RERC Cellphone Survey and WIDHH cellphone Survey

Hello everyone, the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies is a research facility in the US. They have committed to doing 3 surveys over three years to collect information from hard of hearing consumers about their experience with cellphones. The following is information about the survey:

The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 (HAC Act) requires that landline telephones manufactured or imported for use in the United States after August 1989 be hearing aid-compatible. In 2003, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules to make digital wireless telephones (cell phones) compatible with hearing aids and cochlear implants.
The Wireless Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (Wireless RERC) monitors this regulation and is interested in how it impacts the usability of cell phones for people who use hearing aids and cochlear implants.

We invite people who use hearing aids or cochlear implants to participate in the survey regarding your use of your cell phone. We plan to conduct this survey once a year over the next 3 years to track any changes in cell phone and hearing aid compatibility.
Take the survey


We are continuing to collect information on the WIDHH cellphone survey as well. The information from WIDHH cellphone survey is collected and posted on this blog (results)- we update the blog as new user information comes in. The results provide consumers with hearing loss ratings and other information about cellphones to help you make an informed cellphone purchase. We hope you find it helpful. If there is other information you would like to see or share - please send us a message. Thanks!

Announcement for the EAD-GAP Program

ANNOUNCEMENT

The EAD-GAP Program
An equipment and assistive devices program, for British Columbians’, who are Deaf, Deafened, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing.

The Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, with a one-time grant from the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance (MEIA), is piloting an assistive devices program for residents of British Columbia.

The short-term program will provide free low-tech devices, which can:
Enhance your ability to communicate on the telephone; such as an amplified telephone
Increase your independence and safety; such as visual alerting and alarm devices for the home and/or workplace
Increase your ability to listen in the home environment; such as assistive listening devices for the TV
Increase your ability to hear one-on-one with personal listening devices; such as the PocketTalker (hearing aids are not available through this program)


Start Date
The EAD-GAP program starts on June 1st, 2008. WIDHH will accept applications and will start to process applications on June 1st.


Who is Eligible?
To qualify for the pilot program you must:
Be a resident of British Columbia, and;
Be Deaf, Deafened, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing, and require the use of an assistive device to meet a functional goal, and;
Be able to identify a functional goal you would like to achieve.


Please return your application to WIDHH as quickly as possible, as the funding is limited. When we receive your application, WIDHH will contact you to confirm the application and answer any questions. Once your application has been processed, WIDHH staff will make an appointment to arrange for the equipment you need.

WIDHH is committed to provide as many people with equipment or devices. As there is limited funding people will be limited to receive equipment to meet one goal only.

If you are interested in participating in the program, please fill out and return the application form to the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

You may also submit your application on-line by clicking here.

For application details please contact (after June 1st, 2008):
Voice: 604-736-5851
Voice toll-free: 1-888-736-5851
TTY: 604-736-5819
Fax: 604-736-4381
E-mail: eadgap@widhh.com

FCC Mandates Cell Phone Compatibility with Hearing Aids- ANSI C63.19

FCC Mandates Cell Phone Compatibility with Hearing Aids- ANSI C63.19
March 22, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
Mobile phone manufacturers have one year to comply with a U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandate requiring mobile handsets built or used in the U.S. to comply with the American national standard for cell phone-hearing aid compatibility.
Issued in 2003, the mandate is intended to ensure that new mobile phones available on the market are accessible to individuals using hearing aids.

According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), mobile phone manufacturers and service providers will have to ensure that at least 50% of all handsets marketed in the U.S. meet the requirements of ANSI C63.19:2006 - Methods of Measurement of Compatibility between Wireless Communications Devices and Hearing Aids by Feb. 18, 2008.

Approved as an American national standard in 2001, ANSI C63.19 was developed by the ANSI Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) C63 on electromagnetic compatibility, a group administered by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

A measurement standard for hearing aid compatibility with wireless communications devices, ANSI C63.19-2006 aims to achieve an acceptable level of performance between cell phones and hearing aids by reducing the interference of radio frequency emissions.

The standard defines emissions and immunity-to-interference requirements, as well as test methods to determine the level of interoperability between the devices. The standard is intended to apply to all types of hearing aids with acoustic output.

According to ANSI, an estimated 28 million Americans have some degree of hearing impairment; by 2030, this number is expected to double. The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 (HAC Act) directed the FCC to ensure that all telephones manufactured or imported for use in the U.S., and all "essential" telephones - including phones provided for emergency use, coin-operated phones and phones in the workplace, hospitals, nursing homes and hotel rooms - be hearing aid-compatible.

The increasing reliance on wireless mobile phones for business and personal use, coupled with the growing number of technologically-savvy baby boomers, led the FCC to put pressure on wireless carriers and equipment manufacturers to increase the number of hearing aid-compatible wireless phones available on the market.


IEEE C63.19 2007-JAN-01 • Active/Current •
Methods of Measurement of Compatibility between Wireless Communications Devices and Hearing Aids

This standard applies to both wireless communications devices (WDs) and hearing aids. It sets forth uniform methods of measurement and parametric requirements for the electromagnetic and operational compatibility and accessibility of hearing aids used with WDs, including cordless, cellular, personal communications service (PCS) phones, and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) devices, operating in the range of 800 MHz to 3 GHz. However, this version is focused on existing services, which are in common use. Accordingly, in this version tests are provided for services in the 800 MHz to 950 MHz and 1.6 GHz to 2.5 GHz frequency bands. Future versions may add test for other frequency bands, as they come into more common use.

This standard is intended to apply to all types of hearing aids with acoustic output, including, as examples, behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC), and completely-in-the-canal (CIC) types. Test methods are provided for hearing aids operating in acoustic (microphone input) mode or in T-Coil input mode.

