Winter - Hearing Loss Association of America, California State

Transcription

A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER - WINTER 2014
CIWA GRIFFITHS, Ed.D (1911-2003)
Founder of HEAR Center, Mother of Auditory-Verbal Method
Times. Her mother studied law and graduated from the
University of Texas in 1890 when she was 15. When she was
not allowed to take the bar exam or practice law because of her
gender, she became a suffragette. From then on Women’s
Rights consumed her with a passion. To get better educations
for her children, the family moved to Australia, then to Texas
and then to California.
In 1934, Dr. Griffiths met the Work family, who had a deaf
3-year old daughter Johnita. Dr. Griffiths says, ‘”I was
fascinated with Johnita. She was like quicksilver, her eyes
darting from one person to another, pulling at her mother for
further explanation if she needed it. Little did I know that the
bubbly mite of humanity that I hugged to me that night was to
change my life and its direction forever.”
When Johnita was five she needed to begin school. At that time,
there was no testing for residual hearing. Hearing aids, if used
at all, were put on seven year olds. Often deaf children were
sent away at five years of age to a residential school for the deaf,
such as the California State School for the Deaf in Berkeley.
They taught only sign language. The nearest oral school for the
deaf was in St Louis Missouri, teaching lip reading and speech
through lip reading. Her mother believed that she should be part
of the hearing world, and she did not want to send her five year
old daughter away to boarding school.
Editor: I excerpted this from HEAR is a Four-Letter Word by
Ciwa Griffiths, Ed D. More invisibility. Have you ever heard of
Dr. Ciwa Griffiths? She made being hard of hearing invisible.
Before Dr. Griffiths, hearing aids were not used until children
were 7 years old or older. These children had deaf speech and
had a great deal of difficulty in school. After Dr Griffiths,
hearing aids were put on children as young as week old infants.
They developed normal speech and their educational levels were
the same as their hearing peers.
She is the Mother of the Auditory Verbal method. She is
almost invisible online. Google Auditory Verbal, and her name is
not mentioned at all. There is almost nothing in Wikipedia. The
Wikipedia article was written by a German, and when translated
is difficult to understand. For instance, what does this mean
‘Apply Vollzeithörverstärkung in babies’? LOL
Why? A woman? Hard Loss is a minor subject? Hearing
Loss is invisible even online?
Dr. Griffiths was born in the Fiji Islands. She was the ninth of ten
children. Ciwa means nine. Her father was Editor of The Fiji
Dr Griffiths wondered why Johnita did not wear a hearing aid.
The doctor said she was totally deaf and it would not help. Was
her hearing tested? No. She was two years old when she was
diagnosed and she didn’t respond to any of the loud tones he
tried.
At five, Dr Griffiths had Johnita’s hearing tested and found she
was severely hard of hearing, but not deaf. She began wearing a
hearing aid in a leather purse bag across her chest. In those days
a hearing aid weighed one pound.
Dr Griffith’s first teaching job was teaching elementary school
in a one room schoolhouse in central California. There were 10
students, one deaf Johnita, and two English as a second
language. She taught several years.
Every summer she continued her education, taking Johnita with
her. They went to Wayne University in Illinois taking courses
in the education of the deaf, where Johnita would be tutored by a
credentialed teacher of the deaf. Wayne University disapproved
of Johnita’s wearing a hearing aid and felt it was cruel to
burden her with the one pound instrument. What could be
wrong with wearing a hearing aid? Shouldn’t every little
advantage be used?
an aid. The same old story—delay, deliberation and denial.
She was then hired as the Coordinator of Special Education, San
Diego County Schools, and stayed for six years. Within the first
year the hearing of 20,000 elementary school children was
screened and those who failed the original test were retested.
Workshops for teachers in the rural areas were set up. Speech
therapy and lip reading lessons were organized district by
district. She provided services for all the handicapped and
began placing handicapped children in regular classrooms.
When she entered a classroom and had difficulty picking out the
handicapped child, she knew all was well.
She began a new way of doing things. The lives of countless
children have been changed because of her work.
 She made learning to speak and to hear a positive and FUN
experience, by providing a large space with interesting play
areas, similar to pre-school programs, so children could move
freely around the room, the play areas to be age and child
related with slides, building blocks and easels. No circle of
chairs.
 She pioneered giving babies and toddlers full time
amplification, fitting a one month old baby with hearing aids.
At the time, hearing aids were not considered for children
under the age of seven years.
 She pioneered the idea of optimizing a child’s residual hearing
within the natural environment (the least restrictive environment)—in the home and in mainstream schools with normally
hearing peers. Deaf children with hearing aids who remain in
an environment of deafness, exposed to only deaf voices will
all sound deaf.
 She gave parents a choice—the knowledge that most deaf or
hard of hearing infants can be of the hearing world, no matter
what the degree of hearing loss. If a deaf child can hear when
young enough, then the child will learn to speak naturally. She
believed in extensive parental involvement and taught parents
to be informed, involved and assertive.
During a course in behavioral psychology, she had an insight. It’s
the maturation period that has been missed in the education of the
deaf. The normally hearing child’s maturation period for
They spent a year at the Clarke School for the Deaf in
Massachusetts, Johnita as a residential student, and Dr. Griffiths learning to listen and to speak is between birth and three years of
age. Nobody had ever used hearing aids at that period of
as a teacher in training to earn her credential to teach the deaf.
development. It stands to reason that if a child can hear, he’ll
Clarke is primarily a residential school, ages three years to 21
years. When they graduated they were at the eighth grade level learn to talk. If the aids are used during the maturation period he
will utilize that sound and speech to better advantage. Speech and
scholastically. Johnita’s hearing aid was taken away. Only
about 10 out of the 200 children had aids. It was explained that language will follow naturally and easily. Dr. Griffiths had never
had the opportunity of working with infants under three. She
Johnita had a profound loss and children with that profound a
loss did not benefit from amplification. Johnita changed from a went to London to study the specialized education of deaf
children under Dr. Whetnall and other educators who were
happy nine year old into a sad sack ten year old. She was
segregated from the hearing world, locked in a rigid atmosphere. performing ground-breaking research. It was there that Dr.
Dr. Griffiths found out that she did not want to teach in a school Griffiths first observed the impact of early amplification.
for the deaf.
From 1969-1973, she did a clinical investigation, fitting deaf
Johnita was now ready to begin high school and Dr Griffith said infants ages birth to eight months of age with hearing aids. She
found that 67% of the deaf infants were able to discard their aids
firmly that Johnita did not need her any more.
and became normal hearing. This study was replicated in
Hungary and 81 % were able to go on to normal hearing. This
In 1944 she applied for and got the new position of California
only worked if the infants were under 8 months old. At nine
State Department of Education, Coordinator of the Hard of
months it was too late.
Hearing. She was told she was free to set up her own guidelines. On the staff was Mr. Stevenson, Superintendent of the
She founded the HEAR Foundation (Hearing Education through
California School for the Deaf in Berkeley, the only residential
school for the deaf in California. It provided the deaf population Auditory Research Foundation) in Eagle Rock, California in
a free education and board and room from 5-21 years of age.
1954. In 1959 it would become the HEAR Center and move to
Mr Stevenson fanatically believed in manualism for the deaf and Pasadena where it still stands to this day. Close friends of Dr.
was antagonistic to the use of hearing aids. She was fired after
Griffiths and true believers in her vision, Glen and Margaret
one month Why? Mr Stevenson did not approve of her views
Bollinger, founder of Sparkletts, gave significant funding to the
and felt she proceeded too abruptly. She offended members of
HEAR Center to help her achieve her vision. The HEAR Center
the staff who had been there much longer and had much more
has become internationally recognized for its innovative and
experience in the field.
extensive testing and therapy programs.
