Medical Encounters when you have Hearing Loss

When the COVID-19 Pandemic became a public health emergency in the United States, the April 8, 2020 meeting of the Hearing Loss Association of America’s Sarasota/Manatee Chapter was postponed. Speakers Valerie Stafford-Mallis and Flo Innes provided the chapter with a copy of their planned presentation, “What Every Hard-of-Hearing Person Needs to Know Before a Medical Encounter,”which you can read below.

“What Every Hard-of-Hearing (HOH) Person Needs to Know Before a Medical Encounter” 

Effective communication is crucial when you visit the dentist, doctor, or other healthcare provider, and is even more important when you enter the hospital. The Hearing Loss Association of America offers a valuable, free Guide for Effective Communication in Healthcare. 

Additional Resources

The publication of these links does not imply endorsement of organizations, companies or products by the Hearing Loss Association of Sarasota.

Four websites that have up to date information regarding hearing loss:

The national HLAA website is:
http://www.hearingloss.org/

The Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (the Governor appoints two HLAA-FL members to the Council by statute) website is:http://www.floridahealth.gov/provider-and-partner-resources/fccdhh/index.html

The HLAA-Florida Association website is:
http://hla-fl.org/

The Center for Hearing & Communication (CHC) website is:
http://[email protected]/

Two websites that have up to date information regarding hearing loops

LoopFinder
http://www.loopfinder.com/

Assistive Listening Device Locator
http://www.aldlocator.com/

Hearing Aid Financial Assistance for Florida Residents

Alexander Graham Bellwww.agbell.org202-337-5221
Audient Programwww.audientalliance.org888-283-4368
Hear Nowwww.sotheworldmayhear.org800-328-8602
Kiwaniswww.kiwanis.org1-800-549-2647
Lions Club Internationalwww.lionsclubs.org630-571-5466 X615
Sertomawww.sertoma.org816-333-8300
Starkey Hearing Foundationwww.soundchoicefinancing.com800-382-8602
Association of Late-Deafened Adults
http://aldasuncoast.com/
Center for Hearing and Communicationhttp://chchearing.org/
954-601-1930
Children’s Hearing Help Fundhttp://www.childrenshearinghelpfund.com/866-999-2443
Florida Associations of the Deaf, Inc.http://www.fadcentral.org/resources.html727-524-4464
Sertoma Club of Venice, Inc.http://www.venicesertoma.com/speech.shtml941-882-0170
Testing Inside Table098765432

Hearing Aid Financial Assistance for Children

Alexander Graham Bellwww.agbell.org202-337-5221
Disabled Children’s Relief Fundwww.dcrf.com516-377-1605
Sertomawww.sertoma.org816-333-8300
Miracle Ear Children’s Foundationwww.miracle-ear.com800-234-5422

Hearing Loss Association of Americahttp://www.hearingloss.org/
Learn about Hearing Losshttp://www.hearingloss.org/learn/hearingloss_vids.asp
Hearing Loss Simulator – Provides demonstrations of mild/ moderate hearing losshttp://www.betterhearing.org/hearing_loss/_
hearing_loss_simulator/index.cfm
FCCDHH Knowledge Centerhttp://www.fccdhh.org/knowledge_center
Deaf Services (FCCDHH)http://www.fccdhh.org/index.cfm/quickurl/deaf_blind_info

Assisted Listening Devices

Bell South Hearing Impaired Helphttp://www.bellsouth.com/specialneeds/hearing.html
Life with Easehttp://www.lifewithease.com/fithear.html
What are Hearing Loop Systems?http://www.hearingloop.org/
Pure Direct Sound Looping Systemshttp://www.puredirectsound.com/

Donate Used Hearing Aids
Help The Needy. Get Tax Deduction

Ear Research Foundation(at Silverstein Institute) www.EarRF.org 941-366-9222

HearCare Connection, Inc. http://www.hearcareconnection.org/sarasota/

Hearing Aids

Hearing Loss Association of Americahttp://www.hearingloss.org/content/hearing-aids
Consumer’s Guide to Hearing Loss (free with new HLAS memberships)http://www.hearingloss.org/content/consumers-guide-hearing-aids

Cochlear Implants

Hearing Loss Association of Americahttp://www.hearingloss.org/content/cochlear-implants
Advanced Bionicshttp://www.advancedbionics.com/index.cfm?langid=1
CochlearAmericashttp://www.cochlearamericas.com
Med-Elhttp://www.medel.at/US/index.php

Auditory Training

Read My Quips (Free trial)http://sensesynergy.com
LACE ($79)http://www.neurotone.com/lace-interactive-listening-program
Brain IQhttp://positscience.com

Other Helpful Links

Hearing Loss Association of Floridahttp://www.hla-fl.com/
Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Informationhttp://www.ada.gov/adahom1.htm
Rehab Centers Accessible to People w Hearing Losshttps://drugrehabus.org/rehabs/treatment/deaf/
Resources and Help (by Phonak)http://www.hearinglikeme.com/
Addiction Treatment for Deaf and/or Blind Individualshttp://www.rehabcenter.net/rehab-for-deaf-and-blind/

New links that you would recommend? Contact HLAS [email protected]