The field levels called for in various places shall be maintained within the limits for radio frequency (RF) safety, set forth in ANSI C95.1-1999.1

EAR CANDLING: QUACKERY OR CURE?

Earwax is one of the most common topics of conversation in a hearing clinic. We often get asked what the best way to get rid of it is. In this day and age, where it seems that any medical treatment that is non-conventional or natural must be good, ear candling has gained popularity as an alternative method for earwax removal. So what is ear candling anyway? Does it work and is it safe?

Ear candles are long, hollow, cone-shaped candles made of beeswax and cotton cloths. The ear candle is placed in the ear canal and lit at the opposite end. The theory goes that as it burns down, the candle creates a vacuum. Wax, toxins and fungus are supposedly drawn out of the ear canal. The wax is then collected at the bottom of the candle, and shown to the patient as 'proof' of the cleansing. In addition to ear wax removal, other health benefits claimed include cleansing the sinus passages, curing headaches, migraines, ear infections, jaw joint dysfunction, hearing problems, inner ear pressure, imbalance, chronic sinusitis, and even 'cleansing of the brain'.

Is ear candling effective? The simple answer to this question is 'no'. The impressively huge gobs of wax remaining in the candle after a candling session have been analyzed and found to be nothing more than candle wax and burnt cloth. This makes sense, considering that the average ear canal is only 2 1/2 centimeters long and less than 1 cm wide. Even if your ear canal was completely plugged with wax (which in most cases it isn't), it would be physically impossible for the large amounts of wax to come from the ear canal!

What about this theoretical 'vacuum' that is created by the burning candle? First of all, wax is often sticky and moist, and stuck to the skin and/or hair of the ear canal. It is not floating around in your ear canal, ready to be magically sucked out! The amount of force that would be required in a vacuum to suck the wax out would burst the eardrum. In fact, a study performed in 1996 by Seely, Quigley and Langman examining the safety and efficacy of ear candles found that ear candles don't produce a vacuum at all. The study also found that in all cases, there was no removal of wax from the ear canal and that in some cases, candle wax was actually deposited into the ear canal. Their conclusions were that ear candles have no benefit in the management of ear wax, and that they may in fact result in serious injury.

What about the claims of curing headaches, cleansing the sinus passages and brain and curing other health ailments? There has been no evidence whatsoever supporting these claims. The ear canal ends at the eardrum. Unless you have a hole in your eardrum, or a serious anatomical anomaly, there is no connection to the sinuses or the brain from the outer ear canal!

So what if ear candling hasn't been shown to be effective? What is all the fuss about? There are a lot of natural treatments out there that also haven't scientifically been proven to be effective, but some people swear by them.

This leads us to the question of safety. "Is ear candling safe?" The answer, as you might suspect is that not only is ear candling ineffective, but also it can be downright dangerous! The ear canal is lined with a very thin layer of delicate skin. At the end of the ear canal is an even more delicate eardrum. A burning candle in someone's ear is potential trouble. There have been several reported cases of serious burns in the ear as a result of hot wax dripping into the ear. A burn on the eardrum or ear canal can lead to infection and even permanent hearing damage.

The verdict: Ear candling is quackery. Not only is it ineffective, but it can be harmful. If earwax is not causing you any problems, the best thing to do is to leave it there. It's there for a reason; to protect your ears. If the wax is causing problems, a medical doctor is the best person to go to for ear wax removal.

Special thanks to Naomi Smith M.Sc., Aud(C) for this article.

EAR WAX: FRIEND OR FOE?

Ear wax: It’s on everyone’s mind when they visit an audiologist. When I tell my patients that I am going to look in their ears, I invariably get one of two responses: A sheepish look accompanying the statement, “Oh, I didn’t wash my ears out today”, or, the opposite statement of pride “I cleaned my ears out just for this”.

The question that I often get asked is “What can I do to get rid of ear wax?” The answer is usually the same: Nothing. Ear wax is one of those things that, for some unknown reason, people associate with uncleanliness. The fact is that ear wax, also known as cerumen in the medical community, actually has a purpose. By sticking to the tiny hairs in your ears, it provides a partial barrier and protects the delicate eardrum and ear canal from damage from debris, flying objects, and infection. Our ears are naturally designed to move the wax towards the outer ear, with the gradual shedding of the skin inside the ear. In most cases, they do a pretty good job of keeping themselves clean.

When we try to clean our ears using cotton swabs, or, heaven forbid sharp objects like bobby pins, we disrupt the self-cleaning mechanism of our ears, and potentially cause serious damage to them. A cotton swab typically only pushes the wax further into the ear canal, making it even more difficult for it to come out on it’s own. Over time, rubbing the ear canal with a cotton swab gets rid of the little hairs in the ear canal, again disrupting the natural cleaning mechanism of the ear. By going deeply into the ear with a cotton swab or object, you risk puncturing the delicate eardrum, which is only a couple of centimeters from the outside of the ear canal. The skin in the ear canal is also very sensitive and it can be damaged easily. Because the ear canal is a perfect environment for bacteria (dark and moist), once there is trauma to the skin or eardrum, the risk of infection is extremely high.

So, if you can’t use a cotton swab to clean the ears, how do you clean them? The best way to clean the ears is to use a warm washcloth when in the shower, and gently clean the outer ear up to the opening of the ear canal only. If you happen to be one of those unfortunate people who accumulate so much wax in their ears, that it causes a complete blockage of the ear canal and subsequent hearing loss, you may need to visit your family physician periodically to have the wax removed from your ears. You can also purchase over-the-counter wax removal systems, which typically include a solution to soften the wax, and a water irrigation bulb. This can be effective, however, if done incorrectly, can potentially cause damage to the eardrum. Ear candling, which is an alternative treatment for wax removal has been researched and found to be ineffective and potentially hazardous and it is therefore not a recommended wax removal method.

