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Jessica Colford asks in regards to All Other Issues:
I am looking to go back to college. I tried a couple years ago and had so much trouble with my teachers with my hearing trouble and I finally dropped out after 1 1/2 years because of the trouble. Is there someone I can talk too or get help in returning back? At the moment I am working at Tim Horton's. I am deaf in one ear and have 60% in the other with a hearing aid. Please point me in the right direction or if you can help me I would be so grateful. Thanks very much Jessica Colford age 22
1 week ago
CHHA National answers:
Hi Jessica,
I am not sure where you live but I would suggest connecting with a service agency for hard of hearing and deaf persons in your region as frequently they have staff to assist persons with the type of transition you cited. Another resource is the disability coordinator of a university or college and they can talk about disability-related accommodations that might be helpful to you. Finally, I would suggest connecting with your audiologist to ensure that you have hearing technological support. I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Ruth Warick for CHHA
1 week ago
Linda asks in regards to Noise:
Will being placed in a room across from a room where a school band will be practising and children will be playing recorders have any effect on me as a teacher who wears hearing aids for hearing loss? The administrators have decided to try this scenario to see if it will work. If there are any problems then they will try to address them. I will be teaching directly across the hall from this music room which has no special features nor does my room. I am worried about the noise from drums, trumpets, trombones etc. do you have any suggestions?
1 week ago
Gael Hannan answers:
Linda, if the noise reaches your ears, where you teach in your classroom, at a decibel level of above 85, then it is too loud.
But while it may not cause any further physical harm to your hearing, the other potential problem is that the sound may interfere with hour being able to understand what your students are saying. With hearing loss, understanding speech on the presence of background noise can be difficult.
Try it and see. But I also feel sorry for the band teacher - there is a high incidence of noise induced hearing loss in music teachers.
Good luck. If you are gap having difficulty teaching because of the noise, they should move you.
Gael Hannan
1 week ago
Robert Dixon asks in regards to Hearing Aids:
I am in the market for replacement hearing aids and am considering doing business with Listen Up Canada as there prices are attractive. Are you aware of any "consumer satisfaction" issues that I should be aware of before committing to them?
Thank-you.
2 weeks ago
Dr. Joanne Deluzio answers:
Hi Robert:
I am not aware of anything specific. As with any service, one of the most important variables is the comfort you feel with the specific hearing health care professional you are dealing with. This will very from location to location.
As services are sometimes "bundled" make sure you understand what you are paying for before you purchase.
Good luck!
1 week ago
Britnney asks in regards to All Other Issues:
I'm an 18 year old who has had a hearing loss for pretty much most of my life. As a hard of hearing, I've always been to numerous appointments for hearing tests and repairs. With these trips, I seem to have been inspired to become an audiologist.
As I am looking into what I want to be, I was wondering what does it take to be an audiologist, what classes will be needed, and what is the best post secondary school in Canada to become one? And is math or physics really necessary to become an audiologist?
-Lost
2 weeks ago
Dr. Joanne Deluzio answers:
Hi Britnney:
Very exciting to meet a budding audiologist!
An audiologist needs to have a Master's degree in audiology (or an AuD degree which is a clinical doctorate). There are only 5 universities in Canada that offer audiology training programs. These are all 2 or 3 year post-grad programs, so you need to complete an undergraduate degree before applying. The English programs are at Dalhousie University in Halifax; UWO in London, ON; and University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. The French programs are at the University of Montreal and Ottawa University. You would have to check with the individual programs to determine the prerequisites because it varies from school to school.
Although you don't have to be a math and science whiz to be an audiologist, you do need some physics and psychoacoustics to understand the transmission of sound, some of the more advanced diagnostic tests, hearing aids and hearing aid programming.
I wish you the best of luck!
2 weeks ago
Britnney asks in regards to Youth Issues:
Hi there,
I am aware that places like London, UK or America have deaf or hard of hearing activities/clubs for sports, dancing and such. But how come, in Vancouver, BC, there is any clubs like that?
I am an 18 year old with a hard of hearing, who strives to meet others around my age, and have some fun if there were clubs around here...
