Advocating for Communication Access for those with Hearing Loss – all Hearing Assistive Listening Systems: Hearing Loops, FM or IR Assistive Systems, Wi-Fi or Captioning - and Bluetooth when it is Available
2024 is a Bonding year for the State of Minnesota. This is when organizations, companies or venues can apply for State funding help with capital projects. These are often referred to as infrastructure projects, such as the construction of new buildings or the renovation, replacement and/or refurbishment of existing buildings.
Since 2017, capital projects that involve public gathering spaceswhere audible communication is an essential part of such spaces, access accommodation for Hard-of-Hearing patrons must be provided.
Therefore, State grant applicants have to be aware of the 2017 mandate 16C.054 ACCOMMODATION FOR HARD-OF-HEARING IN STATE-FUNDED CAPITAL PROJECTS. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/16C.054
This means that everyone involved with the project – from grant applicants to architects, designers, and contractors etc. – must be familiar with the cited acoustics and hearing loop assistive technologies and their compliance criteria. Please review the exact details of this communication access and accommodation mandate.
If acoustics standards and criteria can’t be met or if the installation of hearing (audio) loops is not possible, an Exemption must be sought on either one or both of these requirements. Be familiar with the Exemption application process.
The Minnesota Commission for the Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing (MNCDHH) will review the petition. To avoid delays, be clear about the exact reasons why an exemption should be granted. Propose alternative ways of how the public space will accommodate the hard-of-hearing public in a manner that is at least ADA compatible. Design plans & details as well as site pictures help.
In the end,
Writing a State of Minnesota grant application for funding help with capital building and renovation projects. If audible communication is involved in such spaces, be aware of the above 2017 mandate. Public money draws access accommodation for the hard-of-hearing public.
This is not only a story about the installation of a new hearing loop in a Church in Minnesota. It is a story about communication access. It is a story about empathy and advocacy without having a need oneself. But mostly, it is a story of how caring about others leads to a new Minnesota Hearing Loop.
Not understanding speech-in-noise can be very isolating and life-limiting for those with hearing loss. This is one of the major reasons why people no longer attend book clubs, church services and social club meetings. As one woman put it:” There is nothing in it for me anymore. I can’t understand a word.” This is why hearing loops are important. So far, this is the only assistive listening technology that helps improve the understanding of speech in background sound.
Hear Clearly at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Jordan, Mn
Some weeks ago, the Church became the proud owner of a new hearing loop. It has excellent sound quality and now ALL can hear! A parishioner saw the need for including people with hearing challenges in the Church community. He suggested the installation of a hearing loop, advocated for it and saw the project through to completion with the help of an equally devoted friend. They deserve double kudos as neither of them has hearing loss. How cool is that – thinking and caring about others and advocating for those who would be excluded!
That said, many thanks also go to those who supported the looping effort and helped fund it. Hearing loops do not install themselves, and they are not free.
And so, the list of hearing loops across Minnesota grows as many people are beginning to appreciate that the time for them to hear clearly in noise is Now – NOT years from now!
In the end, Care about Others! Make venues accessible with hearing loops and help people find those loops! List them on the Access Page of Google Maps. Announce them on Website pages and mention them in any publications, such as Newsletters and Bulletins. Tell the world that you care about communication access and quality-of-life for ALL.
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So, where do you want to hear better? Contact us at Loop Minnesota with any questions or loop suggestions?
Every year, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) dedicates the month of May as Better Hearing and Speech month. The purpose is to raise awareness about communication disorders.
Loop Minnesota wants to broaden the focus of this message as far as Better Hearing is concerned. People with hearing loss struggle to hear and understand speech in background noise. For them, communication and learning are seriously hampered in loud places. While hearing aids and assistive devices can help, they too have their limits.
Better Understanding Speech in Noise Means Better Hearing
To this day, the assistive system of Hearing Loop & Telecoils is the most effective and predictable way for overcoming speech-in-noise challenges. This is why the month of May is also a good time to showcase the technology that enables those with hearing issues communicate a lot more efficiently because they Hear Better in noise.