If you’re still having doubts about the best way to clean your ears, just remember that the age-old adage is true: Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.

Special thanks to Naomi Smith M.Sc., Aud(C) for this article.

Hearing Aid Expectations Lead the Way

“My aunt Gerta paid $6000.00 for her hearing aids!! Was she being ripped off?? Does she really need $6000.00 hearing aids?

If your aunt Gerta went to an audiologist or dispenser and said that she was very active, played bingo, went out to restaurants frequently, went to church, and that it was very important that the hearing aids were ‘invisible’, then a quote of $6000.00 for two hearing aids is certainly within reason. If on the other hand, your aunt Gerta said that she lives alone, is on a limited income, rarely goes out, and really only wants a hearing aid so that she can hear her husband at home, then the $6000.00 hearing aids are likely unnecessary, and she should get a second opinion. You see, a large part of selecting hearing aids has nothing to do with your hearing loss itself, but it has to do with lifestyle and expectations.

When I recommend hearing aids, people often ask me to tell them what they need. This is a very difficult thing to do, unless I know a bit more about their lifestyle and expectations. The fact is that most hearing-impaired people do not need $6000.00 hearing aids. For basic communication purposes, most hearing aids (if fit properly) should perform well in quiet situations. So, the question is not whether or not you need expensive hearing aids, but whether you would benefit from them.

If you are very active, or have high expectations, you will likely benefit from more advanced hearing aids and you may not be satisfied with basic hearing aid technology. Hearing aids are no exception to the rule “you get what you pay for”. Don’t get me wrong. The quality of the hearing aid should be good regardless of the price you pay (unless we’re talking disposable, internet or mail-order hearing aids, which are a whole different ballgame!), but in general, the more you pay, the more features you will get with your hearing aid. Also, the more you pay for a hearing aid, the better it should be in background noise, and the more ‘automatic’ it will be.

During the course of a visit with an audiologist or dispenser to discuss hearing aids, you should be asked some questions about your lifestyle. For example, are you working or retired? Do you go out a lot to restaurants? Are you frequently in group situations? Do you go to meetings? Is background noise a problem for you? The topic of expectations should also come up. What do you want from a hearing aid and what do you expect the hearing aid to do for you? What kind of situations are you having difficulty hearing in? Do you want a hearing aid that is fully automatic, or do you want to be able to adjust the hearing aid manually for volume? Your expectations are what will ultimately guide the audiologist or dispenser into deciding on an appropriate hearing aid for you. There is a direct relationship between your expectations and the quoted cost of the hearing aid. The more you expect, and the more active you are, the higher you will likely be quoted for a hearing aid.

Make sure that you know what you are getting when buying hearing aid(s). Some unfortunate people have paid very high prices, expecting or being told that they are getting digital hearing aids. This may be true, but all digital hearing aids are not the same. Digital hearing aids vary in technology. They can be very basic, similar to analogue hearing aids, or they can be very advanced. Ask what features the hearing aids have. If you cannot afford the quoted price, ask whether there are cheaper hearing aids that will fit your hearing loss, but, be sure to understand that you may have to alter your expectations if you decide to go with cheaper hearing aids.

My final piece of advice is that if you (or someone you know) have purchased hearing aids, and they are not meeting your expectations, do not just tuck them away in a drawer! Regardless of what you paid, you should be given a trial period of at least 30 days (many clinics offer a longer trial period), and if you are not happy, you should return to your hearing clinic and discuss your options with the audiologist or dispenser.

Special thanks to Naomi Smith, M.Sc., Aud(C) for this article

Links to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Issues and Stories in the Media

This blog will be updated as new links come in. If you have an interesting link to a story please forward it to us.

Coroner warns cotton swabs can pose a danger
Marianne White, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, February 05, 2008
QUEBEC - A Quebec coroner is urging Health Canada to force manufacturers of cotton swabs on a stick to post larger warnings on packaging about the dangers of using them in the ear.
The recommendation comes after the investigation into the death last March of Montrealer Daniel St-Pierre, 43. Coroner Jacques Ramsay found the man died of complications linked to an ear infection likely caused by the use of cotton swabs that pierced the ear membrane.
That prompted Ramsay to urge consumers to be careful with the little cotton buds on a stick.


Pepsi's Superbowl Ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffrq6cUoE5A

Adapting to Hearing Aids

Are you considering trying hearing aids for the first time, or have you just started a trial with new hearing aids? For some people, adapting to hearing aids is very quick and easy. For others, it can take several months to adapt to new hearing aids. Everyone is different. – So, if this is your first time wearing hearing aids, or you have not worn hearing aids for a long time, welcome to your world full of new sounds for you to enjoy once again!

Here are some basic guidelines when wearing hearing aids for the first time:

Take it slowly!! This cannot be emphasized enough. We normally recommend that for the first few days, you wear the hearing aids only for 1 to 3 hours per day. As you become more comfortable wearing the hearing aids, increase the length of time by one or two hours per day. This gives your brain some time to adjust to the new sounds. In time, you should feel comfortable wearing your hearing aids for the majority of the day. You should not wear the hearing aids to bed at night (the hearing aids may be uncomfortable in your ear if you lie directly on them, and you may experience feedback or whistling).

Quiet situations first! When you wear hearing aids for the first time, even a quiet room may sound noisy to you! You may hear the hum of the refrigerator, the fan, or the sound of your breathing. The sound of crinkling newspaper, water running, or even your footsteps may seem loud to you at first. Your brain needs some time to adjust to these sounds, and to learn to ignore them (as it did when you had normal hearing). When you first get your hearing aids, use them only in quiet situations, or only when talking to one or two people in a quiet room. If you try to use your hearing aids in noisy situations (i.e. traffic, restaurant, group situations) too soon, you may feel overwhelmed.