She was invited to teach the 1947 Summer Session at Vassar in
NY and again in 1948. She was asked by PS 47 School for the
Deaf to rewrite their course of study. The course of study book
was four and one half inches of spiral bound pages. The deaf
children read at third grade level at 12 years of age whether they
started in a school for the deaf at age 6 or age 3. Her first advice
was, “Throw away your course of study book”.
In 1950, she got a part time job at the John Tracy Clinic at USC.
She recommended hearing aids for every child. Why did you
recommend a hearing aid for every child? Because every child
had a hearing loss and needed an aid. Then JTC explained their
program. We do use hearing aids, but only after we have seen a
child for a year and repeatedly tested him to be sure our audiogram is correct and that he has enough hearing to benefit from
2 The Hearing Loss Californian - Winter 2014
The Hearing Loss Californian - Winter 2014 3
 Learn to listen and to speak. Don’t concentrate on individual
speech sounds, but rather develop rate, rhythm and language.
Harassment started early. Two members of the faculty of USC
joined the Board of the HEAR Center. Within two months the
President of USC contacted the faculty members, disturbed that
they were serving on the HEAR board. He had it from a good
source that the woman who had started it was taking advantage
of the poor parents, selling hearing aids to deaf children who
could not possibly benefit from them. After all, USC offered
courses in the education of the deaf and the John Tracy Clinic
was the demonstration school where the students did their
student teaching. But that wasn’t the end of it. JTC said she was
encroaching on their territory, offering services to the pre-school
deaf. She might damage a child’s hearing. She is advocating
hearing aids at an age before accurate audiograms can be
obtained. And she is advocating hearing aids regardless of the
degree of loss. Some of the children are totally deaf and the
hearing aids will be a needless expense to the parent.
Dorothy Chandler, publisher of the Los Angeles Times gave the
edict that nothing about the HEAR Foundation was to be
published in the Times and for years nothing was. They could
get no publicity for their events or affairs.
As the years went by the antagonism became stronger. The
thought that there might be a better way than that which had
been learned and practiced with devotion to the deaf threatened
the very center of competence. She was ostracized, attacked,
discredited by those in power who clung to outdated notions.
Yet without the insight and single minded dedication of Dr.
Griffiths, hearing impaired children throughout the United States
might still be denied the benefit of hearing aids. Thousands of
present day deaf adults who live productive lives in the hearing
world would have been consigned to a deaf culture, stuck in
menial jobs, isolated from the rest of society. Fortunately for
them, Dr Griffith relied on her observations and intuition rather
than the established assumption about a hearing impairment
which was if a child was ‘deaf’ his deafness was total. She
reasoned that some residual hearing had to exist and it should be
used rather than discarded.
Improved auditory testing in recent years has proven her
intuition correct: over 97% of those in schools for the deaf have
been found to have enough residual hearing to benefit from
amplification and speech instruction. But back when she first
began to teach, she was an anomaly, scorned by deaf educators
throughout the country. Her successes with children who
learned to talk normally sustained her in her battle against
educators ‘deaf’ to new ideas. By persisting and while initially
scoffed at by the medical establishment of the time, Dr. Griffith's
Auditory-Verbal Approach, has become standard operating
procedure.
In the 1970's Dr. Griffiths organized the world’s first two
international conferences on using auditory techniques for
children who are deaf. Leaders from the United States and
around the world participated and out of these beginnings, a new
organization, Auditory Verbal International, was born.
Deep Sleep in the Big Apple
By Nanci Linke-Ellis
Life in the pre-digital, uncaptioned world was always an
experience. And being young, fearless, and definitely clueless in
the 1970’s was not always a good combination. I didn’t really
overthink my hearing loss. That’s not to say, I didn’t stress
about it, but once I was hired to do something -- whether it
required working ears or not -- I forged ahead.
I was hired to work as a production assistant on a live television
special in New York. For reasons too numerous to go into here,
the entire videotaped event was a sheer disaster. What was
intended as a live two-hour star-studded event turned into an
overnight marathon of technical mishaps and producer-induced
blunders. The network had us all stay in the New York Hilton
for the event. (This way they guaranteed we’d never leave until
it was over).
Exhausted, we finally ended at 3 am, and I got to bed around 4
am. Checkout was 12 noon. In the pre-ADA kit era, there were
no wake-up solutions. Nor did I have any intention of waking up
until I was good and ready. Fast forward to a few hours later. I
slowly opened my eyes as I felt a set of gentle hands on my
shoulders. Someone was pulling the sheets off of me. I thought
it was my husband rousing me. Instead, I looked into the eyes of
4 or 5 Hilton Hotel housekeepers. All I saw was the rainbow
logos on their uniforms. As bizarre as it sounds now, in my fog,
I asked them, “May I help you?” They screamed and fled the
room. I thought that was odd. I headed to the bathroom, all the
lights in the room were blazing, drapes opened wide, message
light flashed on the phone. And the security lock on the door
was cut. I recalled that the room wasn’t like this when I went to
bed the night before. This was even weirder, I thought.
I threw my clothes together, put on my hearing aids, and went
downstairs to check out. The front desk attendants passed
alarmed, awkward looks amongst themselves and checked me
out fast as fast as they could. They mumbled, “Thank you for
staying at the New York Hilton”, handed me the bill, and rushed
away. I shrugged it off, grabbed a cab, and went home where I
slept the rest of the day.
A few days later, I lunched with the Associate Producer for a
post mortem and to discuss the show edit schedule. I related my
departure from the hotel and her mouth flew open with a gasp.
“That was you?” she said. “You were the suicide?” “Huh?” I
replied. There was brouhaha at the desk as she checked out.
Security was escorting maintenance people with a lock cutter
upstairs. The lobby crowd had mumbled “Guess it’s another
suicide.” She was shocked at the time.
Despite a pair of hearing aids parked right next to me on the
night table, the thought never occurred to the staff that I might
have been deaf. They looked for evidence that I had killed
myself, or worse, had been murdered without any evident mess
or fuss.
I guessed that they never read the deaf versions of Sleeping
Beauty.
CAPTIONING
Movies, Internet, Scoreboards
By John Waldo, Attorney focusing on hearing accesssibility.
After being the subject of bitter disputes and considerable
litigation for the last decade, the issue of movie captioning
appears headed for a surprising but deeply satisfying outcome –
an agreement between the theater owners, on the one hand, and
advocacy groups for the hearing-loss population on the other
hand.
I reported for the last issue on the proposal by the federal
Department of Justice to require all movie theaters that have
converted to digital projection to purchase and use equipment
that will show captions on individual viewing devices. (The
studios provide the captions for almost all movies, and furnish
them free to the theaters, which must provide the display equipment). That rule, if adopted, would enable those of us with
hearing loss to read the dialogue and “hear” with our eyes at
every showing of every movie without altering the movie-going
experience for people who don’t need the captions and might
find them distracting.
Because I have been involved in this issue for the past six
years, I drafted a proposed response and circulated it to the
various national advocacy organizations – the Hearing Loss
Association of America, the National Association of the Deaf,
the Alexander Graham Bell Association and the Association of
Late Deafened Adults. The groups all agreed that the proposed
rule gave us essentially everything we could reasonably expect
to achieve.
With that done, the next step was to see whether there were
any areas about which we and the theater owners could agree.