Thank you
1 month ago
Monique Les answers:
Hi Britnney!
We do have youth in Vancouver that are part of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, young adults network. There is a large group of young adults with hearing loss in Vancouver. Please contact me at president@chha-yan.ca for their contact information.
Thanks!
Monique Les
2 weeks ago
Donna asks in regards to Assistive Listening Devices:
If you were going to a bank and had a hearing loss what device/s would best assist you?
1 month ago
Dr. Charles Laszlo answers:
It all depends on the person with hearing loss and the circumstances. There is no single answer that can be given to this question.
Do you wear a hearing aid with a T-switch? If yes, find a bank branch with an inductive loop service.
Do you wear a hearing aid without an T-switch? Explain to the bank manager that you need to communicate in a quiet environment and ask for service in the closed-in rooms that bank branches have.
If you wear a hearing aid that can accommodate assistive listening devices, use an FM microphone attachment.
If you don't wear a hearing aid, you can use a communicator with earphones. You will have to ask the teller or other bank employee to use the microphone of the communicator.
Most importantly, talk to your bank manager about your needs. They want your business and will try to accommodate you.
1 month ago
Ingeborg asks in regards to Legal Issues and Human Rights:
I have to go to court to be a witness, I have two hearing aids, I have a device that the lawyers can wear that transmits the sound to a little box I wear around my neck and from there transmits the sound to my hearing aids. Can I insist that the lawyers wear this little device so that they don't try to make me come over as 'stupid' when I have to keep asking them to repeat a question. This evidence is regarding work I did over 6 years ago and they'll be aiming to make me come over as incompetent, I anticipate the claimants' lawyer is going to try every trick; looking down at papers while talking, walking away from me, turning his back on me etc. Where do I stand, can I make them wear this device on their lapel?
1 month ago
Carole Willans answers:
Dear Ingeborg,
The defendant's lawyer should be your ally to some extent, as it is in his/her interest that you come across as competent. You should make known your communication needs to him/her in advance to the hearing.
The judge should also be your ally in this; please be sure to speak up and ask for what you need. E.g. Insist (repeatedly if necessary) that the questioner look at you when speaking, etc. It is important that you say: "I am sorry, I cannot answer you because I did not understand/hear you fully." It is important that you not guess at or assume what you are being asked. You cannot make them with the assistive listening device, but the court/judge can.
1 month ago
Pat Neilson asks in regards to All Other Issues:
I have recently been for a hearing test & have mild hearing loss with difficulty hearing high frequency sounds. I've been trying out aids & don't find there are many advantages other than turning my TV down.
My question is: Are there advantages to wearing the aids when at a younger age (I'm 66)? i.e. the brain adjusts more easily to the added and/or louder sounds?
Considering the cost, which I can't really afford I am considering not purchasing aids until the hearing loss is much worse. Do you have advice for me in this regard.
Thanking you in advance.
Pat
1 month ago
CHHA National answers:
Hi Pat:
You ask a very good question. Depending on how "mild" the hearing loss, you may not notice a huge difference with the aids, and you may want to wait a bit longer. There are certainly devices you can purchase for your television that will assist with hearing that are a fraction of the cost of hearing aids.
People with very mild hearing losses often do not have difficulty hearing when it is really quiet, or if there is only one or two people engaged in the conversation. They have difficulty in a noisy place or when there are larger numbers of people talking. These are places where hearing aids are the least likely to be effective. (Other devices such as FM systems tend to work better in these situations.)
Hearing loss with the aging process tends to progress very gradually over time. It is really easy to forget just how noisy the world actually is, and how to "ignore" background noises. The greater the acquired hearing loss, the more difficult it typically is for people to adjust to all of the sound in the world, and to relearn how to "listen". As you suggest, the brain does the adjusting, not the ear. There can be quite a learning process for people to readjust to the noise in "quiet" and then to use the hearing aids in more challenging environments. For these reasons, I would not recommend waiting until hearing conversation is a real struggle before obtaining amplification.
I hope this helps and good luck!
