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PRESIDENT'S REPORT
by Katherine Bouton
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The New York City Chapter has been meeting on Zoom since early in the pandemic. It’s worked well for us, allowing us to keep an uninterrupted schedule of monthly chapter meetings. Thanks to the Zoom format, our numbers have grown, and we have attendees from all over the country.
But we have missed the collegiality that comes with meeting in person. This February we took a big step toward making that happen. Our February board meeting took place in a centrally located office space owned by NYU, just east of Grand Central Station. There were 20 of us, 15 attending in person and 5 online. The meeting was a trial run with the hope that we will be able to hold chapter meetings in a hybrid format later this spring (we will continue to have Zoom, knowing that many can’t be there in person).
There are kinks to be worked out. Challenges include how those online can see those in the meeting room, and vice versa, especially if there is a large group, as would be the case during a chapter meeting. Captions were available both online and in person, but we did not have a hearing loop in the space.
Our chapter’s mission statement includes providing support for people with hearing loss, and that’s been harder to do online. We look forward to greeting people—long-time participants and newcomers alike—as they come in the door. We look forward to socializing before and after the formal presentation, with snacks! And to the exchange of ideas and support that happen best in one-on-one conversations.
We’ll announce the venue as soon as possible. Meanwhile we will continue on Zoom, with our February 18 chapter meeting just around the corner. You can attend by clicking here. See you online and soon—we hope—in person as well.
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An Episode in a Member's
Hearing Loss Journey
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This is the first News & Views essay about an HLAA/NYC member's experience with hearing loss. It was written by Margery Nathanson. We would like to make these narratives regular components of News & Views. If you have a story you would like to share, please send it to gailweiss@hearinglossnyc.org. Submissions should be no longer than 350 words.
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I attended a couple of in-person meetings before I received my first cochlear Implant—just prior to the meetings becoming virtual due to Covid. That was in 2020. My recollection on coming to that first meeting was feeling stunned to see so many deaf and hearing-impaired people all in one room, wearing their devices without embarrassment, while large captions reflected the words of the speakers on a board. I felt a brotherhood/sisterhood with the others, knowing that we shared many of the same experiences, frustrations, and anxieties.
That was the first time I heard the expression, “I can’t hear you unless I see the whites of your eyes,” and it was a revelation. I realized it was okay to make demands on other people in order to hear what they were saying, instead of feeling hopeless, lost, and with only the desire to flee from the room. Not that I still don’t occasionally feel that way, but HLAA has helped me to learn empowerment, and that is not something I could have gotten from my audiologist or my hearing therapist.
I am grateful to HLAA. I recently joined Jerry Bergman's Advocacy Committee to return this gift I’ve been given and advocate for improvements for our very special community.
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Upcoming (Virtual) Chapter Meetings
Save the Dates
6-7:30pm
CART provided by Lauren Schechter of Total Caption
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February 18: Service Animals.
Lise Hamlin, HLAA’s recently retired director of public policy, has a service dog through Canine Companions. She will discuss what a hearing-service dog can do for you, as well as your rights under the ADA about service animals.
March 18: Cybersecurity.
Andy Chandler, a retired cybersecurity professional as well as a lifelong hearing aid wearer and a CI recipient, will discuss what people with hearing loss need to know about cybersecurity and how to keep ourselves safe from scams.
April 15: Cochlear Implants.
Dr. George Alexiades, formerly of Weill Cornell Medicine and currently at NYU Langone on Long Island, will give an update on cochlear implants: new technologies, qualifications for surgery, the implantation process. He will be joined by Dr. Paul Lavra, speech pathologist at NYU Langone Cochlear Implant Center, who will discuss aural rehabilitation for implant candidates.
May 20: Dementia.
Researchers Jan Blustein and Justin Golub will discuss the complicated intersection between hearing loss and dementia.
June 17: College with Hearing Loss.
Our annual awards program. Speakers will include the winner of our $5,000 Albert B. Chen Scholarship for a New York City high school senior with hearing loss, as well as a recent graduate or professional with hearing loss who will talk about their hearing loss journey.