And so, it makes sense that the discussion about Better Hearing should also focus on Better Understanding of Speech in noisy venues. For those with telecoils in their hearing aids or cochlear implants, hearing loops manage background noise in venues, such as churches, conference halls and meeting rooms. As counter loops, they make life easier at store check-out counters, information desks, ticket counters, bank teller windows and more.
In the end, let the month of May be a time of advocating for Better Hearing by means of Hearing Loops and Telecoils in public places, no matter what their size.
Ask hearing specialists about Loop Technology and Telecoils (T-coils). Do my hearing aids have telecoils? Are they activated? Why not?
Ask venues, businesses, churches, and libraries what kind of access they provide for visitors, customers, and members with hearing loss. Let them know how and why Loops could help.
Get involved! Become a member of Loop Minnesota. Learn about hearing loops, and about other access technology choices.
Help spread the word on Hearing Loops and Telecoils in your communities.
Let Loop Minnesota know about places with existing loops or access technology so that they can be added to our website list.
Where would you like to hear and understand better? Contact us. We can help.
The world is getting louder by the day. Expecting life to play itself out in quiet, accommodating environments is fast becoming an unrealistic expectation. No matter what time of the year, at Loop Minnesota we aim to help people hear and understand and communicate better. Join us. Be bold! It’s the Month of May and it’s O.K.
Loop Minnesota is in the process of updating its current website lists of hearing loops across the State. However, our Hearing Access page will not only include loops but also locations of other types of Assistive Listening Technology that are offered to accommodate those with hearing problems.
Finding Hearing Accommodation and How You Can Help
1) If you Manage a Facility or Business – Does it have Hearing Access? Please let us know.
Got a hearing loop and/or assistive listening technology installed at your business, venue, or place of worship? Great! Now, tell the public about it. Share the information with Loop Minnesota and get on our Hearing Access List.
Hearing access information is hardly ever mentioned on websites or Facebook pages. However, if people with hearing loss do not know about the existence of the technology, they will not use it. Also, on site, appropriate signage is crucial.
Questions:
Do you have an Assistive Listening System? Where is it located?
Hearing loop?
FM System?
IR – InfraRed System?
Wi-Fi System?
Does it work and is it used?
Is it listed on your website?
Is the Hearing Loop listed on Google Maps?
Are information signs posted?
Are signs posted to inform people that hearing assistive technology is available? Without signs, people do not know about the Hearing System and will not use it.
Do You have Listening Devices to Access the System?
Do you have system-specific listening devices (receivers) and headphones?
Are batteries routinely replaced or the receivers charged?
Do you have neck-loops for making the FM or IR system compatible with telecoils in hearing aids or cochlear implants, as required by the ADA?
2) If you are a person with hearing loss
Do you know of hearing-loss-friendly establishments? Please let us know about the locations in your city or community and about the types of accommodation that are provided.
In the end, information is only helpful if it is correct and up-to-date. So, Thank you for your feedback and help.
We look forward to hearing from you. Click this link to contact us.
Loop Minnesota is proud to be a candidate for the 2023 Minnesota Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) BOLD Award. We have moved through the application and vetting phases and are now a finalist in the Not-for-Profit category.
According to the ACG website, “BOLD Awards honors and highlights the innovative and inspirational organizations that make Minnesota great. These awards are designed to honor and recognize innovation, inspirational moves, bold visions and leaders that have made bold moves to positively grow, restructure or enhance their companies for the benefit of all stakeholders.”
BOLD moves for Loop Minnesota are embedded in our mission. We advocate for Equitable Access to Communication for those with hearing loss. ALL people need access to their communities – stores, businesses, banks, libraries, places of worship etc.
Hearing loss is a communication problem. The biggest challenge is understanding speech in background noise. And so, it is quite BOLD for Loop Minnesota to advocate for accommodation technology on behalf of the roughly 20% of Minnesotans with hearing loss.
For now, and into the future, hearing loops are still the best bet for understanding speech clearly in loud venues – large and small. They include rather than exclude people. Participation beats isolation!
Even if Loop Minnesota is not chosen, only good can come from being nominated for this award. Our BOLD moves and efforts are recognized. The public exposure and increased visibility are priceless.
At the very least, ACG member corporations and businesses will learn about the need to make businesses and venues accessible to people with hearing challenges – an untapped population of potential clients, customers, members, sponsors etc.