1 month ago
Bill Longstaff asks in regards to Hearing Aids:
I recently had my hearing tested at a Hearing Loss Clinic and the audiologist reported that I had normal hearing at low frequencies but it declined with increased frequencies. She recommended hearing aids, the cost of which ranged, for two aids, from $4,500 to $7,300. I looked on the web and found hearing aids advertised for as low as $70. Why the enormous range in price and are the lower priced ones any good? (And why are the higher-priced ones so expensive?)
1 month ago
Dr. Joanne Deluzio answers:
Hi Bill:
I have never seen actual hearing aids priced as low as $70, so I cannot comment on what you found online. However, hearing aids do need to be programmed to fit the person's hearing loss and listening needs, so I would be skeptical about anything "mail order". If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
With respect to the price range quoted, $7,300 sounds high to me, although without knowing the actual product, it is difficult to comment.
Generally speaking, entry level hearing aids have the same quality of sound as the medium and high end models - they just have fewer "bells and whistles".
Assuming the aids recommended were from a reputable manufacturer (e.g. Phonak, Bernafon, Widex, Unitron, to list just 4) then the lower priced models should be excellent products.
I hope this helps, and good luck!
1 month ago
MaryAnn Hardwick asks in regards to Telephone Issues:
Is there a telephone available that is capable of 'voice to text' in Canada? My husband is very deafened.
1 month ago
Dr. Charles Laszlo answers:
In Canada 'voice to text' is available through the relay services offered by the various phone companies. You will have to contact the telephone service provider where you live to get the information for the service.
There are two different kinds of services that are generally available. One is using a machine called TTY to display text, and the other is a so-called IP-based service, using a computer to do this. The telephone company will be able to tell you which kind of service is available. They will also be able to direct you to suppliers of suitable machines.
Alternatively, you may find suppliers in your area on the Web.
All of these systems allow a person to make a call through a relay operator who connects the parties. Assuming that the person with hearing loss can talk, the other 'hearing' party will hear what is said. The other party's voice will be heard by the relay operator who converts it into text. This text is then sent to the hard of hearing person and appears on the TTY or computer screen.
In the US a system called CapTel uses special phones to display text. CapTel is available in some US states and for employees of the Federal Government. This system is not available in Canada.
CHHA is part of an effort to bring CapTel services to the Canadian hard of hearing and deafened communities.
1 month ago
Jacquie Reid asks in regards to Legal Issues and Human Rights:
The Canadian HARD of HEARING Association (CHHA-Hamilton) has received a question and we're wondering if you can help. Apparently, this gentleman, who wears 2 hearing aids, went to court in a dispute with his neighbour. He had a young lawyer and lost the case. His complaint is that he could not hear what was going on and missed much of what was being discussed. Is there any disability law that might help him regarding this situation? OR should he contact his MPP for assistance? Thank you.
2 months ago
Carole Willans answers:
The case has already been decided; depending on the nature of the dispute and the judiciary body which made the decision, there may be the possibility of an appeal or some other form of judicial review. His chances of success depend on the value of his arguments (i.e., the fact that he did not hear would have no bearing in civil courts).
The issue of access in civil courts should have been considered prior to the hearing. On that, I refer you you to CHHA's publication, Equal Access to the Canadian Justice System. In civil courts, parties who are hard of hearing assume the responsibility/costs for their own hearing access. In relatively rare cases, the losing party can be ordered by the court to pay the costs.
I am sorry that this answer cannot be a more positive one. By the way, his MPP cannot intervene to change a judgment of the court.
2 months ago
Harvey Consky asks in regards to All Other Issues:
I have a client who is hard of hearing and has a civil Ontario examination for discovery to attend. Have you ever heard of a court reporter typing the question in a screen so the hard of hearing person could read the question and then he gives his answer verbally? Apparently this has been done in the criminal courts.
Thanks for any assistance.
2 months ago
Carole Willans answers:
Yes. Court reporters who have the computer technology to "translate" the phonetic renderings of the court reporter into English can do this. Yes, this is done in criminal courts, probably more easily, as the expense is normally borne by the Crown (in response to the right to a full and entire defence, for example). However, in civil court, your client will have to pay for the service up-front, however it might be recoverable with the final judgment as part of the court-ordered payment of costs. You have to ask the court for it though. There are several companies that offer the services. I suggest that you ask the Crown Prosecutors' Office in your area to refer you to local resources.