Adjusting the volume (if applicable). If you have a volume control adjustment on your hearing aid, it is important that you wear the hearing aids so that the volume is equal in each ear. Many hearing aids now ‘reset’ to the proper start-up volume, otherwise set them at approximately half way on your volume control (unless directed otherwise). Turn on the radio or T.V., and stand directly in front of the speaker. Slowly move your head from side to side, and adjust the volume so that the sound is equal and comfortable for both ears. Another method of balancing your hearing aids, is to put your right hearing aid in first. Increase the volume control as you count from 1 to 5. Stop when you hear your voice in the right ear. Put the left hearing aid in. Count again from 1 to 5, and stop when your voice sounds like it’s in the middle of your head. It is not an exact science! The important thing is that the hearing aids are set at approximately the same volume.

Adjusting to your own voice. Your own voice may sound different to you with hearing aids. This is partly because there is something in your ears (stick your fingers in your ears and you will get the same affect), and partly because your hearing aids are amplifying your own voice (similar to hearing yourself on an answering machine or tape). Some people describe the sound as ‘echoey’, or ‘booming’, or ‘loud’. You may feel as though you are talking quite loudly, and are unable to monitor the level of your own voice. This is normal. Most people adapt very quickly to the ‘new’ sound quality of their voice, and it soon sounds natural and ‘normal’ to them. If you find that your voice is bothersome to you when you speak, and you are not adapting to it, some adjustments can often be made to the hearing aid.

Special thanks to Naomi Smith, M.Sc., Aud(C) for this article

Income Tax Q and A's. #3: Claiming hearing aid batteries and other tips

Q: Can I claim my hearing aid batteries under medical expenses?

A: Technically yes you can, but if you don’t have any other medical expenses you aren’t likely to spend enough to get the tax credit (your expenses must be at least 3% of your income or $1926, whichever is less). However, if it is in the year you purchased your hearing aids, it would make sense to keep the battery receipts for that year. Note: Medical may be claimed for any 12 month period ending in the year. It may be more advantageous for example to go from June to May when totaling your medical expenses.

Some useful tips about Line 330 - Medical expenses
Combining medical expenses for the entire family and claiming them on one return may be more advantageous. Medical may be claimed for any 12 month period ending in the year. It may be more advantageous for example to go from June to May when totaling your medical expenses. Medical expenses include premiums paid at work for health and dental plans (but not insurance and disability). Blue Cross and other health plans are also medical expenses. Don't forget to include travel health insurance. Under certain circumstances you may also be able to claim travel expenses as part of your medical expenses. Don't forget about the refundable medical expense supplement on line 452.
The link for the above information is: http://www.taxescanada.ca/tax_tips.html

Income Tax Q and A's. #2: Claiming hearing aids as a medical expense

Q: Can I claim my hearing aids as a medical expense on my income tax?

A: Yes you can.
You can claim, as a non-refundable tax credit, medical expenses for yourself, your spouse or common-law partner, and your children born in 1990 or later. For 2007, the total expenses have to be more than 3% of your net income, or $1,926, whichever is less.
You may also be able to claim medical expenses for the following persons if they depend on you for support:
you or your spouse or common-law partner's child or grandchild who was born in 1989 or earlier; and
you or your spouse or common-law partner's parent or certain close relatives who lived in Canada at any time in the year.

Q: If I purchased a hearing aid for someone other than myself, can I claim it under my medical expenses on my federal income tax?

A: The Canada Revenue Agency states that:

1. You can claim, as a non-refundable tax credit, medical expenses for yourself, your spouse or common-law partner, and your children born in 1990 or later. For 2007, the total expenses have to be more than 3% of your net income, or $1,926, whichever is less.

You may also be able to claim medical expenses for the following persons if they depend on you for support:
· you or your spouse or common-law partner's child or grandchild who was born in 1989 or earlier; and
· you or your spouse or common-law partner's parent or certain close relatives who lived in Canada at any time in the year (see 2).

The link to the above information is: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/newsroom/taxtips/2008/tt080115-e.html

2. You may claim the portion of eligible medical expenses you or your spouse or common-law partner paid for the following persons who depended on you for support on line 331:
· your or your spouse or common-law partner's child who was born in 1989 or earlier, or grandchild; or
· your or your spouse or common-law partner's parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew who was a resident of Canada at any time in the year.
The claim must be for the same 12-month period that was determined at line 330.
The link to the above information is: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/topics/income-tax/return/completing/deductions/lines300-350/331-e.html

The following is the formula used for Federal Medical and Disability Tax Credits
Medical Tax Credits are calculated as follows, using the formula:

A x B

Where “A” is a prescribed rate and “B” is the eligible amount.

The prescribed rate is subject to change from year to year. It is currently 15.5%.

The eligible amount is more complicated to determine:

Formula Y-Z

Z is the lesser of:
Net Income x 3%
Or
$1,926

Y is the total amount of all eligible medical expenses for the year.

In Example:
If you had a net income of $100,000 and medical expenses for the year of $7,000.

A = 15.5%
B = (Y-Z) = $7,000 - The lesser of: (100,000 x 3%) = $3,000 or $1,926
B = 7,000 – $1,926 = $5,074

A X B = 15.5% X $5,074 = $786.47

Therefore, you would receive a deduction in taxes payable to the federal government in the amount of $786.47.



Disability Tax Credits are also calculated using the formula A X B:

Where “A” is a prescribed rate and “B” is the eligible amount.

The prescribed rate is the same 15.5%

The eligible amount is $6,890 ($7,021 for 2008)

Therefore, someone who is eligible to receive the disability tax credit would receive a deduction in taxes payable to the federal government in the amount of $1067.95 ($6,890 X 15.5%).

Should I Wear One or Two Hearing Aids?

“My audiologist recommended two hearing aids for me. My sister only wears one and she is perfectly happy with one. Why do I need two?”

