Volume 35 Issue 5

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 35, Issue 5
May 3, 2008

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Table of Contents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Article 1: TDI Conference: Panel on High Definition TV Issues - Part Nine

- Article 2: Have hearing loss? Group offers help with daily living

- Article 3: BHI Launches Hearing Aid Tax Credit Website

- Article 4: Short Takes

Our advertisers make it possible for us to provide HOH-LD-News as a free service. Please let them know you appreciate their support, and please mention that you saw their message in HOH-LD-News.

- Advertisers in this Issue
First Premium Placement:
SayWhatClub Conference in Philadelphia
YOUR AD HERE
Second Premium Placement:
New Bellman Audio Maxi at Harris Communications
Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) Executive Director
Third Premium Placement:
Hearing Aid Repairs from Hearing Haven
Fourth Premium Placement:
MAXI Digital from Bellman Audio now at Sound Clarity, Inc.
Classified Section:
One online store and two employment opportunities

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----------------------------------------------------------
2008 SayWhatClub Conference in Philadelphia
----------------------------------------------------------
The SayWhatClub invites you to attend their Tenth Annual Convention, July 9 - 12, 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Holiday Inn in the Historic District for four days of fun and workshops, meeting friends old and new and touring the Birthplace of America's Independence!

Early Bird Registration (before March 15, 2008) is $100.00 for SayWhatClub members and $125.00 for non-members with special rates for spouses. Hotel rates are $139.00/night with up to four to a suite. Room rates are applicable up to two days before and after the convention.

For more information: http://www.saywhatclub.com/events/pacon/ or email to: pacon@saywhatclub.com
----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------
YOUR AD HERE
----------------------------------------------------------
If you're interested in getting your message out to people who are hard of hearing or late deafened, and to the people who serve them, you might consider a premium ad in this newsletter! Our rates are surprisingly affordable and we reach the movers and shakers in the hearing loss world. And this newsletter (unlike some of the others) is strictly "opt-in", which means that everyone who receives it WANTS to receive it!

For more information please point your browser to: http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/pub/nsltr/hln/adv.htm
or contact larry@hearinglossweb.com
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 1: TDI Conference: Panel on High Definition TV Issues - Part Nine
by Cheryl Heppner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: At the TDI National Conference in August of 2007 Larry Goldberg moderated a great panel on issues involving High Definition Television (HDTV). Here with her comprehensive report on that panel is NVRC's Cheryl Heppner. You are welcome to share this information, but please be sure to credit NVRC. See the acknowledgement at the end of this article.

This is part nine of nine parts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Audience Questions and Comments (continued)

Audience: I have two HDTVs, and I enjoy them very much. I use over the air signal. The captioning is fantastic. There are some ongoing issues that have not been resolved. One is that there is a delay for the captioning to appear. I can't watch the show when the captioning shows up four seconds later. That's been an ongoing issue. Why is that happening? What is the plan for fixing that?

Larry Goldberg: We have heard in a number of cases that there has been this delay. I think what you'd have to do is specify which station you're watching and where, and whether it's over the air or cable and address that particularly with a local station. You're talking about a broadcast station, right, or are you talking about all channels?

Audience: Yes, I'm talking about a broadcast station. Some shows are fine with the captioning and some have the delay. I'll be watching the same channel with the HD program, there tends to be no captioning issue. But then if you look at other programs within digital, sometimes there is a delay and it depends on what show appears. There is no continuity. I can't really figure out why that's happening, and it's a long-term issue. I'm surprised that it hasn't been addressed.

Billy Mauldin: You know, I'm having the same issue. In my article it is briefly mentioned, and we can talk about it later. In the 608, the transmission or the signal, there is a converter box called the flexicoder. The 608 comes in one side and then it's converted to a digital 708 coming out the other side. Now, each TV station, depending on the television station, will have a flexicoder and may not be up to speed on the firmware. So you need to contact the television station and have them take a look at their software upgrades, in terms of firmware, so that it can be addressed. If you address the station, that's how that can be dealt with now.

When commercials appear or when I'm recording on DVR, for example, at the beginning there is no captioning and later the captioning appears. The reason is that it's a timed program. So there is a lot of software that makes those things operate. You need to get back to the station, the hardware and software both could be involved in these type issues.

Larry Goldberg: This shows the complexity of tracing down the solutions to the questions and why often you need both the broadcaster and the cable, if you're getting it by cable, or even the network, to grapple with the problems.