2 months ago
Gary Nelson asks in regards to Living with Hearing Loss:
Myself being a person who lives with hearing loss and it seems to get worse as I age, such as now I have been recommended to wear a single aid , when 5 years previous it was for both ears.Would it be wise to learn sign language>
2 months ago
Gael Hannan answers:
Hi Gary. It's interesting that it's now recommended to get just one aid, when previously it was two. Is this from the same hearing professional? If you have hearing loss in both ears, two hearing aids is the best option.
With regards to learning sign language: If your family and friends are also going to learn sign language, then some useful communication will come out of it. Learning sign is beneficial when you are communicating with people wh also sign. A better option, since you have been oral (using a spoken language) your entire life, would be to take a communication strategies course, including speechreading, which will address how to improve communication in all areas of your life. Your hearing professional should be able to recommend something locally, or you can order Sound Ideas, from CHHA - a very helpful program available on DVD.
Good luck1
2 months ago
Joseph Tillman asks in regards to Assistive Listening Devices:
I am currently in the market for a amplified telephone. I have moderate to severe hearing loss. I have a amplified telephone now that i rent from Bell Aliant as part of my telephone and cable service. I am switching service provider to East Link and Bell will not allow me to purchase their phone I have from them. So I will need to find a suitable phone to purchase. Any suggestions? I live in Bedford Nova Scotia.
Many thanks
Joe Tillman
2 months ago
Dr. Charles Laszlo answers:
There are many different amplified phones on the market. Since we do not have the resources to evaluate equipment, and match them to the varying needs of hard of hearing people, we cannot recommend any particular make or model.
You will find a great variety of amplified phones on the Internet. If you search for 'amplified phones' you will get many sites offering such devices. Comparative evaluations are also available.
Since you already use a phone that you like, I recommend that you find out who makes the phone that you rent. The label should tell you that. Then you can look for the phones offered by the same manufacturers via retail channels on the Internet.
If you purchase a phone over the Internet, make sure that it has the features that you need are and are familiar with. Also, learn what the policies of the supplier are regarding returns after a reasonable trial period. You should be able to return the phone if it does not work for you.
2 months ago
stephanie asks in regards to Employment Issues:
Hi
I am 53 years old and have been progressively losing my hear since I was 38. I began wearing hearing aids 4 years ago. A recent check up with my Audiologist shows that my hearing loss has become acutely severe to the point where I was sent to a Specialist. The diagnosis is that, based on the recent accelerated progression of my hearing loss, I will be deaf in about 3-4 years. Besides dealing with the shock of this definitive diagnosis, I am extremely worried about being able to continue working. The specialist advised me to get educated for another line of work that does NOT include the use of phones. I am an Office-Coordinator and have always done office work since my early 20's, which includes a great deal of phone interaction with customers & work colleagues. The place where I work now, for the past 5-years, have been fairly accommodating as I finally did get hearing aids & also have an amplifier on my phone. Unfortunately, both are not as effective or help me now as they once did. Comments have been made about mixed up messages, wrong address & phone numbers that Im taking, even when I repeat back to the person on the phone, Im still not getting the correct info in some cases. Not only is this embarrassing for me, as someone who takes pride in my work, but frustrating for my colleagues and customers. This incorrect information has cost us sales for the company I work for, and I am very concerned that it is quite inevitable I will lose my employment soon due to my hearing impairment. Frankly, I am scared to death. I would appreciate your help & guidance as I have many, many years to continue working before I can retire, and am in no financial position to put myself through school again!
2 months ago
CHHA National answers:
Hi Stephanie. Indeed telephone work can be a challenge for hard of hearing people and more challenging for those with progressive hearing loss. That is wonderful your employer is supportive and has provided accommodations to date. From the sounds of the progression of your loss, you might need to look some further options. Many people manage through the use of technology such as email, texting, Skype, telephone alternatives such as Voice Carry Over phones, and such work accommodation as job sharing, or reconstructing a job description so that you are not doing so much telephone work. Many companies with good relationships may be very accommodating. Smaller companies may not have the ability to do as much. One strategy I use is to leave my phone for messages and once or twice a day, a colleague calls my phone to retrieve messages and I call back via Voice Carry Over. Now I deal with Deaf and Hard of hearing people in my work so they are more understanding of the system; you would need to ascertain whether this is a type of accommodation your customers might be open to.
