One afternoon, while my parents were gone to a doctor’s appointment, a friend and I installed a home hearing loop in my parent’s living room. In less than 30 minutes, we crawled around the living room, tucking the thin wire under the baseboards. The wire ends connected easily to a small hearing loop amplifier which connected to the television.
I often hear “negatives” about television. Too much television usually means not enough physical activity, laziness, or wasting time. But in my father’s case, television is his happy place.
My father’s life consisted of kissing my mother goodbye in the morning and zooming around Oklahoma City. He was a chaplain for Integris Medical Center and Mercy Hospital. He was also a deacon to Holy Angels Catholic Church in Oklahoma City. His spare time was filled with family and hunting for his next hobby; he barely sat still. Unfortunately, he had a massive stroke in December 2015 and it changed everyone’s life.
As a stroke survivor, his day is a little slower now and revolves around doctors’ appointments and a lot of rest.
After becoming one of his main caregivers, I started to understand what a big impact hearing loss has in his every day life. At first, I encouraged him to get out of the house with me. I encouraged him to try movies, book readings, and special presentations throughout the city. For months we tried similar outings and every event had a similar outcome:
“What did you think about the [insert activity]?” And he would shrug shoulders and just say “I couldn’t really hear it.”
Even when we went to his favorite restaurant, I could tell he was there just to eat; he definitely wasn’t there to have a conversation with us because he couldn’t understand our words over the normal commotion of a restaurant atmosphere.
His hearing loss encourages him to stay home. At least at home, he could turn the TV up as loud as he wanted to watch a church service and actually hear the sermon. He could be transported to downtown City Hall and make sense of City Council meetings. He could learn all about the famous artists visiting the museum without having to leave his living room.
But the television volume was driving us all crazy, especially my sweet mother. About the time my mother was about to throw the television out the front door, I introduced them to a residential hearing loop.
One afternoon, while my parents were gone to a doctor’s appointment, a friend and I installed a home hearing loop in my parent’s living room. In less than 30 minutes, we crawled around the living room, tucking the thin wire under the baseboards. The wire ends connected easily to a small hearing loop amplifier which connected to the television.
I had previously made sure the Telecoil or T-coil was activated in both of my parent’s hearing aids. I knew they were hearing loop ready!
My dad loves watching cooking shows after therapy sessions so that he will have “sweet dreams” during his nap. I had turned the volume down significantly and his first reaction was to grab the remote and turn up the volume to 742. But instead, I asked them to switch the programs in their hearing aids to a T-coil mode.
As soon as the Telecoil program mode was turned on, he and my mother looked straight at each other with wide eyes to confirm what they were hearing. Instead of the television being at volume 50 (or 742!), the television volume was extremely low. They realized they could hear PERFECTLY and at the PERFECT volume through their hearing aids even though the TV was basically muted. My mother started laughing and my father looked at me like I had bought him the best Father’s Day gift ever.
I explained how hearing loop technology worked. In basic terms, a thin wire is laid around the room and connected to an amplifier and a sound source- in this case the television. The signal from the television travels through the hearing loop amplifier and loop wire, creating an electro-magnetic field. The telecoil inside of most hearing aids and hearing devices, works as an antenna to pick up the signal. The clear sound is delivered straight to the hearing device!
Hearing loop technology has been around for over 30 years and it is used around the world to help individuals live well with hearing loss. Television hearing loops help my father relax and enjoy his favorite shows instead of struggling to make sense of the dialogue. Some people struggle with low frequency sounds like vowels, while others struggle with high frequency sounds like consonants. Just imagine trying to make sense of a sentence without the vowels. Could you do it?
Hrng Lps rlly hlp n th hm and cmmnt. Hrng lp tchnlg hlps brng clr snd strght t yr hrng dvc!
(Home hearing loops really help in the home and community. Hearing loop technology helps bring clear sound straight to your hearing device!)
Assist2Hear proudly offers a hearing loop solution in our Home Hearing Loop Kit. The residential hearing loop kit can be purchased as a room loop which includes the amplifier, power supply, 100’ of 20 gauge wire, TV patch cords (RCA), self-install instructions. A hearing loop chair pad is also available which can be used under a chair or sofa. The loop pad works for the single user, while the room kit works for many people. Professional installation is available in select cities for an additional charge.
My father won’t enjoy his day without his Television Home Loop and would like one in every room- including the kitchen! Residential hearing loops really help!
When my mother was taken to the emergency room on Wednesday afternoon, her only concern was to be home by Friday. She was determined to attend her granddaughter’s graduation. Fortunately, she was able to go home on Thursday and made it to the graduation with a day to spare. Unfortunately, she couldn’t hear a thing.
My father and mother both live with hearing loss. My niece was among the first to receive her diploma because she graduated with honors. As soon as the ceremony began, I was instantly disappointed. I was disappointed because I realized that if I couldn’t understand the words because of the echo, reverberation, and distance, then I knew my parents couldn’t understand a word.
My father and mother both live with severe hearing loss, as mine is only mild; yet feels pretty severe and affects my daily life. My parents both have wonderful hearing aids which generally help in small settings, but they still struggle in large spaces like churches, theaters, and stadiums. We were even seated on the front row of the physically disabled section which was on the football field instead of in the stands. I knew the venue did not have a hearing loop, but instead they had a type of hearing assistive technology which required headsets. Headsets are usually not an option for many people with hearing aids or Cochlear implants.