After the organizations agreed that there would be no harm in
trying, I sent a query to the National Association of Theatre
Owners (NATO) suggesting that we all meet to discuss areas of
agreement and disagreement. NATO agreed.
Two meetings took place in September and October in
Washington, D.C. Lise Hamlin represented HLAA, and the
other national organizations sent their representatives.
The meetings had an amazingly positive outcome. Our
primary interest was ensuring that all auditoriums in all theaters
be made capable of displaying captions. The theater owners did
not have a problem with that. Their problem was with the
portion of the proposed rule specifying the number of viewing
devices each theater would be required to purchase. They
pointed out that in those theaters that currently do offer captionviewing equipment, most of the devices sit idle, and argued that
they should not be required to buy even more of them.
Because we have heard of very few reports of theaters
running out of devices, we essentially agreed with that. We
believe, though, that as awareness of the availability of the
devices increases and as the population ages, the demand for
caption-viewing equipment is likely to increase. Our position
was that requiring a specific (and somewhat arbitrary) number
of viewing devices at the outset, the important thing is for the
theaters to adjust the numbers according to demand. The
theaters agreed to a formula that would require them to furnish
enough devices to meet 150% of average weekend demand.
Additionally, NATO will encourage its owner members to
accommodate unusually large groups, such as attendees at a
convention, by either turning on the open captions visible to
everyone or by rustling up caption-viewing devices from other
locations upon advance request.
We also agreed to requiring theaters to publicize the
availability of captioning on a movie-by-movie basis, and we
agreed that both NATO members and the organizations would
urge movie studios to caption all of their movies and the movie
previews. The theaters agreed to inform patrons about the
devices at the theater. They also agreed that the regulations
should require staff training and proper device maintenance.
The result of those meetings is that instead of everyone filing
their own comments arguing about the proposal, we are planning
to submit a joint comment from the theater owners and the
national organizations. We believe that if we do so, there is a
strong chance that the Department of Justice will adopt the
agreed-upon positions as binding rules.
Is this a perfect outcome? No, it isn’t – many people with
hearing loss would prefer to have the captions displayed on the
screen. But that is simply not achievable – the Department of
Justice and even those courts that have given us favorable
decisions have bought into the argument that open captions are a
distraction to others. And none of the presently available caption
-viewing devices are perfect either. But what the regulations will
give us is meaningful access to virtually all movies at all theaters
all of the time. It’s been a long time coming, but it looks like the
fight is over.
Two other developments are worth mentioning.
I reported in the Spring 2014 issue about the case of Greater
Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD) v. CNN. GLAD sued
CNN, asking that it caption all of its on-line content, including
information that had not been shown on television. (Federal law
already requires material that has been shown on television to be
captioned).
CNN struck back hard. It invoked a California statute
designed to deter people from filing frivolous lawsuits aimed at
stifling free speech. Under that statute, a defendant sued for
actions involving free speech can demand that the party
instituting the suit prove at the outset that it has a significant
probability of prevailing. Failing that, the party that filed the
initial action must pay attorneys’ fees for the defending party.
The case went well at the trial level. The trial court ruled
that captioning – simply putting into writing what CNN was
saying out loud – had nothing to do with free speech. But the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes California and
other Western states, disagreed. It said that any case challenging
the manner of presentation triggers the operation of the California
statute.
The appeals court then considered whether GLAD had any
probability of prevailing. Because the Ninth Circuit has declared
that the Americans with Disabilities Act does not apply to the
internet, GLAD brought its case under two California state laws.
One of them, the Unruh Act, applies to all businesses, but only if
the discrimination is intentional. GLAD contended that CNN’s
refusal to provide captions after being requested to do so amounts
to intentional discrimination. But the appeals court disagreed,
saying that a failure to do something is not intentional discrimination even though the failure may only impact people with
disabilities. The federal appeals court then asked the California
Supreme Court to decide whether the other California law – the
Disabled Persons Act – extends to the internet.
Before the California Supreme Court could act, everybody
blinked. GLAD agreed to dismiss its appeal. In return, CNN
agreed that it would not ask for attorneys’ fees and costs.
In my estimation, this conclusion is unsatisfactory but was
necessary. Had the California Supreme Court decided that the
Disabled Persons Act does not apply to the internet, GLAD
would have had to pay CNN’s high-powered and likely highpriced attorneys. Doing so would have imposed a severe and
perhaps fatal financial burden on a small non-profit organization.
On the other hand, CNN might have thought that it didn’t want
to take a chance on establishing what it likely viewed as a bad
precedent if the California court ruled against it. Or CNN might
have realized that it would look like the bad guy if it put GLAD
out of business.
This was not a wonderfully helpful case. But it could have
been a lot worse. And everyone lives to fight another day.
JOAN IRELAND, 1931-2014
Editor: I had the good fortune to have Joan as my room mate at
the last two conventions--2013 Portland, OR and 2014 Austin,
TX .
Joan Ireland of Rancho Bernardo, CA, passed away on October
20, 2014, at home, with her husband holding her hand. As a
young woman, she participated in charity and social
organizations in Gary, IN to make a difference in her world. As
she encountered progressive hearing loss she became a strong
The second development involves the manner in which captions
are displayed at sporting events. Several years ago, deaf football advocate in the hearing loss community, eventually receiving two
cochlear implants. Joan was SHHH-CA Board of Trustees
fans sued the Washington Redskins, asking that the publicCorresponding Secretary in 1995, President in 1996, and a
address announcements and other aural information be
captioned. They prevailed. While the Redskins argued that fans member from 1993-1997.
don’t need to understand the announcements to enjoy a football
She was a friend to many, and an inspiration to all. She lived her
game, the court was correct in saying that public-address
life with joy and purpose. Discovering that her life had an end
announcements and other aural information is presented for a
date, Joan focused on writing personal notes to those who had
reason, and that if it is good enough for the hearing audience, it
touched her life and attended her final HLAA convention in
is good enough for deafened fans as well.
The unanswered question was how the captioned information Austin, TX.
is to be presented. A number of teams and stadiums offered
Friends and family gathered in her honor in November 2014 in
hand-held viewing devices that display captions transmitted
Escondido, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the
wirelessly over the internet. But fans who tried those devices
Hearing Loss Assn. of America, 7910 Woodmont Ave, Suiite
found them unacceptable for a number of reasons, and asked
1200, Bethesda, MD, 20814.
instead that the captions be shown on a scoreboard.
In a recent case from Maryland, a federal court agreed that
She will be missed.
hand-held devices may not be adequate. The deaf fans in that
case observed that hand-held devices can be difficult to read on a
sunny day, that it is difficult to focus on the captioning then back
RUFUS (WES) WESLEY, 1933-2014
to the field and that the devices often cut out as other fans absorb
internet band-width sending messages and photos to their
We have lost a good friend and valued colleague, Rufus Wesley.
friends. The court said that those concerns were sufficiently
Wes passed away on October 27, 2014 at Good Samaritan
plausible to require a trial, and we believe that in the wake of
Hospital in San Jose. He was a very active and long time
that decision, the university settled.
HLAA-Silicon Valley Chapter member and served on different
This is an area where we have enjoyed really good success
positions on the board and/or committees throughout the years.
through simple persuasion. When we have explained to teams
why hand-held devices don’t work, virtually everyone has agreed Rufus was SHHH-CA Board of Trustees Corresponding
to provide captioning for the aural information and to display the Secretary in 2004, and a Board of Trustees member from 20022004
captions on a scoreboard. At last count, ten of the twelve
universities in the Pacific 12 conference either are offering or
Wes enjoyed his free time with loving family and friends,
will be offering scoreboard captioning at football games, and
camping, fishing, and traveling.
some are doing so at other events as well.
