Happy World Hearing Day!
The World Health Organization has declared March third as a day to learn how to prevent or treat hearing loss.
SayWhatClub Blog Posts
Hearing Loss and Dementia
Explore the intricate relationship between hearing loss, dementia, and social isolation. Learn why hearing aids are just part of the solution and discover the importance… Read More »Hearing Loss and Dementia
Which Cochlear Implant is Best?
If you have recently discovered that you need a cochlear implant, you may be wondering which one is best. How to pick a cochlear implant… Read More »Which Cochlear Implant is Best?
The ADA and its importance to those with hearing loss
Thirty years ago, on July 26, 1990, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. This groundbreaking… Read More »The ADA and its importance to those with hearing loss
How To Enjoy The Holidays With Hearing Loss
Guest blogger Paisley Hansen discusses how to enjoy the holidays with hearing loss. Tips for Having a Joyous Holiday With Hearing Loss The holidays can… Read More »How To Enjoy The Holidays With Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss and Disability Benefits
Hearing Loss and Disability Benefits BY: Rachel Gaffney The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a monthly benefit to those unable to work for more than… Read More »Hearing Loss and Disability Benefits
Hearing for Two
by Claudia Sanders When my hearing friend talked about her challenges living with her hearing loss husband, I encouraged her to share her feelings.… Read More »Hearing for Two
Difficult Situations: What to do? How to Cope?
This article offers support for those struggling with hearing loss in everyday situations like socializing, appointments, and dealing with assumptions. It explores coping strategies, positive… Read More »Difficult Situations: What to do? How to Cope?
GUIDELINES FOR NEW HEARING AIDS
By Chelle Wyatt Hearing aids are expensive and it is a bit overwhelming going in for many first-timers. Not all hearing professionals are created… Read More »GUIDELINES FOR NEW HEARING AIDS
Don’t be Afraid to Travel with Hearing Loss: How Communication can be Better Overseas
Photo by Agustín Diaz on Unsplash I have traveled quite a bit over the course of my life. From family vacations – to mission trips… Read More »Don’t be Afraid to Travel with Hearing Loss: How Communication can be Better Overseas
Everybody Loses Their Hearing
What? You heard that right. We won’t get too existential here, but it is simply a part of life that we age. And, as we… Read More »Everybody Loses Their Hearing
THE SAYWHATCLUB CHANGED MY LIFE BY LORNE SMITH
My first SayWhatClub convention changed my life. It was 15 years ago but the memories haven’t faded. Though I was relatively new to SWC, I… Read More »THE SAYWHATCLUB CHANGED MY LIFE BY LORNE SMITH
SOLO TRAVEL: Getting Started
By Michele Linder Training myself to be a better solo traveler — who happens to have a profound hearing loss — has been among the most valuable… Read More »SOLO TRAVEL: Getting Started
5 Points of Volunteering
By Chelle Wyatt Finding your people. Hearing loss can be lonely. The world feels against you, sometimes your family too. It’s a deep, dark pit… Read More »5 Points of Volunteering
6 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE WITH HEARING LOSS
By Michele Linder Deaf and Hard of Hearing people are often misunderstood and misjudged. Sometimes it is those closest to them who are the worst… Read More »6 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE WITH HEARING LOSS
Ringing in the Ears: What a Scream
Last week was Tinnitus Awareness Week and the SayWhatClub shared many informative articles on the subject on our Facebook page, where you can scroll back… Read More »Ringing in the Ears: What a Scream
The ABCs of Living with Hearing Loss – Comprehensive Guide & Support
Navigate the complexities of living with hearing loss with our comprehensive guide. We offer a supportive community and resources for those seeking hearing loss support.… Read More »The ABCs of Living with Hearing Loss – Comprehensive Guide & Support
Understanding Hearing Loss and Dementia
Is hearing loss and dementia related? Explore ways of managing your hearing loss more effectively to offset feelings of isolation. Hearing loss and dementia: Is… Read More »Understanding Hearing Loss and Dementia
Yin Meets Yang: the Benefits of Disclosing Your Hearing Loss
By Michele Linder – Originally posted Dec. 14, 2017 There are both good and bad things related to hearing loss, but the misconceptions that others⎯those… Read More »Yin Meets Yang: the Benefits of Disclosing Your Hearing Loss
How to Talk to a Lipreader
By Michele Linder I’m teaching my granddaughter how to talk to me… I’ve been doing it from the beginning, but now that she’s older, and… Read More »How to Talk to a Lipreader
La Technique of Lipreading
By Michele Linder and Chelle Wyatt I recently watched American Masters on PBS, Jacques Pépin: The Art of Craft. La Technique: An Illustrated Guide to… Read More »La Technique of Lipreading