Jan Withers: I am the director of the North Carolina Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I want to just say that those deaf and hard of hearing people on the panel here are brilliant, well educated experts at this very complicated technical information and have the ability to get through these issues. But I must say that there are many people that I serve, such as a factory worker, or the senior citizen who recently lost her hearing. They barely have entry level computer experience. Whenever you ask deaf and hard of hearing people to be your beta testers, or sample for research gathering, remember that most of the people in the US will be like these consumers.

Also, I ask you to please remember that there is some research cited, a general population sample, and it said that it's better not to buy electronic equipment, like microwaves, televisions, washing machines, because people might not understand the instructions. I just want to ask you to please remember those types of consumers as you go forward.

In terms of the digital TV conversion and educating people about the conversion that is going to take place into the digital medium, I would ask you to contact the National Association of the Deaf, HLAA and ask them to contact the state chapters and also have them contact then the state division, commissions for the deaf and hard of hearing in this country. We do have the ability to help you get this word out. And it's critical to get this word out and we can support that effort to make sure that the televisions are converted in the proper manner.

Audience: I wanted to tell people that half of the COAT plenary session is devoted to captioning. I've been told that this digital TV conversion is going to be Katrina II. People that have gotten used to captions are going to lose them; it's not going to be pretty if things are not in order at the time that the conversion takes place.