We have miles to go before the world becomes universally
accessible to those of us with hearing loss. But we have come a
long way as well.
His funeral service was in San Jose in November in the Chapel of
the Oaks, with burial at Oak Hill Memorial Park.
He will be missed.
BRAND, BABY, BRAND
Can you imagine NIKE coyly hiding the SWOOSH on Page 4
when they could really strut their stuff on the Cover?
Hearing Loss Magazine NOT BRANDED
Hearing Loss Magazine BRANDED
waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting
HLAA CONVENTION, St. Louis, MO
June 25-28, 2015
Meet Us in St. Louis. Join us for our 30th annual Convention in
St. Louis! It’s a big year for HLAA as we turn 35 this November
and kick-off a year of commemorative activities. It will be four
days of interesting workshops plus the opportunity to greet old
friends and to make new ones. Join us at the Opening night Get
Acquainted Party.
Early Bird Registration is open. As a special incentive to
leaders, the number of chapter delegates a chapter may have is
being expanded this year from one person to five people to
include four officers plus one additional deserving designate.
The lowest special rate for Chapter Delegates ends January
31 and the overall delegate opportunity closes March 31.
Veterans with Hearing Loss. Welcome to HLAA and
Convention 2015. We are pleased to offer a complimentary
registration (education package) for veterans with hearing loss
attending the HLAA Convention 2015 for the first time.
Convention Hotel. Built in 1894, the St. Louis Union
Station, a National Historic Landmark, was once the busiest and
largest train station in the country. You will marvel at the
attention to detail devoted to the renovation and restoration of
this architectural masterpiece. Book early because this block is
bound to sell out!
One of the most popular new features of the hotel is the
Grand Hall where every evening on the hour between 5 - 11 pm a
3D light show is projected on the domed ceiling. Watch as
flowers sway, fireworks burst and other images dance around the
65-foot ceiling of the Grand Hall lobby in a state-of-the-art show
designed specifically for this St. Louis hotel. Created by
Technomedia, an award-winning collaborator with entertainment
company Cirque du Soleil, the 3D light show is the first of its
kind in the US.
Opening Session Keynote Speaker, Charles A. Laszlo,
PhD, the founding president of the Canadian Hard of Hearing
Association, will deliver his speech, Advances, Obstacles and
Solutions in a Changing World, at the Opening Session. He is a
biomedical engineer with experience both in academe and as an
entrepreneur. He is professor emeritus of electrical engineering
and past-director of the Institute for Hearing Accessibility
Research at the University of British Columbia. He is the
co-founder of several companies developing and manufacturing
assistive listening devices, heart valves and other cardiovascular
devices.
BASEBALL fans. Off-site event for only $25. Route 66
Rivalry: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium
Educational workshops on interesting and current topics
such as hearing technology, advocacy issues, and relationships.
Exhibit Hall full of cutting-edge technology and services.
Free exhibit hall passes available
Symposium: Employment Issues for People with Hearing
Loss, focuses on everything from interviewing to the laws that
protect you in the workplace to how businesses can accommodate
he needs of their employees with hearing loss in a proactive
manner, and demonstrate the positive impact that accommodating
employees with hearing loss has on the bottom line
Saturday evening banquet. Rocky Stone: Operation 35
Celebrate the 35rh anniversary of HLAA and honor Founder
Rocky Stone.
Awards Breakfast and Ceremony.
How Do You Wear Your “Deaf”?
Jennifer Stuessy at www.soundforlight.com.
It never fails. The moment you look away from a group of
hearing folk is when they start asking you questions. Of course,
when you turn back, they are all waiting for an answer.
Do you:
 Scream and point to an area beyond the group indicating a
large insect or rodent is on the loose.
 Pretend not to understand English
 Explain your Deafness and ask them to repeat.
 Wing it. “Starbucks” is a decent multi-use response.
Depending on how the mood strikes you, chances are you went
with Explain.
Being Deaf in a hearing world, we do this over and over.
Explain our Deafness. It’s inevitable, really. Like anything
else, after awhile it becomes easier to do, and there’s a way to
do it in your own unique fashion.
We use labels to describe, but how we carry ourselves with
Deafness seems to be an art itself. Just like our clothes, it can
say a lot about us: our personality, mood, level of confidence,
taste – our style, basically.
So, it begs the question: How do you wear your “Deaf”?
My observations are summarized in these 5 main styles:
Undercover. Prefers to skip the explanation altogether and
conceal deafness, using hair or hats to hide hearing devices, if
worn. May be difficult to pull off depending on hearing level.
Says, “What?” a lot.
Bluffer. Might have attempted to Wing It. Depending on level
of bluffing skill, this guy could also seem medicated.
Arty Type. Heavy into colored ear molds and sparkly addons. Children are usually somewhere nearby having just asked
where they got said ear molds and add-ons. Convenient since
Arty Types are the ones usually hosting the Signed Story Hour.
Flying Fig. A real come-as-you-are type. No concealing or
raging about it. This guy’s doing his life and is happy enough
to be Deaf. He’s too busy crafting new ways to pull off his
shenanigans.
Loud and Proud. A Passionate Advocate and Super
Hero. Revolutionizing Deafness for the Greater Good. Usually
has an attorney.
The reality is, of course most of us are not just one of these, but
there are pieces of each in all of us depending on theday. When
it comes down to it, I want to communicate effectively through
positive interactions. The means we use to achieve that are
diverse and is what gives us our unique style in how we go
about it. People take their cues from us. Let them see what’s
great about our community.
 So wear your Deaf with Pride.
 Wear it with Passion.
 Wear it with Confidence.
 Wear it with an Open Heart.
 Wear it with Love.
SPEAK OUT for HR 3150
Medicare to pay for Hearing aids
A new Congress convenes soon and there's talk of making
revisions to Obamacare. One change should be adoption of HR
3150, the Help Extend Auditory Relief (HEAR) Act. It requires
Medicare to cover aural rehabilitation and hearing aids. With
twenty-three co-sponsors, it was sent to the Health Subcommittee last year. It's now “invisible” waiting for a public outcry
for its review and passage.
Sign a petition at MoveOn. Go to www.http://
petitions.moveon.org and enter “To Pass HR 3150” to join the
nearly 6,000 others who have documented their support for
revising Medicare to cover hearing health care including the cost
of hearing aids.
You can go another step. Go to http://www.house.gov/
representatives find/ and use your zip code to find the home
page for your Representative. Then send your Representative an
email, a letter, or visit. Ask your Representative to become a
cosponsor of H.R. 3150.
Let us work to pass HR 3150. This would be a major step
forward for people with hearing loss.
Santa Barbara gives Three Awards
for Hearing Accessibility
The tenth annual Mayor’s Awards honored three local businesses
that made a concerted effort to accommodate employees and
customers with disabilities. Otojoy, The Lobero Theatre and
DuPont Display received awards from Mayor Helene Schneider.
The outstanding effort award went to Otojoy, a local company
founded by Thomas Kaufmann that specializes in hearing loop
design and installation. Otojoy promotes Loop Santa Barbara, a
campaign to spread hearing loop technology. Since its establishment two and a half years ago, Otojoy has installed loops in
more than 20 venues throughout the city.
The Lobero Theate received the design accessilbility award for
last year’s renovations that made the theater friendlier to those
with mobile and hearing disabilities. Some of the large
renovations include additional wheelchair seating, enlarged
accessible restrooms, and a hearing loop in the auditorium.
