Captions have become ubiquitous during these many months of isolation. Is that an unmitigated good for those with hearing loss? For me, at least, maybe not. When I watch TV or streaming video, it’s captioned. I set the volume so I can hear the spoken words to supplement the captions, but it’s the other way … Continue reading Has the Pandemic Affected Your Hearing?
Author: Katherine Bouton
Holiday TLC, Redux
This Thanksgiving may be the first time we've seen family and friends since the beginning of the Pandemic. I'm both excited and a little nervous. Holidays can be difficult for the hard of hearing. Here are some ways you can make it a little easier on yourself. T is for Technology Assistive Listening Devices. Use … Continue reading Holiday TLC, Redux
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What Do Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Mean for You?
Earlier this week, on October 19, the FDA issued its long-awaited proposal on Over-the-Counter hearing aids. Over the counter means direct to consumer, without the intervention of an audiologist. The FDA’s proposal followed four years of discussion about OTC aids, dating from the passage of the bipartisan Over the Counter Hearing Aid Act in August … Continue reading What Do Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Mean for You?
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“Captions are the Wheelchair Ramp for the Deaf”
A year or so ago at a meeting on the challenge of global hearing loss, one of my fellow presenters, Catharine McMahon, head of the Department of Linguistics at MacQuarie University in Sydney Australia, said something that has stuck with me: "The challenge of disability should become society’s challenge. Change the environment, not the Individual: … Continue reading “Captions are the Wheelchair Ramp for the Deaf”
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“Coda” is about Deaf Culture. Can people with hearing loss relate? I did.
There’s a moment in the movie CODA that shocked me – after all these years – with the visceral understanding of how similar and yet how different the experience of deafness is to someone who is culturally Deaf and to someone like me who is functionally deaf and oral. CODA, which stands for Child of … Continue reading “Coda” is about Deaf Culture. Can people with hearing loss relate? I did.
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Talk About Hearing Loss. A Lot.
Why is it that everyone who develops hearing loss seems to have to start at Square 1 to figure out what to do about it? I was reminded of this when I read an article by Deborah Copaken called PSA: Your AirPods Pro are Hearing Aids. It appeared on Copaken’s blog Ladyparts on Substack. Generally … Continue reading Talk About Hearing Loss. A Lot.
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Don’t Panic. It’s Not Good for Your Hearing.
Sometimes, out of nowhere, my hearing loss catches up to me. My frustration about not hearing something important comes rushing back, a reminder of my difficult early days with hearing devices. It can quickly turn into panic. Ordinarily I’m fine with my hearing aids and cochlear implant, supplemented by a remote mic when necessary, Otter … Continue reading Don’t Panic. It’s Not Good for Your Hearing.
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Be Prepared
This summer’s violent storms in the East and out-of-control wildfires in the West, after a winter that included a deadly freak snowstorm in Texas, are reminders that emergency preparation is important, especially for people with hearing loss. Your hearing aid is not going to do you any good without batteries, rechargeable or replaceable. Your cochlear … Continue reading Be Prepared
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Sleeping with Dogs
When my dog was a puppy he slept in a crate, then he moved to a chair, then onto the bed. My husband would pick him up like a little lamb, when he came to bed after me, and move him back to the chair. After my husband died, Oliver moved permanently to the bed. … Continue reading Sleeping with Dogs
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Affordable Hearing Aids are Already Here, but We’ll Still Need Audiologists.
We all want hearing aids to be more affordable. That’s the impetus behind the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017. Although signed into law by President Trump, it is still not active, though it’s been on the FDA’s schedule a few times. In July, President Biden signed an executive order on Promoting Competition in the … Continue reading Affordable Hearing Aids are Already Here, but We’ll Still Need Audiologists.
Katherine Bouton: Smart Hearing 