The recognition of assistive listening advantages might make Loops for Daily Living – one of our BOLD goals –a dream come true. Hearing Loop signs everywhere – at bank teller windows, ticket counters, information desks, store check-out counters and customer service windows! What a wonderful, accessible world this would be!
Regardless of the outcome, Loop Minnesota will BOLDLY proceed with its mission to ease communication and preserve quality of life for Minnesotans with hearing loss.
Many businesses and venues have installed assistive listening hearing loops to accommodate those with hearing loss. However, these loops remain all too often unused because people do not know how or where to find them.
Do not make hearing loops a secret. Advertise them on social media and in ads. Tell people where they are. It is not only the right thing to do but it is also a wise business move. Become the hearing-friendly store or venue in your area and beyond. Don’t exclude the roughly 20% of adults with hearing loss. They could become potential clients, members, or sponsors.
There are 4 major issues that work against locating loops:
Once installed and certified according to IEC standards, the hearing loop is not reported to sites that list loops, such as Loop Locator, LoopFinder, Google Maps or the local loop advocacy sites, such Loop Minnesota in our State. But remember, these sites can only list what is reported to them. Also, many business and venue owners are unaware that they can list their assistive hearing loops under the “Accessibility” details on Google Maps.
There is no signage. Either none was ever posted at the looped location, or it might have fallen off. And so, although the loop is present, nobody knows. Check on the signage! See pictures above.
Lack of promotion. Businesses and venues do not mention listening assistance such as hearing loops on their websites or in their advertising materials.
Loop assistance is never mentioned to audiences or customers. Remind people before presentations, meetings, or worship services that a hearing loop is in place. Also, tell those who do not have telecoils in their hearing devices – as well as those who simply want to hear better in a large and noisy place – where they can get a loop receiver or listener.
If you know of hearing loops that are not advertised, not listed on Google Maps or that do not work properly, inform the business or venue owners. Or, if you do not want to do that, let us know at Loop Minnesota and we will contact them.
In the end…
Loops are meant to be used – not to be ignored or hidden. Be found. Make your hearing loops a standing feature of any promotional materials. After all, this is a matter of equitable access to communication so that all are included and nobody is left out. So, where’s that loop? Tell us. We all want and need to know.
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Join us as a member at loopminnesota.org. Contact us! Help us get Minnesotans in the hearing loop. Together we can do it!
Also, visit my website where I write blogs on all sorts of topics related to hearing and hearing loss https://hearing-loss-talk.com/
Grocery store hearing loops are becoming increasingly popular across the United States. Even a single hearing-loop-enabled check-out counter is a valuable business investment. To customers with hearing loss, it means “Access.” It tells them that they too are recognized and appreciated.
Announce the presence of active, certified loops on your website! Tell Google Maps. Edit your organization/business “Accessibility” attributes to include Assistive Hearing Loop. How to edit or add: https://t.co/cxtvhWqh1E
In Springfield, Oregon, all checkout counters of the Grocery Outlet store now have hearing loops! Thanks to owners Tracy and Tom Hogan, customers can use the telecoils in their hearing aids and cochlear implants to help them understand speech so much better in the background noise of the store.
Checkout counters can be daunting. So many questions! Found everything OK? Do you want your receipt? Cash or credit? Got any coupons? All I usually hear is something like WhoaWhoa. While trying to guess at body language, I run my credit card through the reader. Did they ask for my email to send me stuff? Very frustrating!
Tracy Hogan shares that she has bilateral hearing loss and so she can relate to the struggle of trying to hear in a sound-confused environment. Listen to her as she explains how the loop works in her store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI0vhf9HjqA
Then, along the East Coast Wegmans Food Markets, a company with over 100 stores across 7 States also has installed hearing loops in their stores.
And of course, there are more grocery stores that have also been in the news for making the shopping experience for the hard-of-hearing easier with hearing loops. Check your local store. Encourage the owner/franchisee to consider a checkout loop.
The important thing for us to remember is that hearing loops are not dead, retro or antiquated. On the contrary, their popularity is on the rise. The travel industry is no longer the only major industry that recognizes the importance of communication access with loops.