The employment accommodation award went to DuPont
Display, a research and development company, for its reflection
of the spirit of the ADA employment practices. Dupont did
whatever it took to retain a now 12-year employee, Cherie
Alvarez, and help her do her job despite her hearing loss. When
offered a promotion at DuPont, conference calls became a
regular part of her work, for which she requested and got a
captionist.
Cherie (bilateral cochlear implants) is President of the HLAASanta Barbara Chapter. She has two goals--to hold a local
Hearing Health Expo to raise awareness about hearing loss and
to start an education program in the schools that teaches children
how to protect their hearing.
STAY FOREVER YOUNG
Treat hearing loss--Revitalize your Life
3. Pull the plug on stress and boost your mood. People
with untreated hearing loss often feel angry, frustrated, anxious,
isolated, and depressed. But research shows that when they use
Listen up, boomers: Do you want to stay active? Vibrant?
Socially engaged? Professionally successful? Most of us do. So hearing aids, their mental health often rallies. Many regain
emotional stability, become more socially engaged, feel a greater
maybe it’s time to do something about your hearing.
sense of safety and independence, and see a general improvement
in their overall quality of life.
Chances are, if you’re like many baby boomers, you’ve rocked
4. Bolster your self-confidence. Using hearing aids can
your way through your fair share of concerts, night clubs, and ear
enhance emotional well-being. Research shows that when people
-blasting parties. And you’ve enjoyed years of other noisy
with hearing loss use hearing aids, many feel more in control of
recreational activities to boot. Simply: You’ve been enjoying
their lives and less self-critical. One study found that the
life. You’ve spent decades doing it. And it’s been loud. So
now, it’s not always so easy to hear the conversation around the majority of people with mild and severe hearing loss felt better
about themselves and life overall.
table at the restaurant or dinner party – maybe not even in the
5. Improve cognitive functioning. Studies out of Johns
conference room at work or on those teleconference calls.
Hopkins linked hearing loss with accelerated cognitive decline in
older adults and found that seniors with hearing loss are signifiFace it. All that enthusiastic living has been hard on your ears.
And now they’re screaming for your attention. You should give cantly more likely to develop dementia over time. BHI studies
found that many people with hearing loss report improvements in
it to them. In fact, addressing hearing loss is one of the best
their cognitive skills with the use of hearing aids.
things you can do to improve your quality of life and keep up a
youthful pace.
So go ahead. Revitalize your life. Do something about your
Fortunately, for most people with hearing loss, today’s state-of- hearing. It just may help you feel forever young.
For more information – and to take a free, quick and confithe art hearing aids can help. In fact, eight out of ten hearing aid
users say they’re satisfied with the changes that have occurred in dential online hearing check to determine if you need a comprehensive hearing test by a hearing care professional - visit
their lives due to their hearing aids.
www.BetterHearing.org.
Many boomers are surprised to learn that dramatic new technological advances have revolutionized hearing aids in recent
years. Many hearing aids are virtually invisible, sitting
discreetly and comfortably inside the ear canal. And they adjust
to all kinds of noise environments, picking up sound from all
directions. Some are even waterproof. Perhaps best of all,
seamless connectivity is now the norm. Today’s hearing aids are
wireless and stream sound from your smartphone, home entertainment system, and other electronics directly into your hearing
aid(s) at volumes just right for you.
By Better Hearing Institute
Here’s what getting a hearing test and using professionally fitted
hearing aids, if recommended by a hearing care professional,
may do for you:
1. Unlock your earning potential. Hearing your best at work
helps you do your best. One study found that using hearing aids
reduced the risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent for those
with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77 percent for those
with severe to moderate hearing loss. And people with hearing
loss who use hearing aids are more likely to be employed than
their peers who don’t.
2. Open the door to greater intimacy. Don’t let those
sweet nothings go unheard. Feeling emotionally close to your
partner is one of the most satisfying aspects of any intimate
relationship. But it rests on good communication. When hearing
loss goes unaddressed, it can make even the most loving partner
seem remote or unresponsive. Luckily, research shows that
using hearing aids can help improve interpersonal relationships –
including greater intimacy.
A GOOD IDEA
Young Adults California Meetup
This is a great idea. Who would like to organize it? Here is the
flyer for the Chicago/Midwest Meetup that was held in October.
Sounds like fun! Let’s have a Young Adults California Meetup
Now!
First Annual Midwest Meetup
10/10/14 – 10/12/14, Chicago, IL
WHO? HLAA young adults (Mostly Midwesterners,
but all are welcome!)!
WHAT? Hang out downtown, connect with young D/
HoH adults who will probably think you are kind of a
big deal, and go back home with epic stories to
share! !
WHERE WE STAYIN’? Oh yeah, that … Holiday Inn
Express & Suites Chicago O'Hare; 6600 N. Mannheim
Rd., Rosemont, IL!
BUT WHY? Because friendship.!
HOW ON EARTH? Plane, train, or automobile. Or
Batmobile, if you can swing it. !
INTERESTED? OF COURSE you are! Nonrefundable
deposit required to reserve a room. $56 for two
nights (Fri-Sun) or $101 for three nights (Thurs-Sun)
due by Friday, Sept 26. Costs cover total hotel stay,
assuming 4 persons / room. Contact us at [email protected] for more information and to
arrange payment (Check/Paypal).!
More details on our Facebook event page:
www.facebook.com/events/1459393487
Marvel Comic Book, Sound Effects
The Children’s Hearing Institute has announced a unique
partnership with Marvel Custom Solutions to produce a custom
comic book entitled SOUND EFFECTS along with a Teacher’s
Guide for children in grades 3-7. Released in October, the Marvel
custom comic book and Teacher’s Guide reached approximately
150,000 students in the New York City schools using Marvel’s
In-School Network Distribution System with plans for further
expansion outside of the New York five boroughs.
SOUND EFFECTS features the world famous Marvel
Comics’ Avenger, Iron Man as he teams up with Blue Ear (a
Super Hero with hearing aids) and a newly created Super Hero
Sapheara (a super girl with bilateral cochlear implants.) In
an action-packed storyline, they work to save New York City
while addressing some very important issues such as: bullying,
hearing loss awareness, and the dangers of loud audio that this
generation is exposing themselves to. To further enforce the
message of the Marvel custom comic book, CHI has created a
Teacher’s Guide that will be distributed along with the custom
comic book that will have fun facts and activities that directly
relate to the comic.
Blue Ear comic debuts. A six year old Salem boy,
Anthony Smith, has become the original Blue Ear. He has
reached superhero status on the pages of a new Marvel Comic
book. Anthony decided he didn’t want to wear his blue hearing
aids because “super heroes don’t wear hearing aids.” In
response, Marvel created Blue Ear, a Super Hero with hearing
aids.
For 75 years, Marvel has shown the world that everyone
can be a hero, proving that again by teaming with the Children’s
Hearing Institute on this all-new, action-packed adventure.
Readers of all ages will see Iron Man streak into action against
his diabolical foes Klaw and Blackout, but they'll also witness
Blue Ear's first comic book appearance and the dynamic debut of
Sapheara, the world's first Cochlear implant-wearing Super Hero!
Modern Marvel thrills combined with a positive message that can
help kids around the globe. Does anything sound better than
that?
BALLOT - Deadline January 15, 2015
The Hearing Loss Association of America-California Nominations Committee is proud to submit the following well-qualified
candidates for the HLAA-CA Board of Trustees. The term of office is three years. Successful candidates will begin their term at the
February 2015 Board of Trustees meeting. Please vote for no more than four candidates by entering an "X" in the space next
to the candidate's name.