The answer to this question is that you don’t need two hearing aids to hear, for the same reason that you don’t need two eyes to see. With a hearing loss in both ears and only one hearing aid, you will ‘get by’ in some situations, however your hearing will be much better with two hearing aids. After all, we were not created with two ears so that we could have a spare if one became damaged or unusable. We were created with two ears for good reasons. Here are a few of them….

Assuming that you have a hearing loss in both ears, wearing a hearing aid in both ears offers the following advantages:

· Better understanding of speech.
· Better understanding of speech in noisy situations.
· Better ability to tell the direction of sounds.
· Better sound quality and ‘stereo’ hearing.
· Smoother tone quality and less distortion because less volume is required when you wear two hearing aids. Less battery drain for the same reason.
· Wider hearing range. A person can hear sounds from a further distance with two hearing aids.
· Better sound identification. With just one hearing aid, many noises and words sound alike. With two hearing aids, as with two ears, sounds are more easily distinguishable.
· Having two hearing aids keeps both ears active. Research has shown that with only one hearing aid, the unaided ear tends to lose its’ ability to hear and understand speech. This is called auditory deprivation.
· Hearing is less tiring and listening is more pleasant.
· Greater comfort with loud sounds.
· Reduced feedback and whistling because of lower volume control.
· Improvement in tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. Approximately 50% of people with ringing in their ears report improvement when wearing two hearing aids.
· Hearing aid satisfaction. Research with more than 4000 hearing-impaired people demonstrated that people wearing two hearing aids are more satisfied with their hearing aids than those wearing only one hearing aid.

These things are all important, and some are actually crucial to our survival. Being able to tell the direction of sounds is very important when a truck is coming towards us and we need to get out of the way!

In rare cases, using one hearing aid may be recommended. If the hearing is either too good, or too severe in one ear, that a hearing aid would not provide benefit, two hearing aids are often not recommended. Similarly, if, for financial reasons, someone is unable to afford two hearing aids, it is feasible to fit only one hearing aid (after all, one hearing aid is better than none!). However, with such overwhelming evidence supporting the advantages of binaural amplification, we would be doing a disservice to our patients if we recommended only one hearing aid.

Finally, ask yourself whether you would ever consider getting only one lens for your glasses, or only one contact lens for your eyes? Probably not. Ears are no different. If you want the best chance at improving your hearing, hearing aids in both ears is the natural thing to do.

Special thanks to Naomi Smith, M.Sc., Aud(C) for this article

Announcements

2008 Annual General Meeting

Date: Thursday, April 17th, 2008
Time: 6:30 PM (Doors open at 6:00)
Location: Multi-Purpose Room
Burnaby South High School
5455 Rumble Street, Burnaby

ASL Interpreters, Relay Interpreters, and FM system and Captioning will be provided.

The purpose and business of the meeting as required by the by-laws are as follows:

1. To formally report to the members on the activities of WIDHH for the year 2007. The Annual Report for the year will be presented.
2. To formally report to the members on the financial status of the institute for the year 2007. The audited financial report for the year ending December 31, 2007 will be presented.
3. To elect the Board of Directors.



Call for Nominations
WIDHH Board of Directors

Nominations are now open for the Board of Directors to be elected at the Annual General Meeting – Thursday, April 17th, 2008.

For more information, please contact Susan Masters, Executive Director. 604-736-7391 Voice, 604-736-2527 TTY, 604-736-4381 Fax or smasters@widhh.com

Deadline for nominations: February 28, 2008



Sixth Annual WIDHH Awards

WIDHH is now accepting nominations for our 6th Annual WIDHH Awards to be presented at the AGM on April 17th, 2008.

The purpose of the Awards is to recognize outstanding individuals or organizations that have made a difference in the lives of Deaf, Deafened or Hard of Hearing individuals in British Columbia.

If you would like to nominate and individual or an organization, please contact Ruth Blackburn, at WIDHH. 604-736-7391 Voice, 604-736-2527 TTY, 604-736-4381 Fax or email to rblackburn@widhh.com

Deadline for Nominations: March 5th, 2008



WIDHH Income Tax Night

Deaf or Hard of Hearing people who need help to file (fill in) their income tax forms are invited to come to our annual Income Tax Night. Volunteer accountants from the firm of Wozny and Associates will help with tax returns. Interpreters will be provided.

People with low incomes will be scheduled first.

Date: TBA
Time: 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Place: WIDHH
2125 West 7th Ave, Vancouver

What to Bring: T4 slip (shows your income for 2007), a copy of your 2006 income tax from, any information slips from banks, RRSP slips and your receipts for medicines and prescriptions, hearing aids, tty or signaling equipment purchased because you are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. These purchases may be counted as a medical expense on your tax return.

Call WIDHH to put your name on the list: 604-736-2527 TTY, 604-736-7391 Voice,

Beyond Hearing Aids – Coping with Background Noise

There is often a misunderstanding to what hearing aids can provide. Many people who walk into a hearing clinic for the first time believe that a hearing aid will solve all their hearing problems. They may expect to understand all sorts of conversations in different situations, such as talking at a party or understanding a lecture. Hearing aids can never restore normal hearing; they can only help to make it easier to hear.

Beyond hearing aids, we need to understand what factors affect communication and how best to adjust the environment around us to make listening easier.

With any degree of hearing loss, even the mildest of losses, speech understanding quickly disappears with the presence of background noise. Background noises range from obvious things, like traffic, machinery, or loud music, to more subtle noises, like running water, a whirring fan, or air conditioning. All of these will have an effect on understanding speech. With normal hearing, one can fine-tune the sound within the ear to pick out speech. With hearing loss, that fine-tuning ability is lost. Unfortunately, hearing aids cannot fine-tune the sound and pick out speech. It tends to make everything louder – speech and noise.

