League Buzz
Issue 18
You’re reading the League Buzz
December 1, 2006
Issue 18
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Holiday Tips
Hearing loss, the nation’s number one disability, affects more than 31 million people in the United States and can affect far more than just your sense of hearing. The holidays are coming up, and they can be very stressful for someone with a hearing loss. With large family groups gathering, laughing and talking, it's very easy for someone with a hearing loss to have a hard time following the conversation and to feel left out or isolated. Hearing aids and cochlear implants have limitations in noisy environments like this, so here are a few tips to help make this holiday more enjoyable for everyone.
Don’t be afraid to tell people you have a hearing loss. Most people are eager to help you if they know what to do.
If you wear a hearing aid, make sure it is working properly and that you have fresh batteries. Bring extra batteries with you when heading out on a trip or a visit with family and friends.
It's easier to talk with people one-on-one in a quiet environment than in a noisy living room. With that in mind:
- Find a favorite friend or relative, and move the conversation into a quiet room, or a quieter corner.
- Play a game or read a story to a child.
- Help out in the kitchen where there are usually less people gathered. (And if you help with some preparations, you'll be the first to know what's for dinner!)
When sitting down to dinner, make sure you choose a seat that makes it easier for you to communicate! Here are some seating suggestions:
- If you have a "better side," seat yourself so that most people are on that side.
- Seat yourself next to a person you usually have the least difficulty hearing or speechreading (avoid those folks with bushy mustaches and beards!)
- Seat yourself next to someone who usually has the patience to clue you in on what the conversation is about, or the punch lines you'll miss.
- Try not to seat yourself facing a window because the glare could make it difficult to see people's faces.
- Ask your host to turn off any background music during dinner. And if a football game is blaring from a TV, politely ask to turn it off or if that's not an option, set it on mute.
Conversation tips:
It's inevitable that there will be some parts of a conversation you will have difficulty with when many people are talking and laughing at once. Try to be the one to start conversations. If you start a conversation, you'll know what the topic is, and it will be easier to understand what follows. If you miss something, try to ask only for the part you missed, instead of just saying "what?"
Expect that there may be jokes that you will not hear, so you will find yourself sitting at a table where everyone is laughing except you. Stay calm - you have a few options:
- Ask the person next to you to tell you what was so funny.
- Ask the person next to you to remember what was so funny so they can tell you later.
- Say "excuse me" to everyone at the table, and ask for the joke to be repeated so you can get it too. Remember that if you do this with a pleasant attitude, then people will usually want to help you out.
Assistive Devices:
There are assistive devices, such as personal amplifiers and auxiliary microphones that can help you hear in noisy environments. These can work either in conjunction with your hearing aid or cochlear implant, or without hearing aids (for those people who do not yet use hearing aids). These devices are available at the SoundBytes store (888-816-8191) at the League for the Hard of Hearing at 50 Broadway, NYC.
Who Said that?
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you too, can become great.”
A Night on the Town
The holidays are a time when many people head out for a night at the theatre or to catch the latest holiday movie. These two resources are a great starting point for individuals with a hearing loss.
Give My Regards to Broadway
The Theatre Development Fund’s Theatre Access Project (TAP) is designed to provide access in New York City to the performing arts for individuals with physical disabilities, including people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Approximately 25% of TAP's yearly ticket sales are for sign language interpreted and open captioned performances that benefit people with hearing loss. For more information, or to sign-up for TAP’s mailing list, visit http://www.tdf.org/tap/
Two Thumbs Up
Want to know where you can watch the films that critics are raving about – with open captioning? Check out Insight Cinema for an updated list of open captioned movies in your area. http://www.insightcinema.org/links.html
League Events at the Museum of Modern Art
Adolescent Studio Workshop, Sunday, January 14, 2007:
The Art Studio Workshop is a two-hour workshop that combines art-looking and art-making exercises to strengthen participants’ observational, analytic and language skills. The art studio workshop combines an hour in the galleries looking at and discussing art works in MoMA’s permanent collection
galleries, and a one-hour art-making workshop in a classroom.
FM assistive listening devices (headsets and neck loops) will be made
available to any participants who may benefit from these services.
Parents and Alumni Evening, January 11, 2007:
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) invites parents and alumni members from The League for the Hard of Hearing to celebrate the opening of the new Lewis B.
and Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Building at MoMA, on January
11th, 2006 from 5:30 - 7:00 P.M.
The evening will begin with a wine and cheese reception in the Lewis B. and
Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Building, and an introduction to
future collaborative programs between MoMA and The League for the Hard of
Hearing. An audiologist from The League will be on hand to discuss assistive
listening devices that are available at MoMA.
The reception will be followed by an hour-long guided tour in the galleries.
During the tour a MoMA educator will present ways in which families can
integrate art into everyday life and their children¹s education.
To RSVP for either event, please call (917) 305-7820.
Winter Carnival – January 28, 2007
Join us at our Sixth Annual Winter Carnival for an afternoon of family fun to benefit the League. Reunite with families you haven't seen recently and meet new friends. Children will have the time of their lives with strolling magicians, clowns and costumed characters. An assortment of carnival games will test everyone’s skills, while arts and crafts tables and face painting will provide a diversion for children seeking quiet activities.
For ticket and event information please call:917-305-7804.
To download the invitation, visit our homepage at http://www.lhh.org
Cochlear Implant Support Group – December 7, 2006
The cochlear implant support group is for individuals who have a cochlear implant, those who are contemplating a cochlear implant or those who desire information.
"I don't know how I would have been able to get through the whole process without the support and knowledge I had from the friends I met at the CI Support Group" -- John H.
All are invited to share, listen, learn, teach…and support. Light refreshments will be served. Please bring your questions, comments and personal experiences. For more information, call or email the Audiology Department at (917) 305-7751.
Breaking News from CNN
CNN online news videos are now closed captioned. On the lower right side of the screen where you see “Preferences” be sure that you click on Yes for closed captions. You do not have to be an AOL subscriber to views these closed captioned videos. For more information, visit http://ability.aol.com/ability/index
NPR is A-OK
NPR Receives Department of Education Grant to Develop Accessible Radio Technology for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind and Visually Impaired Communities
Washington, D.C. - The Department of Education's National Institute of Disability Rehabilitation and Research has awarded a grant to NPR and WGBH's National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) to develop accessible radio technology for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired. The Accessible Digital Radio Broadcast Services grant in the amount of $150,000 for the first year will help fund an anticipated three-year research and development project to prototype, field test and assess the cutting-edge radio technologies to serve the needs of people with sensory disabilities. NPR and NCAM are internationally recognized experts in digital radio technologies and accessible media service models.
For more information, visit NPR’s Deaf Culture page at www.npr.org/deafculture.
Give Yourself A Gift
Never thought you had a hearing loss? But now that the holiday party season has arrived are you finding it more difficult to hear in crowded environemnts? If so, The League is here for you:
FREE Hearing Screenings
Every Tuesday, noon-2pm
Every Thursday, 4pm-6pm
Location: 50 Broadway, 6th Floor
Call (917) 305-7766 or email appointments@lhh.org to reserve a screening time.
Who Said that – Answer
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you too, can become great.” – Mark Twain
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.