Note: Only members in good standing of the Hearing Loss Association of America National organization may vote.
Qualification will be based on the list obtained from HLAA National office showing current members as of December 1, 2014.
The return address is the only identifier used, so it is important that your return address match the membership records of
HLAA. Family memberships are identified as Mr. and Mrs. or as two names on the membership records from HLAA National. In
this case, each member is entitled to vote.
Return envelopes containing ballots must show the voter's name and address in the return address area of the envelope, but not
on the ballot. Envelopes not bearing a return address and/or postmarked after January 15, 2015 will be considered invalid and will
not be counted.
Please send your completed ballot to: Susan Shaffer, 9341 Gordon Avenue, La Habra, CA 90631-2457
__________Lynne Kinsey. HLAA-Silicon Valley Chapter. Incumbent
In my chapter over the years, I have served as First Vice President (Program); Secretary (currently); on many committees,
including Library, Hospital Kits, Bylaws, Budget, Walk4Hearing, State Conference, Scholarships and Membership. I have attended
or been on planning committees for three State Conferences, a National Convention, several Leadership Training Workshops, and
three Walk4Hearings. I have successfully advocated for looping in facilities near me.
Representing HLAA-CA in the community-at-large, Looping Advocacy and Awareness Advocacy, are areas in which I have
personal interests. I see an urgent need to spread information about new assistive devices, medical treatments, coping strategies, and
books (nonfiction & fiction) dealing with hearing loss. I carry FACE ME buttons and HLAA information to share with people I
meet or who express an interest or need.
Serving on the HLAA-CA Board of Trustees would allow me to continue and broaden this involvement
__________Gail Morrison, HLAA-Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter. Incumbent
Over the years, I have served on the Board of Directors of seven different organizations, holding nearly every officer's position
including President. From 2008-2010, I served on a multi-million dollar corporate Board of Directors as Press and Public Relations
Chairman for the Assistance League of Long Beach. I have been promoting publicity for HLAA-Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter
and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) since 2008 by sending out press releases to 14 media newspapers/
online sources on a monthly or as-needed basis.
In February 2011, I was appointed to serve on the Disabled Resources Center, Inc. (DRC) Board of Directors in Long Beach.
My past activities can easily be transferred to service on the Board of Trustees for the Hearing Loss Association of California.
__________Debra Rogers, HLAA-San Diego Chapter.
I have an MA in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. I am an advocate by nature and training. While new to hearing loss, I will
be a role model for others with my positive attitude, intuitive problem solving and organizational skills. My intention for joining the
board is to serve as a hearing loss advocate, including issues of hearing loops and the need for continued support for individuals with
varying degrees of hearing loss. I am currently doing research on “hearing loops” in the San Diego area (there are too few!) and
would like to start a “Let’s Loop San Diego” so our chapter can advocate for and educate others about the importance of providing
hearing loops in our local community for hard of hearing people.
If you want an engaged, capable board member and a great team player who will provide a fresh perspective, I will be a perfect
choice for the HLAA-CA Board of Trustees.
__________Ann Thomas, HLAA-Diablo Valley Chapter.
I am a dynamic, versatile, experienced, award winning, nonprofit professional with training in fundraising and development. I wear
two hearing aids and have a progressive hearing loss. I joined Hearing Loss Association of America and the Diablo Valley Chapter
in 2008 and have been an officer of the Diablo Valley Chapter since 2009, President since 2010 and Newsletter Editor since 2009.
During this time I have worked arduously and collaboratively to increase awareness about hearing loss in Contra Costa County and
throughout the state by working with county and city governments, state organizations and public venues; educating about the needs
of people with a hearing loss; the rights of people with a hearing loss for effective communication under the ADA and CA Unruh
Acts; and the need for improvement in the required accommodations under those acts.
Additionally I was a Leadership Development presenter at the Hearing Loss Association of America Convention 2012. My
presentation Getting the Word Out: Promoting Chapter Identity and Creating Marketing Collateral can be viewed on the national
web site: www.hearingloss.org.
I would like Hearing Loss Association of America-California State Association to become a household word and believe I have
the skills and vision to move that agenda forward.
RESOURCES FOR HEARING LOSS QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
Hearing Loss Resource Specialists
Jennifer Stuessy, Greater Los Angeles
Agency on Deafness (GLAD), Los Angeles
323-478-8000, [email protected]
Pauline Gaeta, Center on Deafness
Inland Empire (CODIE), Riverside
Colette Noble, NorCal Services for D/HoH,
Sacramento, [email protected]
Sr. Ann Rooney, LMFT, Burlingame
[email protected]
Bruce Harris, Berkeley [email protected]
Ann Thomas, Walnut Creek
[email protected]
Lisa Mira Lawson, LMFT, Psy.D
Marriage and Family Therapist
[email protected], 310-454-5138
Valerie Stern, LCSW, Sunland
Psychotherapist - hearing loss and grief,
certified equine assisted psychotherapist
310-936-0939, www.valeriesternlcsw.com
Alison Freeman, PhD, West LA. Sherman
Oaks Psychologist - hearing loss, trauma
and crisis counseling, stress management
and teletherapy, 310–712-1200,
www.dralisonfreeman.net
For Parents
California Hands & Voices, Parent driven
Nonjudgmental support for families with
D/HoH children
Family camps, Mom’s Night Inn
www.cahandsandvoices.org
National, www.handsandvoices.org
[email protected]
Parent Links, Parent to Parent Support
for families with D/HoH children
Parent Mentors are Parents of D/HoH
children, www.myparentlinks.com
Find Mentor
myparentlinks.com/Local_Parent.html
Audiologists send family to Parent Links
myparentlinks.com/Makeareferral.html
Oral Deaf Education, Oraldeafed.org
Free Parent handbook, DVD, videos
For Youth
Training & Advocacy Group (TAG), LA
Self-Advocacy group for D/HoH children
& teens, www.tagkids.us
HEAR YA NOW. Young Adults Group
Social events, online community
www.hearyanow.tumblr.com
NO LIMITS. Individual therapy, literacy,
parent education thru educational center,
National theatrical group, for ages 3-18,
All services free, 310.280.0878.
