My Blog

Batter Up! Two Authentic Portrayals of Hearing Loss

I had the pleasure of moderating a post-screening talkback for Rally Caps at ReelAbilities’ flagship festival in NYC. A short film, Deaf Giants was shown prior to the feature length Rally Caps. Both are family films that share a baseball theme. And a common message: Hearing loss may be challenging but it doesn’t need to Continue reading

TEDx Talk Raises Awareness about Hearing Loss Technology

Hearing loss advocacy hits TEDx! Congratulations to HLAA adviser and hearing loop advocate Juliëtte Sterkens, Au.D. Her TEDxOshkosh talk, Hearing Loss: Beyond Hearing Aids, has over 225k views on the national TEDx Talks YouTube channel and views continue to grow! In the 18-minute talk, Juliëtte explains what it is like to listen with hearing aids and details Continue reading

Powering Up the Patient Perspective

One of my favorite things to do is to talk about hearing loss! I guess that comes with the territory as an advocate. Considering hearing aids? Come sit by me. I am happy to share my experiences. Complaining about the volume of the music? I’ll join you in asking the manager to lower the volume. Continue reading

Don’t Get Pickled: Hearing Loss & Pickleball

“Don’t get pickled!” the clinic leader advised with a smile. It was my first time playing pickleball, the new sport craze taking over the nation. Getting pickled means you lose 11-0—a shutout. Despite the leader’s warning, my team was pickled twice that first day. Oh, well. There was no where to go but up! Learning Continue reading

Changing Mindsets about Hearing Loss

Societal misperceptions about hearing loss can prevent people from seeking the help that they need. And even when we do look for help, our doctors may minimize the condition, sidelining it as a normal part of aging. The same goes for policy makers who have historically left hearing care out of many public insurance plans. Continue reading

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