Before you make any changes at work, you should discuss options with your hearing specialist of treatment or operations to help with your hearing loss. Such treatments or surgeries can restore hearing and you may retain your employment. I'm talking of such surgeries as Bone Anchored Hearing Aid or Cochlear Implant depending on the nature of your hearing loss. Either might require a medical leave until you are ready to return to work.
Also, you might want to become a member of your local CHHA branch or attend the upcoming national conference in Edmonton. You will benefit from support of others with hearing loss and the more you learn, the better you will feel about the situation. I realize how traumatic your situation is for you so the more support you get, the better it will be for you.
Good luck, Leslee Scott
2 months ago
Michael C. Smith asks in regards to Living with Hearing Loss:
Is there a necklace available to identify someone as a HOH or deaf person when in a public swimming pool? If so where can they be obtained?
2 months ago
Gael Hannan answers:
That's an interesting concept, Michael, but to the best of my knowledge there is no such identification. Assuming safety is your concern, I would suggest letting the lifeguard know of your hearing loss prior to entering the pool. Then, in the case of an emergency pool evacuation, the lifeguard can locate you and let you know. In addition, he or she can keep an eye on you while you're swimming if that's what you would like.
Good luck!
2 months ago
Allan Laakso asks in regards to Noise:
For a month I've been hearing and feeling vibrations and hums when I lie down in my own house. I don't hear/feel it at friends' homes or at my camp. I am told I need a hearing test because it is tinnitus, but I am not convinced it is tinnitus. How do I go about this ? How much does it cost? How long does it take? I'm in Sudbury, Ontario.
2 months ago
Gael Hannan answers:
Hi Allan, only a proper hearing assessment can give a diagnosis, and I encourage you to have it checked out. You can contact the Canadian Hearing Society in Sudbury which has audiology services, or the Sudbury branch of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association can refer you to a good audiologist. Chances are it will not cost anything, and an appointment may take 1-2 hours.
2 months ago
Stuart Jeffrey asks in regards to Hearing Aids:
Is it possible for hearing aids to be donnated(or the electronic components)and recycled for use by others? my mother recently deceased had hearing aids which are in excellent condition and less than 2 years in use. I was hoping that they (or the components)could be used to benefit someone rather than be thrown away.
3 months ago
Dr. Joanne Deluzio answers:
Hi Stuart:
First of all, I am very sorry for your loss. Also, thank-you for thinking of others during this difficult time.
Lyons Club takes used hearing aids at:
District A-15 Hearing Aid Collection
27 Rosslinn Rd.
Cambridge Ontario
N1S 3K2
Contact: Jim Harris
Also, Canadian Aid Charity accepts donations of used hearing aids. For further details about this call 1-888-4-CANAID or send email to projects@canadianaid.org.
You could also contact the place where your mother purchased her hearing aids to see if they know of anywhere locally that does this.
Many thanks for your kindness!
Joanne DeLuzio
2 months ago
douglas buckley asks in regards to Cochlear Implants:
My wife is experiencing issues with her hearing. She has consulted a specialist and the answer was there is nothing that can be done. I'm dubious of this answer in that there have been great strides done in the medical field that may help my wife. Her main problem is that she is experiencing ringing in her ears. Could you provide me with any additional information?
3 months ago
Dr. Joanne Deluzio answers:
Hi Douglas:
While there is usually no medical "cure" for tinnitus (ringing or noises in the ears or head) there are certainly many different types of treatment. A description of a wide range of treatments is available on the American Tinnitus association website:
http://www.ata.org/for-patients/treatment
As well the Tinnitus association of Canada website provides an excellent overview of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) as well as drugs that offer some people relief.
http://www.kadis.com/ta/tinnitus.htm
I wish you and your wife the best of luck!
