3:00pm, 52 Broadway, 2nd Floor, NYC. To RSVP please call (917)305-7820 or email info@lhh.org.
Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award Breakfast
Join the League and Event Chair Robert R. Douglass, Chairman, Alliance for Downtown New York in honoring Charles Urstadt, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. and “Father of Battery Park City” at the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award Breakfast on Wednesday, May 17th at 1 Chase Plaza, NYC. Registration begins at 7:45am and breakfast concludes at 9:30am. The keynote speaker will be the honorable John Cahill, Secretary to New York Governor George E. Pataki. For more information about this breakfast or to purchase tickets, please call (917) 305-7804 or email events@lhh.org.
Conference
Friday, May 19, 2006, registration begins at 8:30am, 52 Broadway, 2nd Floor, NYC
Beyond the Pure Tone Audiogram: Converging Paths to Spoken Language in Children with Hearing Loss. Keynote speakers: Dr. Mark Ross and Dr. Arthur Boothroyd.
Conference recommended for: audiologists, speech and language pathologists, teachers of the deaf, parents and students. This program is offered for .5 CEU Credits. For more information, please contact Amy Boyle, Director of Public Education at (917) 305-7809 or aboyle@lhh.org
HEAR MY STORY
By Peter Yerkes
The restaurant was noisy and my wife could barely hear me. But I could hear her perfectly. That’s a familiar story – except that I am the one with severe hearing loss and hearing aids, and she has perfect hearing. What made the difference was an FM system I bought at the League. My wife – or a friend or a business colleague -- wears a small microphone clipped to a jacket or shirt, and a transmitter/receiver feeds the sound of the person’s voice directly to my hearing aids. The mic also screens out background noise.
Two years after my hearing nose dived, I can suddenly talk easily in crowded restaurants, in a car with lots of background noise, or on a New York City street while buses roar by. At dinner parties, I just ask the person on my right to use the mike, then switch to the person on my left. I even managed to talk to a very interesting person at a raucous wedding party recently, while the over-amplified band played 15 feet away.
My point here is not to plug FM systems. It’s to underline the importance of keeping up with the latest technology to help the deaf and hard of hearing. Technology seems to change almost yearly. I certainly can’t keep track of it all. So I recommend strongly that people do what I do, and check frequently with the experts at the League for the Hard of Hearing.
SAVE THESE DATES
Cochlear Implant Support Group for individuals who have a cochlear implant, those who are contemplating a cochlear implant or those who desire information about cochlear implants. All are invited to share, listen, learn, teach…and support. This group has no affiliation with any particular implant center. Next Meeting: May 25, 2005 (please note that there is no April meeting), 50 Broadway, 2nd Floor from 5:30pm to 7pm. Light refreshments will be served. Please bring your questions, comments and personal experiences. A New York State Licensed Audiologist with expertise in cochlear implants will serve as the facilitator. For more information, call or email the Audiology Department at (917)305-7751.
The League’s NF2 Support Group
Next meeting: Tuesday, May 2, 2006 at 50 Broadway, 6pm, room TBA. Individuals with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and their families continue to meet every two or three months. Meetings are captioned, light refreshments are served, and all are welcome! Please join us. For more information, call or email Ilene Miner at Voice/TTY 917-305-7730 or iminer@lhh.org.
Program Exclusively for Families and Friends of the League at MoMA
The Museum of Modern Art is delighted to invite families and friends of the League for the Hard of Hearing to join for Places and Spaces, a special event at the Museum of Modern Art on Saturday, May 6, 2006. The morning will begin at 9:30 am (30 minutes before the museum officially opens to the public) with check-in at the Information Desk in the main lobby of the Museum. Families will then engage in a lively discussion on Places and Spaces in Modern Art led by a museum educator and enjoy art activities in the Museum’s galleries until 11:00 A.M. This fully accessible interactive program is recommended for children ages 4-14 years old. Space is limited and pre-registration is required, so please sign up today! RSVP to Astrid Flores at (917) 305-7820 or aflores@lhh.org. MoMA located on 53rd between 5th and 6th Avenues.
The League’s Adolescent Workshop
The Adolescent Workshop, for kids in mainstream classes, grades 5-8, will take place on Sunday, November 12, 2006 from 10am-3pm. Students and parents are invited to join us for a day of sharing, learning and making new connections.
TRIVIA
- What are four words in the dictionary that have no rhyming words?
- What is another name for “April Fools Day”?
- What astrological signs fall in April?
THANK YOU FOR READING THE LEAGUE BUZZ
The League for the Hard of Hearing’s mission is to improve the quality of life for infants, children and adults with all degrees of hearing loss.
We accomplish our mission by providing hearing rehabilitation and human service programs for people who are hard of hearing or deaf, and their families, regardless of age, ability to pay, or mode of communication, and by striving to empower consumers to achieve their potential. We hope that you enjoy the League Buzz, our premier email newsletter!
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For more information on the League for the Hard of Hearing, visit www.lhh.org or call 917-305-7700.
DID YOU GET THEM RIGHT? TRIVIA ANSWERS:
- There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with the words orange, purple, silver, or month.
- All Fools Day
- April begins (astrologically) with the sun in the sign of Aries and ends in the sign of Taurus.