Lip Reading Tips
by Michele Linder & Chelle Wyatt Chelle: This article will not only help those who lipread, but it will help all hard of hearing people… Read More »Lip Reading Tips
Learning a Foreign Language with Hearing Loss: A chi vuole, non mancano modi
By Kimberly I walked into a pharmacy in La Spezia, Italy with torn khakis and a bloody knee, asking for help in my… Read More »Learning a Foreign Language with Hearing Loss: A chi vuole, non mancano modi
Improve Lipreading Skills Using Anticipation and Prediction
By Chelle Wyatt & Michele Linder This article is about how to improve lipreading skills using anticipation and prediction. This is just a piece of the… Read More »Improve Lipreading Skills Using Anticipation and Prediction
Speechreading Tips and Hints
Speechreading Tips & Hints (also called Lipreading) By Chelle Wyatt I teach speechreading tips at work and it’s becoming a popular class. The classes become… Read More »Speechreading Tips and Hints
Wishing Backwards: Ten Things I Wish I Had Learned Sooner
By Michele Linder SayWhatClub is such a wonderful place, and many of the articles I write for the SayWhatClub Blog come from posts to my home list,… Read More »Wishing Backwards: Ten Things I Wish I Had Learned Sooner
Navigating A World That Assumes You Hear: How to Deal With Not Being Able to Hear
By Michele Linder At whatever stage in life you came to hearing loss, it’s likely no one gave you any specific information on how to… Read More »Navigating A World That Assumes You Hear: How to Deal With Not Being Able to Hear
10 Practical Tips for Tinnitus
By Chelle Wyatt Tinnitus is on my mind today and that’s because I’m off the grid, in the middle of nowhere at my parents house.… Read More »10 Practical Tips for Tinnitus
Gestures Aid Communication
by Chelle Wyatt I teach a speechreading class at different senior centers through my work with the state. Every time I teach the class I… Read More »Gestures Aid Communication
Steps to Coping with Hearing Loss: Ways to Improve Communication
Coping with Hearing Loss – Practical Steps & Support by Chelle Wyatt Part of my job is going to senior centers; to teach a speechreading… Read More »Steps to Coping with Hearing Loss: Ways to Improve Communication
The Holidays: Including those you love with hearing loss
tby Michele Linder When the answer is “No.”, the holidays and all their festive gatherings can become filled with anxiety and dread. Large gatherings are especially difficult… Read More »The Holidays: Including those you love with hearing loss
Auditory Fatigue/Listener Fatigue
by Chelle Wyatt I belong to three hearing loss organizations and they each have something I value (SayWhatClub is closest to my heart). I love… Read More »Auditory Fatigue/Listener Fatigue
I’m a Lipreader
By Chelle Wyatt I’m a lipreader and I say that to people thinking it’s straight forward. I haven’t said hard of hearing in a few years because… Read More »I’m a Lipreader
My Experience with CART
Our guest blogger is SWCer Cristal Alferez. Cristal is a Mechatronics Engineer who works for a Manufacturing Company in San Diego CA. She is Mexican, speaks… Read More »My Experience with CART
Bluffing is gambling?
by Chelle Wyatt Bluffing – “To engage in a false display of confidence or aggression in order to deceive or intimidate someone.” Google bluffing and watch… Read More »Bluffing is gambling?
Meet My Friend (Blank)
By Chelle Wyatt Chelle, this is my friend (Blank)… (Blank) meet Chelle. Conversation continues after introductions so I don’t stop to ask for a repeat. I’m… Read More »Meet My Friend (Blank)
Talking to a Hard of Hearing Person
by Chelle Wyatt Talking to a hard of hearing person is easy! Follow these communication guidelines to improve conversations and cut back on repeats. Always… Read More »Talking to a Hard of Hearing Person
Working With Hearing Loss
When I was 13 years old, someone taught me how to french braid hair and that pretty much sealed my fate. I practiced and practiced… Read More »Working With Hearing Loss
Hearing Loop
My first hearing loop experience was at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) convention in Rhode Island last year. At my first workshop, one… Read More »Hearing Loop
Air Travel with Your Hearing Loss
by Rosie Greer, Flight Attendant and SWC Member I travel for a living. Every working day, I experience the wonders of air travel. Air travel with… Read More »Air Travel with Your Hearing Loss
Tweaking a Hearing Aid Program..and Cookies
Yesterday was another trip to the audiologist to get my hearing aids programmed. For the last three months, certain sounds made me cringe, clench my… Read More »Tweaking a Hearing Aid Program..and Cookies
Hearing Loss and Interdependence
I’m always reading and have at least two books going at the same time. Right now, one of those books is The 7 Habits… Read More »Hearing Loss and Interdependence
Meet Mary McQueen and Luigi