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DECEMBER MEETING RECAP
The Musical Journey of Deaf-Blind
Singer/Guitar Player Russ Palmer
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Our December Chapter Meetings are devoted to a guest presenter from some form of musical background. On December 17th, Jon Taylor introduced Russ Palmer, a deaf and blind folk singer/guitar player. Dr. Palmer shared his inspiring musical journey—from being born with severe hearing loss to obtaining hearing aids and, ultimately, receiving cochlear implants in 2004 and 2011. | |
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Dr, Palmer is an international music therapist and vibroacoustic practitioner in the UK. Along with being born deaf, he became blind due to Usher syndrome. In spite of what may seem like severe disabilities, Dr. Palmer was able to not only adapt to his limitations but excel in his musical abilities. He shared how he studied music, his work teaching clients with special needs, and how we feel music in our bodies. His studies and work qualified him as a music therapist and, in 2004, he was awarded an honorary PhD from Old Dominion University in Finland.
Dr. Palmer went on to describe how he is able to sing, play guitar, and live his very full life by feeling the music in his body, wearing a wide-brimmed hat to corral the sound in his ears, and how he can compose music. He shared how fortunate he was having very devoted, supportive parents. Even though he became very despondent at one point because of his hearing and sight limitations, his love for music, his positive attitude, and being surrounded by supportive friends and his loving wife, Rita, resulted in him becoming an inspiring musician, composer, and performer with a sharp intellect and keen sense of humor.
Overcoming all his challenges led him to sharing important advice: Never give up! To watch a captioned video of this meeting on YouTube, click here.
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2025 ALBERT B. CHEN SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
for a High School Senior with Hearing Loss
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The Hearing Loss Association of America’s New York City Chapter is pleased to announce the fourth annual Albert B. Chen Scholarship, made possible by funds donated by Albert B. Chen. Mr. Chen, who has a profound hearing loss, hopes to inspire younger generations to give back to the hearing loss community at some point in the future. This $5,000 scholarship for a high school senior with hearing loss is to be used toward the pursuit of a college degree.
Applicants must be New York City residents, have applied to a college, be between the ages of 17 and 20, wear a hearing aid or cochlear implant, and have a minimum academic average of 80 or a grade point average of 3.0 or better. The scholarship is a one-time award. Financial need is not a consideration. The award will be presented at HLAA-NYC's June 17, 2025 chapter meeting.
To apply for the scholarship, complete all parts of the 2025 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM and send to info@hearinglossnyc.org. The application can be downloaded here. Deadline for receipt of applications is April 15, 2025.
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Ruth Bernstein
Valentine's Day Words of Wisdom
to Inspire Hearing Loss Access Advocacy
On Valentine's Day I write about sharing happiness and love when you have a hearing loss. In 2023 I created an acrostic for my post Valentine's Day Tips for Living Better with Hearing Loss. In 2024 I asked people to advocate for themselves in Give the Gift of Hearing Access this Valentine's Day. My Valentine's gift for you this year is sharing some quotes that guide my daily life as an advocate for people with hearing loss. I hope the quotes are as helpful to you as they are to me. Read more of this post (from the Center for Hearing and Communication's blog, Lines of Communication).
Katherine Bouton
OTC Hearing Aids: A Primer
Over-the-Counter hearing aids were approved in 2022, but many buyers are still confused. So was I. That’s why I’m sharing what I found out. The market for hearing aids is huge, and navigating the hearing-health care system requires ingenuity and patience, not to mention often exorbitant amounts of money. Almost 30 million Americans of all ages would benefit from hearing aids, according to the National Institutes of Health, including a disproportionate number of those over 70. Among septuagenarians, 55 per cent of those 75 and older would benefit from hearing aids, but only one in three have even tried them. Read more of this post.
Shari Eberts
LivingWithHearingLoss.com
Making One Retreat Center an Oasis of Accessibility
Imagine arriving at a yoga and wellness retreat center where every class, session, and facility is designed to welcome everyone, including those with hearing loss. Instead of worrying about what you might miss, you can fully immerse yourself in relaxation, rejuvenation, and connection. This is the power of accessibility—it ensures every participant leaves feeling inspired and fulfilled. Read more of this post.