A person with a hearing loss and the people communicating with him or her can try to control or change this listening environment. It’s important that everyone in the conversation try to help and reduce the amount of background noise. If a window is open and the sound of traffic is distracting, then close the window. If you are sitting below an air conditioning vent and the constant whir is masking a speaker’s voice, then turn off the air conditioning or move to a spot away from the sound. If you’re at a party and you cannot hear people, try to move the conversation to a quieter area away from people and music. You may even have to step outside of the room to have a decent conversation.

Hearing aids may not be able to solve all the problems of understanding speech in noise, but a person can make small changes to the environment around them that can make a difference. So next time you are in a difficult environment, think about how you can improve the soundscape to make things easier for you and everyone else to hear.

Income Tax Q and A's. #1: Hearing Loss and the Federal Disability Tax Credit

Q. Am I eligible for the Federal Disability Tax Credit if I have a hearing loss?

A. The general definitions applied to the Disability Tax Credit are (as written in the Disability Tax Credit Certificate application form):
a. Prolonged: - An impairment is prolonged if it has lasted, or is expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months
b. Markedly restricted – You are markedly restricted if, all or substantially all the time, you are unable (or it takes you an inordinate amount of time) to perform a basic activity of daily living, even with therapy (other than life-sustaining therapy) and the use of appropriate devices and medication.

These definitions as they apply to hearing loss:
A person is considered markedly restricted in hearing if, all or substantially all the time, he or she:
• Is unable to hear so as to understand another person familiar with the hard of hearing person, in a quiet setting, even with the appropriate devices; or
• Takes an inordinate amount of time to hear so as to understand another person familiar with the patient, in a quiet setting, even with the use of appropriate devices.
Notes:
• Devices for hearing include hearing aids, cochlear implants, etc.
• An inordinate amount of time means that hearing so as to understand takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.

Examples of markedly restricted in hearing (examples are not exhaustive) (these examples are for the assessor):
• Your patient must rely completely on lip reading or sign language, despite using a hearing aid, in order to understand a spoken conversation, all or substantially all the time.
• In your office, you must raise your voice and repeat words and sentences several times, and it takes a significant amount of time for your patient to understand you, despite using a hearing aid.

Further information can be found at: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/disability/

Purchasing Hearing Aids through the Internet

The Internet continues to be a dizzying conduit of information and shopping nowadays. We can research the latest and greatest in gadgets and find out what is good and bad. We can read both critic and customer reviews. Then we go to our favourite online vendor and make our purchase.

Hearing aids have been widely available on the Internet for a while now. A simple Internet search on “Buying hearing aids online” produces an interesting variety of links. Some are links to direct vendors. Some are links to articles detailing the ins and outs of purchasing a device online. Some of these articles are in support of buying hearing aids online and some are in opposition. If you look carefully at some of these articles, they’ve been written by somebody who actually sells hearing aids online while some are written by professional organizations representing otolaryngologists or audiologists.

With the advent of the Internet, the term Caveat Emptor, or buyer beware, has never rang more true. Purchasing a hearing aid online is full of pitfalls that you could find yourself in. There are some important questions you should ask if you are thinking about purchasing hearing aids on the Internet.

What is the right hearing aid for me?
The best way to figure that question out is to actually not shop on the Internet, but to talk to a professional hearing aid dispenser. Modern digital hearing aids are complex and are meant to be programmed for your specific hearing and chosen based on your lifestyle and health needs. An aid just bought off the Internet is unlikely to have been chosen based on the above factors. A professional is the best at balancing your needs and preferences to get a hearing aid that works well for you.

Who is selling the hearing aid?
If you frequent the online auction site, eBay, then you know that anyone from established businesses to little Johnny down the street could be selling an item to you. An individual who is selling a hearing aid may be offloading a relative’s aid and does not know anything about hearing aids. A company may be the vendor, but what kind of guarantees and service come with the aid, if any.

How will the vendor choose and program the hearing aid for me?
Some online vendors will ask you to send a copy of your audiogram, or hearing test, and they will be able to program the aids according to your test. That is true; however, hearing tests are only a starting point for fitting a hearing aid properly. Is an online vendor going to be able to make further adjustments for you if the hearing aid doesn’t sound right? The initial fit of a hearing aid is based on your test and the manufacturer’s algorithm for producing the sound. That algorithm is based on their studies and it is really just an average that works for most people. Everybody’s ear is very unique and just one programming is often not enough.

How does an online company verify that the hearing aid is right for you? For an audiologist, they will often verify the hearing aid is giving the correct amplification and is not overamplifying by using real ear measurements. Real ear measurements cannot be done over the Internet, only in person.

Can I return the aid if it is not right for me?
At a hearing aid clinic in British Columbia, you have a minimum provincially-regulated 1-month trial period with a hearing aid. If it’s not satisfactory after the fitting and subsequent adjustments are made, then you can exchange the aid or return it for a refund. Can you have this kind of guarantee and service from an online vendor?

What happens if the hearing aid breaks down?
Some of the hearing aids that are being sold on the Internet are coming from different places around the world. For some of these aids, the warranty stays within the country it is from. Can the vendor guarantee that repairs will be looked after without a hassle? For example, many manufacturers do not sell aids in Canada and may not be able to service the aids for you. In Canada, most hearing aids bought in a clinic come with a 2-year repair warranty and a 1-year loss and damage coverage. Can an Internet seller give you that kind of coverage?

In general, it’s not advisable to purchase hearing aids on the Internet. There are lots of areas where problems can crop up and then you may end up spending hundreds more in money to have a local clinic look at the aid. So, it’s buyer beware when you purchase a hearing aid on the Internet.

Rear Window Captioning for Movie Theatres

A new movie just came out this weekend. It’s the one you’ve been waiting for months to come out. You’ve seen the TV trailer. You watched that entertainment show for all the actor and director interviews. You’ve seen the oversized billboard ads. You’ve visited the movie website to get all the dirt on the plot and characters. You are absolutely bursting with anticipation to watch this movie.