www.nolimitsfordeafchildren.org
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear Americas
www.cochlearamericas.com
Med El www.medel.com
Advanced Bionics
www.advancedbionics.com
Clinics
UC Irvine, Cochlear implant services
714-456-5853, www.ent.uci.ed
The HEAR Center, Pasadena
Hearing/speech therapy, Community out
reach, hearing aid dispensing. All ages,
www.hearcenter.org, 626-796-2016
House Ear Clinic, Los Angeles
Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants
Ear surgery, 213-483-9930, www.hei.org
Stanford Univ, Cochlear implant services
[email protected],
650-736- 4351, www.med.stanford.edu/ohns
Hearing and Speech Center, San Francisco
www.hearingspeech.org
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford
Pediatric hearing loss
John Tracy Clinic
Pediatric hearing loss, low cost services world
wide, www.jtc.org, 213-748-5481
Oberkotter Foundation
Pediatric hearing loss, free materials, oral
schools, www.oraldeafed.org
Financial Aid
Audient Alliance
audientalliance.org, 206-838-7194
Let them Hear Foundation, Palo Alto
650-462-3143, http://www.letthemhear.org
Career Counseling/Employment Services
HLAA Employment Toolkit
www.hearingloss.org/
advocacy/Employment.asp#jobtoolkit
GLAD/EDD
GLAD/Employment Development Dept
www.gladinc.org
Dept of Rehabilitation, (DOR)
Deaf/HoH Advisory Comm (DHHAC)
[email protected]
Vocational Rehab provides clients with hearing
aids/devices necessary to secure or retain
employment. www.dor.ca.gov
Deaf/Disabled Telecomm Access (DDTP)
Administrative Committee (TADDAC)
Nancy Hammons, (Late Deafened)
[email protected]
Equipment Program (EPAC)
Brian Winic (Hard of Hearing),
[email protected]
Free Telephones (CTAP)
www.ddtp.org/ctap
Lawyers
David Grey, [email protected]
Special education law
John Waldo, [email protected]
Captioning of movies/theatre
Gaylord & Nantais, gaylordnantais.com
Hearing Loss Claims
Hearing LOOP & ALDs Directory
List & Find your Loop and ALD
www.aldlocator.com
All about Loops
www.hearingloop.org
Lip Reading Classes
www.hearinglossca.org/communication
Online Videos
HLAA, www.hearingloss.org/content/videoseries-learn-about-hearing-loss
www.hearingloss.org/content/video-series
-hearing-assistive-technology
Listen and Speak, children
www.oraldeafed.org/movies/index.html
Captions
Captioned movies search engine
Captionfish.com
Captioned Netflix instant library
www,phlixie.com
Captioned videos of world’s leading
thinkers. TED.com
Captioned/looped theatre
Griot Theatre, griottheatre.org
Captioning Advocacy Group
www.CCACaptioning.org
Auditory Rehabilitation
Angel Sound
Online download
http://angelsound.emilyfufoundation.org
Request an installation CD via email
[email protected]
i-phone/ipad application now available in
the App Store: i-angelsound
http://angelsound.tigerspeech.com/
angelsound_mobile.html
Speech Therapy
Lisa Roeder, MS, CCC-SLP, Walnut Creek
Cochlear Implant or hearing aid users
925.945.1474 [email protected]
www.speechpathologygroup.com
Mellisa Essenburg, M.S., CCC-SLP
[email protected], 858-232-5842
www.SanDiegoSpeechPathology.com
Aural Rehab Group for CIs, San Diego
Assistance Dogs for hard of hearing/deaf
Canine Companions for Independence
www.cci.org 800-572-2275
Sam Simon Foundation
www.samsimonfoundation.com,
310-457-5898
See Resources, Page 17
CAPTIONED LIVE THEATER
Southern California
Segerstrom Center – Costa Mesa
Saturday matinee
Once, August 30, 2014
Pippin, November 22, 2014
Grinch, December 13, 2014
Kinky Boots, January 10, 2015
Dirty Dancing, February 14, 2015
Nice Work If You Can Get It, March 21, 2015
Guys and Dolls, April 18, 2015
Annie, May 23, 2015
Motown, June 27, 2015
Phantom of the Opera, August 15, 2015
Ahmanson – Los Angeles
Saturday matinee
We Will Rock You, August 23, 2014
The Trip to Bountiful, October 25, 2014
Dame Edna & Barry Humphries’ Final Farewell Tour, March
14, 2015
Cinderella, April 25, 2015
Matilda, June 27, 2015
Pantages Theater - Hollywood
Sunday matinee
Jersey Boys, October 19, 2014
Pippin, November 9, 2014
Kinky Boots, November 30, 2014
Wicked. January 11, 2015
Newsies, April 12, 2015
Motown the Musical, May 17, 2015
Phantom of the Opera, June 28, 2015
Civic Theater- San Diego
Sunday matinee
Kinky Boots, September 28, 2014
Jersey Boys, October 26, 2014
Dirty Dancing, January 11, 2015
Cinderella, May 10, 2015
Motown the Musical, June 14, 2015
Pippin, August 30, 2015
La Jolla Playhouse
Sunday Matinee
Kingdom City, September 21, 2014
Hunchback of Notre Dame, November 23, 2014
The Darrell Hammond Project, February 22, 2015
Griot Theatre of the West Valley - Encino
Sabah El-Amin, Executive Director
[email protected]
www.Griottheatre.org
Hollywood Bowl
Two weeks advance notice requested
Lili Herrera, Accessibility Services, 323 850 2125
Northern California
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Sunday Matinee
An Audience with Meow Meow, October 19, 2014
Party People, November 16, 2014
Red Hot Patriot, January 4, 2015
Xs and Os (A Gridiron Love Story), March 1, 2015
Tartuffe, April 12, 2015
Head of Passes, May 24, 2015
One Man, Two Guvnors, June 21, 2015
SHNSF (Orpheum, Curran, Golden Gate) – San Francisco
Saturday matinee
Motown the Musical, September 13, 2014
Pippin, October 18, 2014
Chicago, November 15, 2014
I Love Lucy, November 16, 2014 (Sunday matinee)
Kinky Boots, December 27, 2014
Newsies, March 14, 2015
Matilda, August 8, 2015
Phantom of the Opera, September 26, 2015
Sacramento Community Theatre
Friday evening
Jersey Boys, November 21, 2014
Dirty Dancing, January 2, 2015
Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, January 30,
2015
Rain, a Tribute to the Beatles, March 20, 2015
Once, April 17, 2015
Cinderella, May 15, 2015
Please support Captioned Live Theater for the effort they are
making to accommodate us, and help spread the word to our
hearing loss community. People with hearing loss who have
shunned live theatre, need to get back into the theatre-going
habit.
Resources, from Page 16
Other Resources
Hard of Hearing / Late Deafened Program
at DCARA www.dcara.org
Better Hearing Institute
www.betterhearing.org
Living and Coping with Hearing Loss by Sam Trychin, [email protected]
www.trychin.com
Hearing Loss Information
www.HearingMojo.com
www.hear-it.org
Hearing Loss Help E-zine
www.hearinglosshelp.com
[email protected]
Deafness in Disguise
History of hearing devices.
beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/did
HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
California State Association/Chapters
Find a chapter - www.hearinglossca.org/chapters
Facebook: Hearing Loss Association of America – chapter name
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Northern CA Chapter Coordinator
Janel Edmiston (CI)
916-208-8937
[email protected]
Diablo Valley Chapter-Walnut Creek
Ann Thomas
[email protected]
925-264-1199
www.hearinglossdv.org
East Bay Chapter - Oakland
Janet Lyons 510-932-7978
[email protected]
Napa Valley Chapter - Napa
Jeannine Scott, 707-257-0509
[email protected]
Peninsula Chapter - Redwood City
Sally Edwards, 650-365-4868
[email protected]
Bob Hall, 650-867-5256
[email protected]
Sacramento Chapter
Janel Edmiston,
916-208-8937
[email protected]
www.hlasac.com
San Francisco Chapter
Kenny Andrews, 707-291-9709
[email protected]
Josephine Schallehn,
[email protected]
Shasta County Chapter - Redding
Sharon Hunter, 530-242-1574
[email protected]
Silicon Valley Chapter - San Jose
Earl Mizuguchi, 408-977-6377
[email protected]
Maggie Iller
[email protected]
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern CA Chapter Coordinator
Nanci Linke-Ellis (2 CIs)
[email protected]
310-922-3884 cell
310-829-3884 phone
POTENTIAL NEW CHAPTERS
Culver City Chapter
[email protected]
310-922-3884 cell
310-829-3884 phone
City of Orange Chapter
Marla Peoples,
[email protected]
Central Coast Chapter-Santa Maria
Noni Smyth
[email protected]
Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter Lakewood
Bill Busch, [email protected]
310-540-6322
Gail Morrison, [email protected]
562-438-0597
www.hlalongbeachlakewood.org
Pass Area Chapter - Beaumont
Sandi Streeter, [email protected]
Nanci Linke Ellis [email protected]
310-92203884
Los Angeles Chapter - Pasadena
Lisa Yuan, [email protected]
Alicia Fernandez,
[email protected]
www.HLAA-LA.org
Mission Viejo Chapter
Pril Kirkeby, [email protected]
949-855-6786
George Grosz, 949-455-2740
[email protected]
San Diego Chapter
Larry Sivertson,
[email protected]
www.hearinglosssandiego.org
Santa Barbara Chapter
Cherie Alvarez, [email protected]
Jazmin Kildare, [email protected]
www.hlaa-sbc.org
Santa Monica Chapter
Ken Cluskey, [email protected]
Maggie Whittemore,
[email protected]
Ventura County Chapter –
Thousand Oaks
Anni Settingsgard, [email protected]
Please join us. Meet others who are
facing the challenge of everyday life with a
hearing loss. Meetings are free and
informal. Bring a friend or family
member. Everyone is welcome. Hearing
loss is a daily challenge you can overcome.