Also, I've been in communication with the FCC about the new network exemption. They are taking it under advisement. The concern is that where television networks are converting to DTV, as long as they are showing substantially the same content of programming and just converting it, they shouldn't be called a new network. And that's really the issue here. And I think that the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau is very concerned about this and is looking at this carefully. They also have before them a formal request from their own consumer advisory committee from last session, to resolve this issue. So it's not a done deal that all of these networks are going to be new. I just wanted to clarify that.

~~~~~

(c)2007 by Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NVRC), 3951 Pender Drive, Suite 130, Fairfax, VA 22030; www.nvrc.org. 703-352-9055 V, 703-352-9056 TTY, 703-352-9058 Fax. You do not need permission to share this information, but please be sure to credit NVRC.

----------------------------------------------------------
New Bellman Audio Maxi at Harris Communications
----------------------------------------------------------
Do you use a personal amplifier? Check out the new Bellman Audio Maxi, a revolutionary communication aid that uses digital state-of-the-art technology! It's stylish, simple-to-use, and has exceptional sound quality. Besides its clear and crisp digital sound, the Maxi has been designed with simplicity and usability in mind. All common functions can be accessed using a single push on a button.

The Maxi is a versatile unit with many uses. Use it for watching TV, listening to music (on MP3 or stereo) or in small group conversations.

Pricing starts at $144.50. For your convenience, the Maxi can also be purchased with your choice of headphone, earphone or neckloop.

For more information, go to:
http://www.harriscomm.com/link/?www.harriscomm.com?sr=hlw8
or contact us at mailto:info@harriscomm.com
----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------
Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) Executive Director
----------------------------------------------------------
The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) seeks an experienced, creative, visionary leader to fill the position of Executive Director (ED). KCDHH is a state agency that advises the Governor and General Assembly concerning policy and programs that impact the lives of deaf and hard of hearing persons in the Commonwealth, oversees the provision of interpreter services by state agencies and operates the Telecommunications Access Program. www.kcdhh.org

The ED serves at the pleasure of the Board. Contact Mark White, Mark.White@ky.gov Deputy Executive Director for more information or job specifications.
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 2: Have hearing loss? Group offers help with daily living
By Karen Smith, MIRROR STAFF WRITER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: Here's a nice article about the Hearing Loss Association of Michigan. It also includes some good perspectives on what it's like to have hearing loss.

This article originally appeared in the Observer & Eccentric and Mirror newspapers, and is reprinted with their kind permission.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Patty Frenkel of Huntington Woods started losing her hearing at age 32 from a combination of stress and heredity factors.

"I couldn't talk on the phone, I couldn't go to the movies, I didn't socialize," said the mother of three, who stopped working as a registered nurse because she was concerned she'd miss hearing a doctor's order.

"When you have hearing loss, you feel so isolated because you can't communicate."

Frenkel wishes she had known then about the Hearing Loss Association of Michigan support group that meets at First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak.

"It just makes you realize you are not alone," she said of the 15 to 25 individuals with varying degrees of hearing loss who meet regularly to share coping strategies and information about new adaptive equipment.

SPREADING THE WORD

Frenkel said the group, which she joined about three years ago and now co-chairs, has been such a help to her and the other members they want to let others know about it. According to a Center for Disease Control study, one in 10 Americans has hearing loss.

Barb Quart of Bloomfield Township, who was born deaf and has been attending the support group for five years, said the group is like a "rap session.

"We may have a speaker or share war stories, problems at work (like the) boss not being sympathetic."

At a recent meeting, Royal Oak Police Officer Mike Frazier talked, among other things, about what those with a hearing impairment should do when making a 9-1-1 call and they can't hear the dispatcher on the other end.

"Say, 'I'm hearing impaired and I can't hear you' but state the problem. Say it over and over," Frazier said, also advising them to keep the line open and give their location if they're using a cell phone.

'INVISIBLE AFFLICTION'

The police will respond to a 9-1-1 call even if no one says anything, he said, but knowing whether it's a medical emergency, an intruder or other problem helps them know how to respond.

Those with hearing impairments should let any officer who pulls them over know right away they can't hear so the officer doesn't think they're ignoring their commands, Frazier said. "It's probably a good way to get out of a ticket," he joked, saying the officer may not want to take the time to write everything down.

Eunice Bitzer of Royal Oak, who's been attending the support group since it started 10 years ago, said if there's one thing she's learned, it's to tell people upfront she's hearing impaired so they know to look directly at her while speaking so she can read their lips.

She said she used to apologize to store clerks and other strangers, but doesn't anymore, adding being hearing impaired has made her more assertive. "We have an obligation (to tell people)," Bitzer said. "It's the invisible affliction."

'NOBODY LAUGHS'

The local support group was started by Caroline Caughell of Royal Oak, who was elected president of the Hearing Loss Association of Michigan in January after serving eight years as secretary and then vice president.

Caughell lost all her hearing in one ear and some in the other during infancy from two near-fatal illnesses. "I grew up the only hard-of-hearing person in my family and always felt something was missing," she said. "I read about the chapters (in a journal published by the Hearing Loss Association of America) and decided it was time to have one in Royal Oak," she said.

Being with other people who understood her frustrations was a relief, she said. "Everybody understands fully. Nobody laughs at you because you didn't hear something; nobody frowns at you and says 'Oh, never mind.'

"I can honestly say that I've blossomed," said the self-proclaimed introvert, adding she never dreamed she'd become president of a statewide organization.

The organization's local fund-raiser, a 5K walk, will be May 3 at Kensington Metropark in Milford.