You pay your $11.95 (+ taxes) at the box office. You buy your popcorn and drink. You sit down in those great new comfortable reclining theatre seats. As a bonus, the movie you’re watching was filmed in digitally enhanced surround sound. And that silver screen is larger than you remember. Ah yes, the perfect movie theatre experience.

The movie starts. There’s some action one moment. A funny incident happens the next moment. This movie is looking as good as you thought it would look. Then, people start talking. The lead actors are having a conversation, but you’re starting to strain. You miss one word here, two words there, and then an entire sentence. It’s a quiet moment in the film and the voices are barely audible. Then music comes flowing in. Nice touch. The music is loud and clear, but what are the actors saying? You thought there was digitally enhanced surround sound. It’s plenty loud at times, but you just can’t understand what they are saying. At the end of the film, you are totally frustrated and exhausted from concentrating so hard in order to understand the dialogue.

Has this ever been your experience when you go to the movie theatre? For almost all hard-of-hearing individuals, the answer is a guaranteed yes. With a hearing loss, it doesn’t matter how good a theatre sound system might be, hearing loss cannot overcome very soft voices and competing sounds in order to understand words.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could go back and watch that film and understand every single word? Maybe you could understand every single piece of dialogue even better than your non-hearing impaired friend.

Some theatres in Canada are now equipped with Rear Window Captioning. Rear Window Captioning involves using a portable, transparent acrylic panel that can fit into your drink holder. It’s sort of like reading words in a rear view mirror in a car. Basically, you must get a Rear Window Captioning (RWC) panel from the box office or guest services desk of the movie theatre. The panel is attached to a long flexible metal bar with a base on the other end. You place the base into the drink holder. If you look at the back of the theatre, you’ll see an LED display with words on it. However, the words are reversed. So that’s when you adjust the bar and the panel so that the words at the back of the theatre can be reflected upon the panel. This way, you can read the dialogue as the movie is running.

A few notes from my own experience: I was unlucky enough to get a bar without a drink holder-sized base. Mine had this vice-like clamp that needed to be twisted onto the drink holder to hold it in place. If you get one of these clamp panels, see if they have the other version. It’s just not as easy to use and is prone to slipping off of the drink holder. Also, it can be a little difficult to adjust the RWC panel to be exactly under the projected picture and still be able to read the words at the same time. Make sure you go early enough to fiddle around with the panel to get the reflection right. There are also a limited number of these panels available in each theatre, so go early to get them. I think I saw a total of about 8 panels at the theatre I went to and they were all out when I went back to the desk to ask for one more.

However, overall, it was a good experience. Although I am not hard-of-hearing, I benefited from being able to catch dialogue that I would normally miss because it’s either too quiet or too quick. My wife’s English is her second language, so this helped a lot for her because there are lot of things spoken that do not make sense when she hears it, but makes a lot more sense when she can read it. She felt she really benefited from the RWC. During the film I saw, there was also a group of Deaf teens who were well aware of the benefits of RWC. Their friends had gotten a lot of panels and they were following the film just as well as everybody else in the theatre.

So if you are tired of missing dialogue in the movie and would love to go out with your friends and family, RWC may be an option for you. Check out the newspaper to see where RWC is provided in your area.

Further Reading:
Hearing Loss Web article on RWC

Cineplex listing of theatres with RWC in Canada

Movie Theater Captioning: Technology and Advocacy

Caption Movies Now Coalition

Useful accessories for listening to a cellphone

As many of you have experienced, cellphones and hearing aids don't always 'play nice' together. Sometimes there is distortion or feedback (whistling). Sometimes the power or volume just doesn't seem sufficient - and when you are trying to hear a phone call over the din of a foodcourt or city street, it can be almost impossible to have a decent conversation. Here are some accessories we that may help you to hear a bit better. We have had positive reports back on both items. You need to have a 2.5mm headset jack on your cellphone to use them.

1. CLA7 Clearsounds neckloop. This has a handsfree microphone built into it. You need to wear your hearing aids on the telephone program to hear with it. So can either listen to the cellphone through both of your hearing aids or if you are walking around, you may want to leave one of your hearing aids on the regular microphone program so you are aware of your surroundings. We have had positive feedback on the sound quality, however they neckloops are somewhat delicate where the it connects to the handsfree mic box. They have a volume control as well. These are $149 and they are available at our store or through our on-line store at www.widhh.com.

2. Noiz-free silhouettes. The silhouette looks like a skinny hearing aid and is worn beside your behind-the-ear hearing aid. It has a cord running down from it (like any headphones would) to plug into the cellphone. It also has a handsfree mic option on it. You can either get one silhouette (monaural) or two silhouettes (binaural) on a 'Y' cord to use with two hearing aids. We have had very positive feedback on these silhouettes. They are much smaller than the old silhouettes and therefore more comfortable to wear. Also people have told us that the sound quality is better than a neckloop - richer in sound quality (the neckloops sound tinnier in comparison). Like the neckloop, the hearing aids must be on t-coil or on the telephone program to work with the silhouette. These could be used with a custom aid equipped with a t-coil or telephone program as well. Some people have commented that they are a bit bulky to wear all day long (these are people who use the phone regularly throughout the day). The Noiz-free silhouettes are $55 for the monaural silhouette or $65 for the binaural set. These are also available at our store or through the on-line store at www.widhh.com.

