More than 36 million people in America alone have a hearing loss, with an estimated 278 million worldwide according to a World Health Organization (WHO) survey in 2005, ranging from moderate to profound. Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in America, behind only arthritis and heart disease. A small group of people who were hearing impaired started an organization back in the early days of the internet on AOL called the SayWhatClub (SWC). As the club grew, they needed a way to get in touch with those not on AOL, and they made use of a listserv to add members.
The internet is the ideal way for those with a hearing loss to communicate. Here we never have to ask for repeats. The SayWhatClub welcomes newcomers and loves to answer their questions about hearingloss, as their own questions were answered when they first joined. But we also enjoy just “chatting” with each other about news events, personal events, and anything that comes to mind because it’s so difficult for us to do that in “real life” anymore. Everyone understands why we’re here, and what we go through daily as people with a hearing loss.
The internet has opened a whole new experience for many of the isolated hard of hearing in the world. The SWC has members from Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Canada, India, several other countries, and of course, the U.S.
By using the internet to both reach out to and help people with a hearing loss, the SayWhatClub hopes to grow and continue to help folks in an immediate way, and in a way that is ideal for people who have trouble communicating via being able to hear. We hope anyone with the slightest interest will try us out. You have a lot to gain, and nothing to lose.
www.saywhatclub.com
Categories: ADA · ASL · Accommodations for Deaf · Cochlear Implants · Deaf · Hard of hearing culture · Hearing Loss · Hearing aids · Hospital Accoommodation · Hotel Accommodations · Lip Reading · aging · audiogram · employment
I’m totally baffled and perturbed by the hearing aid industry and audiologists. I’ve just about had it. I recently interviewed two hearing aid companies: Oticon and Sonova Holding HG. You can read the interviews yourself at http://www.saywhatclub.com/newsletter/june09/interviewgw.html and the Sonova interview at: http://www.saywhatclub.com/newsletter/june09/interviewgf.html
In case you were not aware, Phonak and Unitron are under Sonova AG Holding. In anycase, I find it interesting that each company believes their product is number 1. What I find interesting are the questions that went unanswered and left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Why can’t hearing aid companies tell us how much it costs them to make a hearing aid? Afterall, we have a pretty good idea how much it costs to make a car, how much it costs to make a movie, a video, clothing, etc. Yet no one wants to be honest about the manufacturers cost.
The manufacturer claims the audiologist makes a big profit and the audiologist claims the company does. I now know the restocking fee is the audiologists, not the manufacturers fee, and in all honesty, the audiologist deserves that fee. Afterall, they are spending time with us for the fitting and the programming.
However, I don’t know how any company or audiologist can think that a $3000 hearing aid is worthy of its cost. We get a 45 day trial period, yet I am told that it can take up to 6 or 7 months to adjust to the sound. Duh! I am $3000 down if I hate the sound after 6 months. I wonder how many audiologists have stuck earplugs in their ears for 24 hours? How many manufacturers make their Executive Boards wear the earplugs just to get the sense of a 35 db loss?
I recently went to see a new audiologist and though I liked her alot, she was totally unsavvy concerning assistive technology. This is really not a good thing. Why aren’t the audiologists being trained to understand the clients who need this technology to function? Simple things like bluetooth technology and loop systems. I don’t know about you, but I am so frustrated, I want to just get the software to program my own hearing aid and purchase an aid online.
Categories: ADA · Accommodations for Deaf · Deaf · Hard of hearing culture · Hearing Loss · Hearing aids · Lip Reading · Tinnitus · aging · audiogram