Frenkel, now 54, heard about the support group while training to become a volunteer advocate for cochlear implants after receiving one herself in 2004.

The implant enables her to hear well enough to teach nursing now at St. Clair County Community College.

But the support group has helped her with daily living and her feelings of isolation. "I have found it very beneficial to know that you're not the only one,"

----------------------------------------------------------
Hearing Aid Repairs from Hearing Haven
----------------------------------------------------------
Your old hearing aids may be valuable - to you! Most hearing aids can be repaired, regardless of age. Send your hearing aids to Hearing Haven. If we can't repair it, your only cost is the shipping. If we can repair it, you will have another hearing aid to use and enjoy.

Visit us at http://www.repair-your-hearing-aid.com and bookmark it. You'll find all the details and free articles. We can also remake the shell of any custom hearing aid to fit your ear.

Visit our website, call 888-412-3337, or email us at
CustomerService@HearingHaven.com with your questions.
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 3: BHI Launches Hearing Aid Tax Credit Website
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: We continue to see efforts to provide some relief for the high price of hearing aids. The folks at the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) have climbed on board with a new website to support the idea of a hearing aid tax credit. Here's their press release.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today, the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) launched a new website as part of its campaign to spur passage of a federal tax credit of up to $500 per hearing aid for boomers, seniors and parents of children with hearing loss. About 40% of people who do not use hearing aids, according to a recent BHI national study, are more likely to purchase them in the near future if the tax credit were available.

The BHI website, www.hearingaidtaxcredit.org, is an excellent resource and tool for those concerned about the needs of people with hearing loss. It will reach out to adults 55+ and parents of children with hearing loss and help to ensure that their voice is heard in Washington. The website underscores BHI's vital role as the "Advocates for America's Ears."

"Our effort is grounded in the sad fact that although 95% of people with hearing loss could be successfully treated with hearing aids, fewer than 23% of such Americans (7.38 million people) currently use them," said BHI Executive Director Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D. "That's tragic, and we as a nation must do better."

"Nearly 2 out of 3 adults with hearing loss cite financial constraints as a core reason that they do not wear hearing aids," said Kochkin. "With the hearing aid assistance tax credit, boomers, seniors and parents of children would have the financial boost they need to get their hearing loss treated. These people are the reason that Congress needs to step up and take action."

Hearing loss affects an estimated 31.5 million (1 in 10) Americans:

* Among the most prevalent birth defects in America, it affects 3 infants per 1,000 births.

* 1.4 million children under 18 have a hearing loss.

* More than 10 million older Americans have age-related hearing loss.

"The legislation will play a critical role in attaining one of the goals of the federal government's "Healthy People 2010," which is to increase the number of people with hearing loss who use hearing aids," said Kochkin. "The tax credit is the most cost-effective means to achieve this critical goal."

Passage of H.R. 2329, introduced by Reps. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Vern Ehlers (R-MI) and S. 1410, introduced by Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) could assist up to 1.2 million children and 11.5 million Americans ages 55 and above in treating their hearing loss. It could help those in need save up to 25% - 35% on the purchase of hearing aids.

Neither Medicare nor the vast majority of state mandated benefits cover hearing aid purchases. In fact, more than 70% of hearing aid purchases involve no third party payment at all, which places the entire burden of the purchase on the consumer. The average cost for a hearing aid, including fitting, evaluation, and post-fitting treatment, in 2004 was $1,800. Almost 2/3 of individuals with hearing loss require two devices, increasing average out of pocket expenses to $3,600.

Untreated, hearing loss can have many negative consequences for taxpayers, children, seniors, and their families:

* Without early intervention, children with hearing loss, according to a 1995 study, cost schools an additional $420,000 and face overall lifetime costs of $1 million in special education, lost wages, and health complications

* Loss of income per household amounts to up to $12,000 per year, based on a 2005 BHI study, while it costs the economy $18 billion annualized in unrealized income taxes.

* For seniors, untreated hearing loss causes additional costs to Medicare and other health programs due to loss of independence, social isolation, depression, safety issues, and quality of life.

Extensive research demonstrates that treatment with modern hearing aids brings measurable improvements in social, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being, for both patients and their family members.

The hearing aid assistance tax credit has won the support of the bipartisan Congressional Hearing Health Caucus, and, in an unprecedented fashion, organizations representing hearing health professionals, consumers, educators, providers, and manufacturers: the Hearing Loss Association of America (formerly SHHH), International Hearing Society, Deafness Research Foundation, the American Speech Language Hearing Association, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance, the American Academy of Audiology, the A.G. Bell Association, and the Hearing Industries Association.

# # #

Founded in 1973, the Better Hearing Institute (www.betterhearing.org) is a not-for-profit educational organization whose mission is to educate the public about hearing loss, its treatment, and prevention. Visit the new tax credit website at www.hearingaidtaxcredit.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
MAXI Digital from Bellman Audio now at Sound Clarity, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the first offering of the MAXI Digital amplifier in the U.S. Made by Bellman & Symfon in Sweden, the MAXI has superb sound quality and easy to use features. It provides up to 71dB electrical gain and has a built-in telecoil pickup for inductive loops. Get the Maxi for the introductory price of $159.00 (regularly $219.00) which includes headphones or earbuds and lanyard and a TV cable kit.

http://www.soundclarity.com/hohnews

Hearing Aid Batteries always shipped FREE anywhere in the U.S.

For more information go to http://www.soundclarity.com/hohnews or contact us at mailto:info.sc@soundclarity.com