Editor’s Note: A cookie bite hearing loss is a less common, generally hereditary, mid-frequency loss. Thus named because of how it looks on the audiogram–… Read More »Meet Mary McQueen and Luigi
Beautifully Broken by Michele Linder
Broken or Beautiful Lipreading Mom, Shanna Groves, wants to know “Would you describe hearing loss as brokenness or beautiful?”, and I feel compelled to answer:… Read More »Beautifully Broken by Michele Linder
Happy HEARversary! Celebrating Twenty Years of Hearing With A Cochlear Implant
Last month, our own Robyn Carter celebrated a big anniversary – two decades with a cochlear implant! Back in February of 1993, she was the… Read More »Happy HEARversary! Celebrating Twenty Years of Hearing With A Cochlear Implant
Patience and Hearing Loss
When hearing loss is a factor, patience promotes successful communication. In a relaxed atmosphere a hard of hearing person has a better chance of understanding… Read More »Patience and Hearing Loss
Why Not? by Michele Linder
The question on the Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning (CCAC) blog is, “Do You Ask? For Captioning or CART of course?”, and “If not,… Read More »Why Not? by Michele Linder
Hearing Loss Cause Unknown
“Does anyone in your family have a hearing loss,” the doctor asked. “Yeah my 80 year old grandma.” That didn’t count. “Have you been around… Read More »Hearing Loss Cause Unknown
Help SayWhatClub Stop Hearing Loss Bullying
By Shanna Groves / LipreadingMom.com As a person with hearing loss, I have seen bullying first hand. I’ve been called ‘stupid,’ ‘mule-headed,’ and have been… Read More »Help SayWhatClub Stop Hearing Loss Bullying
My Ears Have a Cold Nose by Mary Ann De Meo
Dora is Mary Ann’s latest NEADS Hearing Dog In 1978, I was a junior in high school looking forward to college. My parents wondered… Read More »My Ears Have a Cold Nose by Mary Ann De Meo
A Window into Migraine Headache by Wendy Holcombe
Editor’s Note: As defined by Wikipedia: “Ménière’s disease ( /meɪnˈjɛərz/) is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a… Read More »A Window into Migraine Headache by Wendy Holcombe
ONE ROAD… by Kayla Siebold
Kayla on her wedding day. A new journey… a new life and new challenges. Is it worth it? I think so!! Sometimes life isn’t… Read More »ONE ROAD… by Kayla Siebold
Progressive Hearing Loss
Progressive hearing loss creates big dips in hearing. Other times, it chips away at hearing little by little. Either way, it means constant adjusting to… Read More »Progressive Hearing Loss
A STORY OF FEAR by Michele Linder
I’ve been going through TED withdrawal. I remedied that this morning by making time for the things that make me think further. TED Talks certainly… Read More »A STORY OF FEAR by Michele Linder
Acoustics, Hearing Aids and Hearing Loss
Hearing Aids and Acoustics Nothing defeats me and my hearing aids faster than bad acoustics. Some beautiful rooms have destroyed my hearing ability and… Read More »Acoustics, Hearing Aids and Hearing Loss
A Natural Disaster by Pearl Feder
High Tide Before Hurricane Sandy It was October 29th, 8:30 a.m. Monday morning and high tide had flooded the streets of the Rockaways before Sandy made… Read More »A Natural Disaster by Pearl Feder
Experiences With Other Modes of Communication
Last summer, I went to my first hearing loss convention. The convention catered to the needs of the hard of hearing with CART, loops and… Read More »Experiences With Other Modes of Communication
Phone Strategies
Our last Hearing Loss Association chapter meeting in Prescott last weekend was about the phone. We shared our stories about phone communication strategies. This was… Read More »Phone Strategies
Hearing Aids Are Only the Beginning
Hearing aids improve the lives of those with hearing loss but it’s only the beginning. Hearing aids aren’t called hearing miracles for a reason. There’s… Read More »Hearing Aids Are Only the Beginning
Socializing With Hearing Loss
Staying Active With a Hearing Loss Socializing with hearing loss is challenging. Some friends have invited you to dinner. Your heart and spirit are tempted… Read More »Socializing With Hearing Loss
Tinnitus
What is tinnitus Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of external stimuli,meaning a person affected by tinnitus hears sounds no one else… Read More »Tinnitus
Hearing Aids Ten Hours A Day
While I lived in Salt Lake, I wound up shopping around for an audiologist I respected. It took four tries but I found one who… Read More »Hearing Aids Ten Hours A Day
The Phone and Hearing Loss
The phone is all about being social and getting information. It’s one of the first places hearing loss is recognized. Repeats are more common than… Read More »The Phone and Hearing Loss
A Hard of Hearing Hairstylist
At 13 years old, someone taught me how to French braid at school and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to be… Read More »A Hard of Hearing Hairstylist
Our World