You do not have to face hearing loss
alone.
Is your chapter on Facebook?
Social networking has become the way to
do outreach, get your projects known and
recruit new members. Danny Tubbs
[email protected] of the HLAA-LA
chapter will be glad to help you set it up.
No chapter near you?
Our Chapter Coordinators will help you to
set up a local group.
Northern CA Chapter Coordinator
Janel Edmiston (CI)
916-208-8937
[email protected]
Southern CA Chapter Coordinator
[email protected]
310-922-3884 cell
310-829-3884 phone
FOUNDER Howard E. “Rocky” Stone, 1925-2004. In 1979, Rocky Stone founded the
organization as Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH). Renamed Hearing Loss
Association of America (HLAA) in 2006.
Board of Trustees
President
Jim Montgomery, (CI)
Diablo Valley Chapter
[email protected]
Vice President, Zina Jawadi
Silicon Valley Chapter
[email protected]
Secretary, Karen Wheeler
(Hearing)
[email protected]
Treasurer, Jeffrey Chess
[email protected]
Ram Kakkar (CI)
Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter
[email protected]
Lynne Kinsey
Silicon Valley Chapter
[email protected]
Gail Morrison
Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter
[email protected]
Bonnie Neylan
Peninsula Chapter
[email protected]
Susan Shaffer (2 CIs)
[email protected]
Don Senger, Emeritus (CI)
Diablo Valley Chapter
[email protected]
NoCal Chapter Coordinator
Janel Edmiston, ex officio (CI)
916-208-8937
[email protected]
SoCal Chapter Coordinator
Nanci Linke-Ellis, ex officio
(2 CIs)
310-922-3884 cell
310-829-3884 phone
[email protected]
National Board of Trustees
Margaret Wallhagen, ex officio
[email protected]
JOIN US! Membership includes national and state memberships, Hearing Loss Magazine and
The Hearing Loss Californian newsletter. Rates are $20 Student, $35 Individual, $45 Couple,
$60 Professional. For international and corporate rates, please visit www.hearingloss.org.
Please make check out to HLAA and send it to Hearing Loss Association of America, 7910
Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20814 (include name/mailing address/zip code/
email/phone) OR you can join on line at www.hearingloss.org/membership/renew.asp.
HEAR YA NOW is a network of young adults in California ages 18-40. We aim to unite young
adults with hearing loss through social events and an online community where information is
exchanged about resources, support, advocacy, and scholarship opportunities. Join our active
Facebook discussion group HEAR YA NOW: http://www.facebook.com/groups/hearyanow.
In order to join, email us at [email protected] with your name, brief hearing loss story,
and why you want to join HEAR YA NOW. Website: www.hearyanow.tumblr.com;
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hearya_now; YouTube: www.youtube.com/hearyanow
HLAA CREDIT CARD. Support HLAA with every purchase you make!
Apply today! www.CardLabConnect.com/hlaa
SUPPORT ANNA GILMORE HALL & HLAA. Please join the Premier Club by giving an
ongoing monthly pledge of $20 or more. Premier Club donations help HLAA predict their
financial resources more reliably and manage their expenditures more wisely.
ITINERANT TEACHERS OF HOH/D support your graduating seniors in their transition
from high school by giving them a FREE trial subscription to The Hearing Loss Californian.
Please send student name/mailing address/zipcode/email to [email protected].
FREE newsletter, The Hearing Loss Californian. If you want it sent electronically (send your
email address), if hard copy (send your mailing address) to Grace Tiessen,
[email protected].
FREE. Hearing Health magazine, a quarterly publication of Deafness Research Foundation.
Sign up on line at http://www.drf.org.
HLAA-California publishes The Hearing Loss Californian quarterly in mid February, May,
August and November. The newsletter is available through mail, and on line at
www.hearinglossca.org.
Demographics. Our database consists of 5300 records--1250 California HLAA members; 1345
California audiologists; 1350 California Hearing Aid Dispensers; Dept of Rehabilitation HoH/D
counselors; Itinerant Teachers of the HoH/D; Office of Deaf Access outreach centers; members
of the Association of Late Deafened Adults; Kaiser Permanente audiologists; members of AG Bell
Assn for the D/HoH; Costco Hearing Aid Centers; HEARx Hearing Aid Centers; Sonus Hearing
Aid Centers and others interested in hearing loss issues.
Editor: Grace Tiessen, [email protected]
Layout: Lisa Rettino, [email protected]
Webmaster: Zina Jawadi, [email protected]
Contributions are eligible for income tax deductions as provided in Section 501(c)3 of the
Internal Revenue Service Code.
Mention of goods and services in articles or advertisements does not imply endorsement, nor
does exclusion suggest disapproval.
Any portion of this newsletter may be reprinted or disseminated, as long as credit is given to the
individual author or to this publication. Submissions for the Spring 2015 issue are due no later
than January 15, 2015, and should be sent to [email protected]. Inclusion and/or
editing will be at the full discretion of the Editor.
Non Profit
U.S. Postage
PAID
Pasadena, CA
Permit #740
Grace W. Tiessen
714 Prospect Blvd,
Pasadena, CA 91103
[email protected]
BALLOT ENCLOSED
Page 15
Deadline January 15, 2015
You must be a paid up member
of HLAA in order to VOTE
HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION
Supporting chapters throughout California
Hearing Loss is a Leading Public Health Issue
Who We Are
Hearing Loss Association of America,
California State Association
(HLAA-CA) is a state association
affiliated with Hearing Loss
Association of America. Residents of
California who join our national
organization automatically become
members of HLAA-CA.
Hearing Loss Association of America
(HLAA) is an international,
non-sectarian, educational, consumer
organization of hard of hearing people,
their relatives and friends. It is devoted
to the welfare and interests of those who
cannot hear well but are committed to
participating in the hearing world.
7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-2248 Voice
(301) 657-2249 TTY
(301) 913-9413 Fax
[email protected]
The Nation’s voice for people with hearing loss.
Hearing Loss Association of America opens the world of communication to people
with hearing loss through information, education, support and advocacy.
The national support network includes the Washington, D.C. area office,
14 state organizations, and 200 local chapters.
Our clear, straightforward message has changed the lives of thousands of people.
Hearing loss is a daily challenge you can overcome.
You do not have to hide your hearing loss.
You do not have to face hearing loss alone.
HLAA: www.hearingloss.org
HLAA-CA: www.hearinglossca.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hearinglossca

Winter - Hearing Loss Association of America, California State

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