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 4: Short Takes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: Here are our picks of some additional stories that you may find interesting. For more, please point your browser to: http://www.hearinglossweb.com/news/curr.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The growing importance of web-based hearing aid sales - part two

So what should local providers say when someone asks for help with a unit purchased on the Web? How about, "We would be happy to take care of your Internet purchase, and here is our rate schedule for the services you require." Hearing aid providers have to realize that price will definitely motivate consumers to use the Internet. So when others are saying "no," a savvy local provider should say "yes." Wouldn't having a regional reputation as the "go to" business for anyone with an "Internet hearing aid" be a good thing? It really is beneficial for everyone. Here's why:
- Even though he didn't sell it, the local provider still makes money servicing it - money he wouldn't make otherwise.
- The consumer gets a better price and local service.
- The Web provider can sell even higher volumes and pass on the savings.

http://tinyurl.com/3fl9jd

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More Praise for Induction Loops

It seems simple enough: Give people who wear hearing aids a WiFi-style boost that allows them to hear their TV sets without blasting other people out of the room. The technology - an induction loop system - is in wide use in northern Europe but has barely made a blip in the United States, where 31 million people have impaired hearing. Now a Sacramento audiologist is working on changing that. Julia Tanner, who practices in the Campus Commons area, says her patients love the system she has pushed for more than a year. "Even with a mild hearing loss, which is getting more and more common as we age, hearing something that's across the room clearly is difficult," Tanner said. "As soon as we start introducing other things into the room - an air conditioner or fan noise - that's competing with the TV. ... Anything over eight to 10 feet away, the hearing aid doesn't really pick up." Virgil Petrocchi, who is 92, has had his TV room "looped" for the past eight months. "It's the greatest thing that's ever happened," said the Sacramento resident. "We're both (he and Faye, his wife of 68 years) hard of hearing, and it just works wonderfully."

http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/885699.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Customers Like Loud Restaurants

IT IS THURSDAY night and Little Bourke Street's Longrain is pumping. There are few spare seats, either in the main dining area of the wooden-floored, brick-walled former warehouse, or in the dimly lit bar where a DJ is stitching together a beat-heavy soundtrack. The overwhelmingly young, fashion-conscious crowd (you would be hard pressed to find anybody over 40) is knocking back cocktails and big-flavoured Thai food at long communal tables, happily yelling at each other over the wall of sound that fills the cavernous room. The noise level is certainly impressive. According to my digital sound level meter, it fluctuates between 82 decibels (dB) early in the night and up towards 90 dB when the cocktails start to kick in around 9.30pm. When you consider that the noise of a jet engine clocks in at 140 dB, a regular conversation at around 60 dB and that the Environment Protection Authority warns that sustained exposure to noise levels of 90-95 dB may result in hearing loss, dining at Longrain is not the place for the faint eared. But that, it seems, is just how this crowd likes it.

http://tinyurl.com/6cs8ce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Classifieds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One online store and two employment opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
10% OFF NOIZFREE HANDSFREE HEADSETS AT WCI!
http://www.weitbrecht.com

Employment Opportunity 1
Various Positions
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations

Employment Opportunity 2
Executive Director
Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH)
Frankfort, KY

-------------------
WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
10% OFF NOIZFREE HANDSFREE HEADSETS AT WCI!
http://www.weitbrecht.com
-------------------

Whether you're talking to someone special on Mother's Day or listening to your favorite tunes while out to enjoy spring sunshine and May flowers, it's easy to do both with the NoiZFree Handsfree Headset! Specially priced at 10% off all month! This lightweight telecoil includes a corded earhook that transmits sounds directly to your cell phone or other audio device like an MP3 or CD player! Also equipped with a microphone, it allows you to talk on your phone without having to place the earpiece over your ear. Can be purchased either as single or dual telecoil. Needs no batteries and a 3.5mm audio adapter is included. Call us now at 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY) or visit us online at http://www.weitbrecht.com for details (Use code WCIH508A to order the single earhook and WCIH508B when ordering the dual earhook).

For a copy of our catalog, email your request to sales@weitbrecht.com

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology

-------------------
Employment Opportunity 1
Various Positions
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations
-------------------

GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

* Hard of Hearing Specialist – Los Angeles, Riverside, CA

* Community Advocate – Bakersfield, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, CA

* Community Interpreter – Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Riverside, CA

* Placement Coordinator – Anaheim, CA

* Job Developer/Interpreter – Anaheim, Norwalk, Pacoima, Riverside, CA

* Administrative Assistant – Los Angeles, CA

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

-------------------
Employment Opportunity 2
Executive Director
Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH)
Frankfort, KY
-------------------

This opportunity is presented before Article 2.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Contact Information and Disclaimers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are very interested in your comments concerning the content and format of this newsletter. We want this publication to be useful to you. Please send your comments and suggestions to: hearinglossweb@hearinglossweb.com

Visit our Website at: http://www.hearinglossweb.com

To subscribe to this newsletter, email
HOH-LD-News-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Yahoogroups will respond with a subscription email.

To unsubscribe to this newsletter, email
HOH-LD-News-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. Yahoogroups will respond with an unsubscription email.

Archives for this newsletter are on our website at:
http://www.hearinglossweb.com.
Click on "Free Email Newsletter" in the header.

Advertising information for HOH-LD-News and Hearing Loss Web is available at http://www.hearinglossweb.com/misc/adv/adv.htm.

Publication of articles or advertisements does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services offered, nor of the companies that offer them.