Gael Hannan
Handling Those Small Indignities of Hearing Loss
Pardon? Sorry, one more time? I’m not catching what you’re saying, it’s so noisy in here. Are you asking me if I want a bag, have a membership card, or something else to which the answer is no? I had been inching my way forward to the cashier in a big box store, and now I was holding up the line. What embarrassed me was not so much that I couldn’t hear the mumble-mouth staff person, but that everyone else could! Read more of this post.
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Open-Captioned Broadway Shows | |
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Join TDF Accessibility Programs (TAP) for discount tickets to open-captioned performances at NYC theaters. Here are the latest offerings. Look for an email from TDF/TAP with ticket information a month before the show.
Sumo, Saturday, March 15, 1 pm
Old Friends, Saturday, April 26, 2 pm
The Churchill Plays, Sunday, April 27 at 1:30 pm
Goddess, May 30
If you would like to sponsor open captioning for one of these shows, please contact Kate Garst, Associate Director of Individual Giving and Events at kateg@tdf.org. You will also find the latest theater information on the chapter's Facebook Page.
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Those who are hard of hearing or deaf, have low vision or are blind, who cannot climb stairs, who require aisle seating or wheelchair locations, who are on the autism spectrum or have other developmental or cognitive disabilities, can find out everything they need to know to choose a show, buy tickets, and plan their trip to Broadway by visiting Theatre Access NYC.
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Having Trouble with Closed Captioning on TV? | |
Closed captioning (CC) gives people with hearing disabilities access to television programming—and provides a critical link to news, entertainment, and information—by displaying the audio portion of broadcasts as text on the television screen.
If you're unhappy with the quality of the closed captioning on a specific program, make your voice heard by filing a complaint with the FCC. It only takes a few minutes. Click here.
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BECOME A MEMBER: As the nation's leading organization for people with hearing loss, we provide information, education, support, and advocacy for the millions of Americans coping with hearing loss. Join online or download membership form.
DONATE: Searching for the perfect way to observe a loved one's birthday, anniversary, or special occasion, OR to honor the memory of someone special? Please consider making a gift to HLAA-NYC Chapter to support our efforts. You can donate on our website, at hearinglossnyc.org, by credit card or by Zelle (email donations@hearinglossnyc.org for details). Or you can mail a check (payable to HLAA-NYC) to HLAA-NYC Chapter, P.O. Box 602, Radio City Station, New York, NY 10101. Please include your name and address as well as the name of the person you're honoring. An acknowledgement will be mailed. Donations are tax deductible.
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Mention of goods or services does not mean HLAA-NYC endorsement, nor should exclusion suggest disapproval. | |
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Do you have hearing aids
you're no longer wearing?
Consider donating them to the House Institute
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Hearing Aid Donation Form
Thank you for your interest in donating hearing aids to the House Institute Foundation. Please complete this form and mail to the House Institute Foundation along with the devices you are donating.
Once your donation is processed, you will receive an acknowledgment letter from us. Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law, although we will not evaluate the value of the hearing aids.
We only accept hearing aids that are fit behind or over the ear and hearing aids from manufacturers that we work with (see below for the manufacturers we work with). Custom-made hearing aids that fit inside the ear are not accepted. Please be sure to verify that we accept your donation.
We DO NOT accept any other hearing devices, accessories, phones, etc.
If you would like to donate a bone-anchored (BAHA) device or a Cochlear Implant Processor, contact eodonnell@hifla.org. Thank you!
Name of Donor:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Date of Donation:
Date of BTE/RIC Hearing Aids:
Hearing Aid Manufacturer
(circle): Oticon Phonak Resound Widex Starkey Unitron
Model(s), if known:
Serial Number(s), if known:
Signature of donor:
Date:
For internal use:
Date Received:
Recorded by:
Mailing Address:
The House Institute Foundation
ATTN: Gladys Diaz-Garcia
1127 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 1620
Los Angeles, CA 90017
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