Taking Charge of The Hearing Loss Journey cont'd

Throughthepowerofpeersupport,IlearnedthatIwasnotalone.Ilearnedaboutcommunicationenhancing technology, such as real-time captioning. I saw a lack of shame and an openness to change that I had never considered possible for a person with hearing loss. A mother of four sat down with me and showed me how to keep my baby safe and a path forward from good parentchildtogoodcommunication.

Butmostimportantly,overthreeshortdays,Iwasonfiretotakechargeofmynewjourney.Iknew what I needed and how to ask for it. It was imperative to ask for access for me and other people withtheexactneeds.

It was a very loud AHA moment that kicked off a new life as a hearing health advocate Looking back,Icouldn’thavepickedabettertimetohaveababybecause,in1995,hearingtechnologywas starting to boom The digital age of modern tech was creating unheard-of accessibility for people withdisabilities,especiallythosewhoneededsupporttounderstandaudiblemessages.

At the same time, new concepts in hearing healthcare delivery were emerging, and prevention of noise-inducedhearinglosswasbecomingabiggertopic.MyfirstAHAmomentwasquicklyfollowed byanother.

Enlightenment,asapersonwithhearingloss,gavemeatoolboxburstingwithattitudinal,technical, and behavioural communication strategies Yet only the technical amplification strategies increasedmyphysiologicalabilitytohearbetter;combiningthethreeenabledmetocommunicate better. Hearing is just one aspect of successful communication between two (or more) people. We usecontext,commonlanguage,visualinput,personalinteractionskills,andtheabilitytoarticulate ourneedsandhavethemmet.

Mygoalhadtochange.

IrealizedthatIneededtocommunicatebetterinsteadofwantingtohearbetter.Communicationis a bedrock of our society, the glue that connects people and the world around them. And this glue canbeseverelyimpactedbyhearingloss.

To stop feeling victimized by my hearing loss or blaming others for poor communication, I took controlofmyjourney.Myself-identityimproved,andIbecamehonestaboutmyhearingloss,both thefactofitandwhatIneedinindividuallisteningsituations.

Modern technology has made life easier but is less successful at handling our insecurities and emotions That’s our job along with asking and accepting help from others Learning to work through the shame that I hadn’t realized I carried, to accept diversity and disability as part of life, and to commit to the best possible communication has been the greatest gift of having hearing loss.

Gael Hannan is a renowned hearing health author, speaker, and advocate. For over 25 years, she has created award-winning programs. She has a passionate international following for her work, including regular articles for hearing-related and consumer organizations and dramatic presentations illustrating hearing loss life. She is the author of two books, The Way I Hear It (2015) and Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss (2022), in collaboration with Shari Eberts. Gael Hannan lives on Vancouver Island.

Staying physically active is crucial for seniors to maintain their overall health and quality of life. Engaging in regular fitness activities helps improve strength, flexibility, balance, and cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of injury and chronic diseases. Fortunately, many free workout resources are available, particularly online. One such valuable resource to try is the

YouTube channel https://yes2next.com/

It is a mother-and-daughter dynamic duo showcasing a variety of exercises specifically tailored for those 50 and beyond and for individuals with limited mobility. Their YouTube channel offers you more than 200 free fitness videos.

Whether it's gentle stretches, chair exercises, or low-impact cardio routines, yes2next provides a convenient and effective way for seniors and everyone to stay active and maintain their wellbeing.