As hearing loops spread in the communities, are you ready to use them? Do you recognize the blue-and-white sign with the T in the right-hand corner? Do you have telecoils in your hearing aids? If so, are they activated? Do you know how to use them? There is no time like the present to ask your audiologist/hearing specialist for details.
In the end, hearing loops do not appear miraculously. For loops to happen we have to learn about them, ask for them and advocate for them. That’s what we do at Loop Minnesota. Join us!
Advocates speak in favor of a particular cause with the purpose to inform and to change behavior. In this case, the “cause” is equitable access to communication for the hard-of-hearing in loud, echoey places by means of hearing or induction loops.
Although nobody needs to be a “loop specialist”, it is important to be reasonably familiar with some basic facts of the technology. Also, a polite, non-confrontational approach makes people more willing to listen.
And so, how can people make an impact and convince decision makers that a hearing loop would be indeed a good investment for their places of worship, convention venues or business areas, such as information or customer service windows? Following are some tips that can be considered while making a case for loops.
Personal Experience.
Describe in a few words how connecting hearing aids to loops by means of telecoils improves clarity of speech, fosters inclusion and improves quality of life. Make it your story. By now, just about every family has at least one relative who struggles with hearing loss. An emotional appeal can be quite effective.
2. Sound Demonstration
From your smartphone or laptop, share a YouTube to illustrate the difference between the un-looped and looped sound environments. Although there are others, here are two examples:
3. Basic explanation of how a loop & telecoil system works – if asked.
Note: The actual hearing loop is an electrical wire. Telecoils are wireless antennas in hearing instruments.
Sound from a speaker’s microphone activates the hearing loop wire. Telecoils in hearing instruments tap into the magnetic energy of the loop. The magnetic signals transfer wirelessly to the hearing instrument, which changes them back into audible sound. The audible signal is now clearer and stronger without any or minimal background noise.
Once installed, they are long-lasting and virtually maintenance-free
Loops are invisible and discreet, which eliminates the risk of stigma attached to hearing loss
Loops are user-friendly and easy to use
Loops make businesses accessible to the hard-of-hearing. Advertise your loop!
Hearing loops for service windows, check-out counters and information desks are becoming quite popular. 2-way communication systems tied in with a loop are available as kits. All-in-one portable devices are also popular. There are plenty of choices out there. These are some examples for starters.
6. What about disadvantages?
The physical installation is often seen as an invasive drawback. Loops for larger areas – places of worship, libraries, convention halls or meeting rooms – are best installed during new construction or during venue refurbishments.
Cost. This depends on the size of the loop and on the complexity of the design. It is best to have a certified loop contractor do an on-site inspection.
7. Gratitude and follow-up
Thank people for their time and their willingness to listen.
Ask if and when you can check back with them. Usually, other members or committees have to be consulted on the feasibility of the project. However, it is important to keep the channels open and the discussion going.
In the end,
It is up to those who are hard-of-hearing to advocate on their own behalf for equitable communication access by means of hearing loops. For now, loops and telecoil systems are the only and best bet for helping hard-of-hearing people understand speech clearly in large, loud and echoey places. So, spread the word on the communication advantages of hearing loops in the interest of inclusion and quality of life.
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Note: Any links to websites or mention of products or technology are for information and illustration only. Loop Minnesota does not favor or endorse one brand, manufacturer or distributor over others.
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Also visit my website hearing-loss-talk.com where I post blogs on all sorts of issues concerning hearing loss.
Recently, the question was asked in a meeting why we keep talking about the need for telecoils in hearing aids and cochlear implants and the installation of hearing loops in venues when Bluetooth is in and telecoils and loops are out.
This is a very timely question as it talks to the confusion about current and future use of Bluetooth for those with hearing loss.
Hearing loops and telecoils work together anywhere in the world. They work in venues of any size, from TV dens in homes to convention halls. No synching needed.
While Bluetooth enables wireless connections between smartphones, hearing aids and other Bluetooth devices, even the latest version of this technology is not ready for public, large-scale signal broadcasting. That type of connectivity is still at least another 10 years out, according to technology specialists.
Loops and telecoils versus Bluetooth? At this time, these are two very helpful but different types of technology that coexist and complement each other.