Just a quick note for custom hearing aids users - the silhouettes can be used behind-the-ear but in conjunction with your telecoil program. Sometimes if the power doesn't seem sufficient on the telephone program - you can have your audiologist adjust the program for more power and better sound quality. Not all hearing aids have this option. In some cases, custom hearing aids can be sent back to the manufacturer to have a telecoil put in (if it didn't come with it) or have it adjusted for power if it is too weak. If you want to use a neckloop with a custom in-the-ear style hearing aid, the orientation of the t-coil may not be optimal - it may need to be sent back to the manufacturer to have it's position changed in the hearing aid to work with a neckloop (as they are generally intended to put a phone directly over the aid).

For behind-the-ear hearing aid users - if the sound quality of your telephone program is poor (to sharp, too noisy from the hum of the telecoil etc) you can often have the program adjusted for sound quality and power. Not all hearing aids have this feature.

Voicemail for Deaf People

Hi my name is Janice Jickels. I work at the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as head of the interpreting department.

I’d like to share with you some information, maybe its information you already know about, but I want to make sure the word gets out. Many deaf people have cell phones or blackberries, or devices from Telus, Bell, Fido, Rogers etc.

Deaf people have been frustrated with voicemail. You know what voicemail is, it’s like the answering machine function on a TTY, except it is spoken language left on your cell phone, we can’t hear the message and we tend to ignore them.

Cell phones and blackberries also have feature on a called voicemail. Now how can you use your voicemail feature?

First you need to set up a voicemail account, contact your provider, and ask to have voicemail added to your phone. There is a small monthly charge for that service. Once you have added voicemail you need to open the account and personalize it. You can do that by calling TRS, ask the operators to call the number provided to you by your cell phone company to access your voicemail.

The operator will then call the voicemail number, and you will have several options to choose from. The option you choose is “I want to set up my voicemail” you will be given an option to record a greeting, the TRS operator will do that for you. You can pick a standard greeting or personalized greeting.

You will find that you already have a password as part of setup the voicemail, use that password. The TRS operator will set up the greeting then your voicemail is activated and ready to go. If a hearing person calls your phone they will leave a voice message in the normal way and you will see on your phone “new voicemail.”

To retrieve that message, call 711 (Telus Relay Service) give the Telus operator the phone number the company provides to access voicemail, and your name and password.

Then the operator will type the messages that are recorded on your voicemail. And that’s all! The TRS operator will ask you if you want to delete or save the current message. You have the ability to save the message as long as you want on your cell phone. This is a great feature for deaf people because hearing people will be able to leave voicemail messages in the normal way, and we have the ability to retrieve those using TRS or any other relay service.

It is great to share this information because we’re all trying to get equal access, and you know how many of us get frustrated explain how to use TRS services, but now we can retrieve our own messages directly. It’s a great thing!

Many hearing people feel uncomfortable with having to go through a two step process. But now you don’t have to bother with that explanation. You just give them your cell phone number.
It becomes the deaf persons responsibility to collect their messages, But that’s already a big improvement, imagine if your trying to leave a contact number for a family member or employer, you just have to give them one phone number they can leave their message.

If you have any questions or want to share any tips with me, you can e-mail me at jjickels@telus.net or you can contact me through videophone it is 24.85.225.129

Thank you!

blackberry, deaf, asl, voicemail, sign language

Cellphone Survey Results

Last updated: June 14, 2008

Hello everyone, results are coming in from the Cellphone Survey and we are compiling them as they come in. I should let you know that this project does not receive any funding or grants - we are simply aware that there is a strong need for information about cellphone accessibility and it doesn't seem to be out there. So, on that note, I'm an audiologist, not a website designer, professional blogger or HTML coder, so the information is in a very basic format right now.

As more information becomes available we will add more information to help you find the phone most suitable for your needs. At this time we are presenting the information first by carrier (Telus, Bell, Rogers etc.), then by the manufacturer of the phone, model, the overall rating, and the features that help make it user friendly for connecting with amplification. The rating scale is as follows.
***** = Excellent
**** = Very Good
*** = Good
** = Fair
* = Poor

The final column is the M/T rating (if provided by the manufacturer). An M3 or M4 rating means that the phone is less likely to create interference when it is near a hearing aid. M4 is the best rating. A T3 or T4 rating means the phone should work with a hearing aid on the telecoil setting. T4 is the better of the two ratings. So the best phone would have an M4/T4 rating.

Note: Below the survey results, we have a listing of phones by Manufacturer that have been rated as M4/T4. These phones haven't been rated by consumers.

When a phone has been rated, we will try to provide a link to www.phonescoop.com as this website seems to be quite comprehensive in outlining ALL the features of the phones. Obviously, not all phones are available in each country. We will try to provide more country specific information as it becomes available.

Information was updated on December 1, 2007

Service Carrier	Brand	Model	Overall rating	Blue tooth	TTY mode	Headset jack		M/T rating
Bell	Blackberry
	Audiovox	8100	****			2.5mm
	HTC	HTC 8125 (Wizard)	**	2.0	No	2.5mm		No
	HTC	HTC 8925 (Tilt)	**	2.0	No	No		No
	Kyocera
	LG
	Motorola	E815	****	1.1	Yes	2.5mm		M4/T4
	Nokia	Nokia 6275i	*****	2.0+EDR	Yes	2.5mm		?
	Novatel
	Palm
	Samsung
	Sanyo
Telus	Audiovox	CDM 8150	*	No		2.5mm		not rated
	Blackberry
	HTC
	Kyocera
	LG	LG 125	***1/2	No	yes	2.5mm		M3
	LG	LG 490	****
		LG545	****
		LG 4600	****
		LG 245	****	yes 1.1	Y	2.5mm		M4
		LG 4750		No	Y	2.5mm		?
		LG 4750		No	Y	2.5mm		?
		LG 6070	*****			2.5mm
		LG 6190	***	No	No	2.5mm		?
		LG 8100	*****	1.1	Yes	2.5mm		M3
		LG 8500 Chocolate Flip	****	No	No	?		M3
		LG Migo		No	No	2.5mm		M3
	Migo