My parents couldn’t understand the blessing or the multiple valedictorian speeches. My dad is sadly used to mumbled graduation ceremonies, but my mom struggled and strained to listen. My niece was the 7th child to graduate. As soon as she crossed the stage, my mother said, “Did she already go? Did they call her name?” My heart sunk because she had worked extra hard to put on a brave face so that she could leave the hospital to make it to her granddaughter’s gradual did not get to hear the most special part of a graduation for a family member. It wasn’t fair that my parents then had to listen to the mumble of 347 other children’s names and the farewell from the commencement speaker. They did not have the feeling of pride that everyone else got to feel.
School administrators need to understand that the graduate’s brief moment in the sun means a lot to family members. Grandparents, parents, and friends of the graduates who live and suffer with hearing loss deserve an easy fix called a hearing loop.
A hearing loop also known as an audio induction loop system, creates a magnetic field which cooperates with hearing aids to eliminate distance from the microphone, as well as background noise and echo. In other words, the hearing aid or hearing device becomes a personal loudspeaker. My mother said that a hearing loop “feels like a private conversation between me and the speaker.”
The ADA requires public spaces to offer hearing assistance in spaces where hearing is integral to the use of that space. What does this mean? It means that if you have a large area and you expect people to hear what you want to say through a sound system, then you must have one of three ADA compliant systems for hearing accessibility. Hearing loops are
We wouldn’t think twice about wheelchair access because we understand it and we can see it. Hearing loss is an invisible disability which affects more people then heart disease or diabetes. Hearing Loops Help.
Maxdale Cowboy Church – Install Announcement
Assist2Hear is pleased to announce the completion of another Texas induction hearing loop system at Maxdale Cowboy Church, located 16816 Wolfridge Road, Killeen, Texas. With the installation of the hearing loop, Maxdale parishioners with hearing loss can enjoy sermons in the church, minus any echo or reverberation that might have previously made it difficult to hear due to the church’s concrete floors and high ceilings.
A hearing loop is a special type of sound system which helps parishioners suffering with hearing loss. Most churches offer headsets via an FM system, which many people with hearing aids are unable to use or simply are too embarrassed to use.
A hearing loop also known as an induction loop, consists of copper wire typically installed under the flooring or in the ceiling by our field certified installation team. The hearing loop is then connected to the church’s sound system to create a magnetic signal which is picked up by the copper telecoil, located inside of most hearing aids and hearing implants. The system requires no additional attachments or headsets- the user simply walks into the church and changes a setting on their hearing device and the loop delivers custom sound to the hearing aids! This amazing technology eliminates the need for headsets which often go unused in churches for a multitude of reasons.
Feeadback!
Since the completion of the hearing loop installation, feedback from Killeen residents that attend the church has been positive!
The Maxdale Cowboy Church is truly committed to meeting the needs of their congregation
said Andy Rivas, Project Manager for Assist2Hear of Dallas and Austin.
Interested in learning more?
If you are interested learning more about hearing loop technology such as “What is a hearing loop?” or “How does an induction loop work?”, checkout the many resources on our website, www.Assist2Hear.com. If you are interested in learning more about installing an induction loop in your Texas church or venue, Assist2Hear’s Texas team is here to help! Please call us today at 877-338-1084 to discuss or schedule a free on-site assessment.
Source: http://www.news9.com/story/37587589/okcs-civic-center-music-hall-adds-hearind-loop
Oklahoma Cityans will hear better! The first hearing loop installed in the metro is located in the newly renovated Nichols Hills City Council chambers where the users of hearing devices will be able to hear all that goes on in meetings and conferences. A ribbon cutting ceremony with many ‘dignitaries’ and guests celebrated the completion of the installation.
The second LOOP installation in Oklahoma City has also just been completed in the OKC Civic Center Music Hall. The hearing loop system is hard wired into the auditorium and will transmit sound directly into a hearing aid or Cochlear implant with a “T” coil. When you visit the Civic Center for a musical show or concert this fall, you may be surprised by what you hear!
Central Oklahoma Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America is proud to be a part of the “Oklahoma City Hearing Loop Initiative.” Our member, Ana Covey and her company, Assist2Hear are responsible for these installations. COCHLAA, with Ana and Assist2Hear and are looking forward to many more installed locations to help those suffering with hearing loss. After all, it is an ADA requirement, that facilities offering public access where sound is integral to the space, must offer hearing assistance to those who need it and the hearing loop is by far, the user-preferred system.
Please visit with your audiologist or hearing aid specialist to make sure your hearing aid or Cochlear device is hearing loop ready by activating the telecoil (T-coil) option available in most aids.
If you know of businesses that have this kind of need, please feel free to contact COCHLAA at the Hearing Helpers Room, 405-717-9820 or visit our website, www.okchearingloss.org . You can also contact Ana at ana@Assist2Hear.com or (405)640-5152 for any questions about hearing loops.
Join the Hearing Loss Association and help us get our city “get in the loop.” Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter holds meetings twice a month. Second Mondays, 6:30-8PM and the third Thursdays, 1:30-3PM at Lakeside Methodist Church, 2925 NW 66th St. The meetings are open to the public, no admission charge.
This is an article by Ron Hendricks on Senior News & Living OK