What you don't know about hearing aids | Juliëtte Sterkens | TEDxOshkosh

The experience that helped Ross hear this way basically put me on a 15-year

hearing

loop mission. Initially, I wanted all of my patients to hear this way, and my patients and I began advocating for

hearing

loops in the community. But soon I could no longer be content with simply putting in hearing

aids

. I wanted every hearing aid user in the state, and frankly the country, to

know

about communications, hearing

aids

, and the benefits of assistive technology. Since then, we've made enormous progress, going from around twenty podcasts in 2011 to almost 900 podcasts today. (Applause) (Applause) Thank you. These listening circles are located in senior centers, library meeting rooms, high school auditoriums, courtrooms, town halls, and nearly 500 places of worship.

And across the country, thanks to my efforts and the efforts of some very passionate hearing loop advocates, hearing loops and their distinctive blue symbol with the letter "T," which of course stands for Telecommunications, can now be found in airports , large performing arts centers, prominent venues, outdoor theaters and even in New York City taxis. There is even a hearing in the US House of Representatives. I always wanted to go there and check it out. I'm not sure if it works. (Laughter) (Sighs) (Applause) (Applause) And another advance, thanks to great technology, is putting hearing aids on the map.

Google Maps has now started showing Hearing Loops in the Accessibility section. It's a work in progress because there are many more hearing aid loops abroad than here in the United States. But it will allow anyone with a smartphone to check before going to a wedding or conference whether the hearing loop has been installed. Otherwise, go to the service counter and pick up a listening device. If you use hearing aids and want to hear better, or

know

someone who uses hearing aids and wants to help them hear better (you know, hear half of

what

hearing aids alone can't give you), I urge you to try these Bluetooth accessories. and activate your hearing aids with your audiologist, and insist that your next pair of hearing aids come equipped not only with Bluetooth technology but also include communications.

If you don't already use hearing aids, but want to hear better, next time you go to the movies, choose a listening device. By the way, you'll hear better than sitting in the front row seat. Explore the American Hearing Loss Association's Get in the Hearing Loop toolkit. Or contact consumer organizations in your country for people with hearing loss. If you are in public places that are important to you, have hearing problems, or where an assistive hearing system is not installed, does not work, or does not provide significant benefit, contact the place and get one. on board. As a last resort, you can always file a complaint with a regulatory agency like ADA.gov.

Know the accessibility laws in your state or country. I believe that together we can make the world accessible for people with hearing loss. If you have trouble hearing in a public place, say so. (applause)