Ward
Hanna
Copyright 2002
TO FRIENDS, PEERS AND HARD OF HEARING ADVOCACY ACTIVISTS:
This is to explain my belief that HOH people need serious changes in many areas to help them if they are to achieve a good quality of life.
Also, that to develop such benefits, much study is needed to sort out the many needs and prioritize these changes for implementation in the most pragmatic way.
Because of the conflict of interest in soliciting help from hearing aid manufacturers, audiologists, or dispensers; there is no other resource to turn to except the government that also is damaged in various ways by its 26,000,000 HOH citizens.
Presently, the various overwhelming and confusing problems, when brought before anyone, including legislators, could offset a practical direction. Thus, an in-depth unbiased study is needed to a depth that only our government could do. In achieving this in-depth study of the problems and solutions of hard of hearing people, the results could develop unbiased recommendations including sales regulations that would lead to; realistic education for consumers, and better fitted hearing aids, which would lead to more sales and device uses as well as processes that would dramatically extend the quality of the social lives of HOH people
In 1986, the Office of Technology Assessment, a branch of Congress
whose job it was to keep Congress advised of developing trends
for which action by Congress could be required, produced an 87-page,
in-depth report entitled "Hearing Impairment and Elderly
People."
http://www.ota.nap.edu/pdf/data/1986/8608.PDF
While directed towards the increasing numbers of elderly (still our fastest growing segment of the population) and the accompanying increase in hearing loss, the study and its recommendation would benefit all HOH people. Its recommendations are even more valid today than at that time.
Comments taken from this report are as follows:
"Hearing impairment is a serious problem among elderly people in the United States. It is the third most prevalent chronic condition among the non-institutionalized elderly population, exceeded only by arthritis and hypertension."
"--it can seriously affect their safety, quality of life, and ability to live independently."
"Federal legislation...should acknowledge the important role the telephone plays in maintaining the safety, independence and quality of life of hearing impaired elderly people."
"Hearing aids, devices and rehabilitation services can improve a person's ability to communicate -- and, for which, third party reimbursement is not usually available."
"Aural rehabilitation services, such as hearing aid orientation...frequently are not available to elderly people with hearing impairment, despite their potential benefits." "The existing service delivery system is fragmented and does not provide optimal hearing services for elderly people. Rivalry among the three types of hearing specialists -- physicians, audiologists, and hearing aid dealers -- contribute to the fragmentation of the delivery system. Federal legislation related to hearing services could be designed to encourage the development of coordinated service delivery systems."
"While hearing impairment is a serious problem among elderly people in this country, partial solutions are available. We now have an increased understanding of the problem and the various devices and services available. Federal initiatives in the areas of research, public education, and improvements in the service delivery system could help solve the problems faced by hearing impaired elderly people and could significantly improve the quality of their lives."
While this report was done very well and it'\s recommendation were on target, the study never happened. The reason: there was no active support for it either by hard of hearing people or their non-profit representatives. While non-profit organizations knew of this, few hoh'ers did.
HOHA needs your help to do this anew and to move this ahead.
We do not seek your money, only your willingness to extend yourself
via writing a (suggested) letter to your Congressperson.
If you would acknowledge this and let me know if you or your
group or chapter and of your willingness to support this , it
would be greatly appreciated. If you have leadership that will
accept a lead advocacy here, HOHA will support any such willingness
to provide that but will continue to move this ahead in the meantime.
"Never doubt that a small group of committed individuals can change the world: indeed, it's the only thing that ever does." -- Margaret Mead.
Warren T. Hanna is the Executive Director of HOHA (Hard of Hearing Advocates).
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