Telecoils and Bluetooth can be installed together in the same hearing instruments, such as hearing aids and cochlear implants. They have their pros and cons but for the foreseeable future, we need both types of technology.
Because in the end, this is all about quality of life through equitable access to communication for those with hearing loss.
Bluetooth changes by leaps and bounds
In 2014, Bluetooth became a popular feature in hearing aids. People with hearing loss immediately appreciated having a direct, wireless, hands-free connections between their smartphones and their hearing instruments.
Nowadays, cochlear implants, earbuds and devices known as “hearables” are also routinely Bluetooth-enabled. Hearing devices can link up with laptops, TVs and computers and more. Accessories like Bluetooth adapters and streamers help bridge connectivity and compatibility issues.
Overall, Bluetooth is technology that allows wireless, one-on-one, short distance connections between different devices that recognize each other. So far, it is mostly helpful for private, personal use.
Enter Bluetooth LE 5.2
With its new coder-decoder (CODEC) LC3, Bluetooth LE 5.2 is fast becoming the new hype of the town. Within the next year or so, this technology will be found in smartphones, hearing instruments and other devices. While it offers some great advantages, converting to this latest Bluetooth version, or protocol will NOT be a simple software upgrade of existing technology.
And so, people must prepare themselves to invest in new phones and hearing instruments capable of handling this newest Bluetooth edition. In order to get ready for Bluetooth LE (LC3), manufacturers are busy adapting their device hardware and software. Particularly, instrument “chips” must be redesigned and re-licensed.
No overnight magic
Although hearing technology changes very fast, there will be no overnight magic. Getting high-quality, reliable Bluetooth connectivity in large spaces is a worldwide undertaking. Progress is expected within the next 10 years or so.
For the time being, the Bluetooth emphasis is still on short-distance connections. Even the latest Bluetooth LE 5.2 (LC3) version is not ready for public audio broadcast in big venues, such as places of worship, airports, lecture and convention halls etc. There are many kinks to be worked out.
Also, as venues must have hearing loops installed for telecoils to function, so venues must be equipped and readied for Bluetooth LE 5.2 (LC3) transmission and reception.
So far, Hearing loops and telecoils are our best and only bet for understanding speech in large, noisy places. And so, there is a continued need for this technology. It is ready and available to help us hear better NOW as well as throughout the lengthy Bluetooth LE 5.2 (LC3) transition period.
Equitable access means that those who need extra accommodation get the help they need. Equal access, or what everybody else gets is often not enough.
For equitable access to communication, those who are hard-of-hearing need boosted sound signals and reduction of background noise in order to hear and understand clearly in noisy venues and businesses. PA (Public Address) systems, 2-way microphone intercoms and even hearing aids are not enough.
Fortunately, the type of technology that facilitates inclusion of the hearing-challenged in lecture rooms, museums, places of worship, convention halls and even at information desks and teller windows exists.
Assistive listening systems made of hearing loops and telecoils can deliver sound clarity beyond one’s wildest dreams. Telecoils, or T-coils are wireless antennas that are installed by the manufacturers in many hearing aids and cochlear implants. They access professionally installed hearing, or induction loops.
Unfortunately, many who could benefit from this technology are not aware of it. Even among hearing specialists there is often bias against it. Do you know if your hearing aids have telecoils? Luckily, in spite of it all, hearing loops are now in higher demand than ever – in the United States and worldwide.
Back to the old ways? Time for change!
Once COVID simmers down, in-person meetings will be back. Where will that leave Minnesotans with hearing loss? Back to the old struggle of deciphering speech in noise? Back to isolation and depression over feeling excluded?
2022 – the year of inclusion and equitable access
And so, the time for equitable access to communication for those with hearing loss has arrived. Become involved.
Join Loop Minnesota and let 2022 be the year of hearing loops and telecoils. Let it be the year when Minnesotans learn a lot more about this technology and how it can help communication. Be an advocate for equitable access for yourself and for others. It takes all of us to make a difference because, oh my, there is so much to do in 2022!
Happy Holidays and the Best of Hearing ever in the New Year!!
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To learn more about all sorts of topics on ears and hearing, visit my website at hearing-loss-talk.com