In 1998, I gathered with about 30 other SayWhatClub members in Rocky Mountain National Park for a long weekend camp out. That was the first… Read More »Our World
High Frequency Hearing Loss
I have a high frequency hearing loss, diagnosed in my early twenties but it probably started as a teenager. For a long time I didn’t… Read More »High Frequency Hearing Loss
Say WHAT?: the inadequacy of transcribed captions by Michele Linder
A few months ago, Cathy Zimmerman, a fabulous lady from my SayWhatClub home list, Connect, shared with our group her recent honor at being nominated,… Read More »Say WHAT?: the inadequacy of transcribed captions by Michele Linder
Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART)
In the late 1990’s, I heard about Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) through people on my SWC list. (Sometimes called real-time captioning.) I understood the… Read More »Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART)
The Lighter Side of Hearing Loss
Trying to find the positive in hearing loss came up on the SayWhatClub Connect list. We’re not saying hearing loss isn’t a serious matter. It… Read More »The Lighter Side of Hearing Loss
Volunteer
I started doing volunteer work in my early twenties. My ex-husband joined the Marine-Corps as soon as we got out of high school. Not long… Read More »Volunteer
The Things I Can Hear
Those of us who are hard of hearing often get bogged down in what we can’t hear. Last year I decided to go the positive… Read More »The Things I Can Hear
Hard of Understanding
How often do I tell people I’m hard of hearing? Not often these days because they only speak louder which distorts word discrimination. Now I… Read More »Hard of Understanding
Deaf at the Deli by Michele Linder
I spent yesterday shopping and running errands. It was a good day, as I didn’t really run into any particular difficulty… I wasn’t doing things… Read More »Deaf at the Deli by Michele Linder
HOW DO YOU HANDLE COMMUNICATION WITH HAIRSTYLISTS AND HEARING LOSS?
It’s hard to find a hairstylist that “gets” you. I put off going to the hairstylist for this reason. When I lived in Atlanta, I… Read More »HOW DO YOU HANDLE COMMUNICATION WITH HAIRSTYLISTS AND HEARING LOSS?
South Pacific
Utah-CAN worked hard to get a play captioned for us and I wanted to support their efforts. I dreaded using the phone to buy tickets… Read More »South Pacific
Vacation with a Hearing Loss
The airplane A few weeks ago I went to Maui with my aunt and her grand daughter. After having so much trouble hearing on the… Read More »Vacation with a Hearing Loss
Making Our Holiday Season Accessible
The holiday season is upon us and many of us with hearing loss and late deafness have to figure out strategies to get us through… Read More »Making Our Holiday Season Accessible
Listening and Hearing
You would think listening and hearing go hand in hand but they don’t. For those of us with hearing loss, we listen with our whole… Read More »Listening and Hearing
Going to the Movies
I used to be an avid movie buff, going to the theater once a week at least There were times when I knew almost every… Read More »Going to the Movies
Never Mind vs Deaf Nod
We try our best to hear in most situations. We want to hear. If we miss something, we ask for a repeat and still can’t… Read More »Never Mind vs Deaf Nod
Hearing Aids 101
I belong to a writing group here in Salt Lake City. The writing center had it’s 10 year celebration last night and I was asked… Read More »Hearing Aids 101
ACTION, CAMERAS, CAPTIONS
Summer is here and some of us are spending some hard earned money to take a vacation. Some of travelers are also hearing impaired and… Read More »ACTION, CAMERAS, CAPTIONS
Meet TED, Dave, Kelly, and Brian
By Michele Linder This started out to be a simple post to Connect, my home list on the SayWhatClub, but grew into something more upon… Read More »Meet TED, Dave, Kelly, and Brian
Is the SayWhatClub for You? by Michele Linder
Is the SayWhatClub for You? If you or someone you love has a hearing loss and is saying “What?” much of the time, then the… Read More »Is the SayWhatClub for You? by Michele Linder
Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay for Hearing Aids by Dr. John S. Ford
This article was written by John S. Ford MD, MPH Los Angeles, California, who is a full time assistant professor at UCLA. This article was… Read More »Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay for Hearing Aids by Dr. John S. Ford
The King Speaks, But Not to Everyone by John Waldo
This article was written on February 14th, 2011 by John Waldo*, prior to the Academy Awards ——————————————————————————————————— The King Speaks, But Not to Everyone By… Read More »The King Speaks, But Not to Everyone by John Waldo
Drunken Sailor Syndrome – Living and Working with Vertigo
Vertigo, commonly known as “the spins” is a condition where a person loses their sense of balance, so the world seems to spin around… Read More »Drunken Sailor Syndrome – Living and Working with Vertigo