Joanne DeLuzio
2 months ago
Alyse McDonald asks in regards to Living with Hearing Loss:
I have lost the hearing ib both my ears since July 25, 2012. I have seen a Specialist and had steroid shots in both ears, 3 rounds and that didnt work. My partner and I have been trying to work together with my hearing loss, I can lip read sometimes. I had 50% hearing loss in ,my left ear since 1989, then had some inner ear infections off and on since March 2012. The Doctors so far have not given us answers how,why this is happening, i also have a lot of pain in both my ears, off balance, double vision, dizziness and nausea. I have not been working since July 25,2012. We need help trying to get through this and I would also like to learn sign language.
3 months ago
Gael Hannan answers:
Hello Alyse, if you could tell me where you live, we will give you the name of the local service provider for people who are hard of hearing and deaf, and which could provide support and sign language for you and your partner. The fact that you are under the care of an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist is a good thing....but unfortunately, there are still so many unknowns about why hearing loss occurs. Please let me know today where you live. Thanks, Gael
3 months ago
Dan Joanisse asks in regards to All Other Issues:
I need hearing aids but I can't afford them. Is there any help anywhere for people like me? I am on disability from Government.
3 months ago
CHHA National answers:
If you are receiving income support from the government, please check with your caseworker to see if funding for hearing aids is available.
Otherwise, you may also see if assistance is available in your province. Please see the following website for more information: www.chha.ca/documents/Hearing_Aid_Subsidies_Across_Canada.pdf
For other funding options you may also visit the “Funding for Aids and Devices” section on the CHHA website at http://www.chha.ca/chha/projects-funding.php
Finally, some hearing health care professionals will allow people to pay for the hearing aids in installments. You can ask about entry level digital hearing aids. All of the major hearing aid manufacturers produce entry level hearing aids that are of very good quality and retail for significantly less than mid or high end products. Do not be afraid to ask for hearing aids that are less expensive than what they are recommending. Less cost does not necessarily translate into poorer quality.
3 months ago
Ralph Pike asks in regards to Living with Hearing Loss:
What programs are available for assistance in purchasing hearing aids?
3 months ago
Gael Hannan answers:
Ralph, the amount of coverage depends on which province you live in. Please read this CHHA document on available subsidies.
http://www.chha.ca/documents/Hearing_Aid_Subsidies_Across_Canada.pdf
3 months ago
Anthea Murrell asks in regards to Hearing Aids:
Hello, my elderly father is trying to decide between quotes given to him by the audiologist but he cannot quite recall the difference between the choices, which were explained to him by the audiologist. I live some distance away. Would you please distinguish between the makes Oticon and Unitron, he has middle-of-the road and high-end quotes for both companies.
Thank you
3 months ago
Dr. Joanne Deluzio answers:
Hi Anthea:
Both Oticon and Unitron make excellent hearing aids. Without knowing the specific models that were recommended, I have no way to compare them because both companies offer a wide range of hearing aids.
As well, both of these manufacturers offer entry or essential level hearing aids. It might be a good idea for your father to get quotes on these products in addition to the middle-of-the-road and high end quotes he has already received. Entry level hearing aids offer excellent quality sound at a much lower price.
Good luck!
3 months ago
Marianne asks in regards to Disability Tax Credit:
Is the disability tax credit now available for people with a fairly substantial hearing loss (I have lost 40 per cent of my hearing)? If not, why not?
3 months ago
Michael Currie answers:
Hi Marianne,
Thank you for your comment. The DTC is available for people that meet the criteria outlined as per the form found at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t2201/t2201-12e.pdf
Please see an audiologist to review this form to see if you fall within the criteria.
CHHA has been working on trying to improve wording of the criteria along with making it more available for those with hearing loss.
Cheers,
Michael
3 months ago
Karen asks in regards to Disability Tax Credit:
Will I qualify for Disability CPP? I am 56 years old and find it hard to find a job.
3 months ago
Michael Currie answers:
Hi Karen,
Thank you for contacting us. Since we know very little about you and your disability, I would advise you to check out this link where you will see if you meet their criteria.
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/isp/cpp/applicant.shtml
Good luck!
Michael
3 months ago
