While this is the most magical time of the year, it is also a challenging time for people like me who are legally deaf. Legally deaf means technology such as hearing aids or cochlear implants help us to hear. Without it, we would not hear much, if anything.
Yet, festive parties, with lots of people talking and loud music playing, are difficult as all the sounds morph together. Hmmm, is the person offering more eggnog or calling me a big hog? Did they ask me to play with the dreidel or get away from the table?
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) ages 18 and over report some trouble hearing. Between loud music and earbuds, many people will be surprised when their hearing starts to deteriorate.
Today, few people even notice someone wearing hearing aids since technology has made the devices very small, especially for those with mild hearing loss. Besides, so many folks live with earbuds “permanently” stuck in their ears that my bulkier behind-the-ear aids seem a normal part of the landscape.
hearing loss are more likely to get dementia.
Technology has greatly benefited the legally deaf. Almost all TV shows are captioned. There are devices to read captioning at your seat in movie theaters and live shows. Phones with caption options are available, along with an array of voice-to-text apps. Interestingly, people learning English rely on captioning to help master the language.
Most hearing aids and cochlear implants come with a telecoil (aka T-coil) setting. More places are now “looping” so that a magnetic signal converts the sound, and it is directly sent to the hearing device. That means an announcement over a PA system at a bustling airport or a speaker at the podium in a huge conference hall would go directly to the aid or implant. A legally deaf person would hear as well as a normal hearing person at a church service, in a train station, during a conference, or at an airport, to name a few places where it’s extremely difficult to hear.
In addition, most hearing devices have Bluetooth, which means you can watch videos, Zoom, Facetime, or take calls, and the voice goes directly into your aids. Ditto for television viewing and computers.
That’s just a partial list of the available technology that makes life better for those with profound hearing loss. There is much more out there! Visit the Hearing Loss Association of America for information and suggestions for dealing with the holiday season when you have a hearing loss.
I wear my hair short so everyone can see my sexy hearing aids. With so many people having earbuds, my aids aren’t even noticed.
As the year ends, I want to thank American Thinker for giving conservative writers like me a platform to share our views. Special thanks to my outstanding editor, Andrea Widburg. To those who read my columns, thank you so much.
We’re just a few weeks away from the inauguration that will save the United States of America. I believe God is with President Donald Trump and the America First agenda. Just as God was with our Founding Fathers, Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and others who made America great throughout our nation’s history. In 2016, when Trump was first elected, Christmas and Hanukkah were on the same day. Now, in 2024, when Trump was re-elected, Christmas and Hanukkah again fall on the same day. This is God’s hand.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and God Bless America!
Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She is the founder and editor of Patriot Neighbors, a free weekly national newsletter. Robin can be reached at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com.
Jesus Christ is King
