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What it's like to have a hearing loss?
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Personal Listening
Systems |
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| Why Use One? | How to speak to someone using one: |
| Visibility - people know you have a need and are open about it.
Signal to noise ratio - the microphone is closest to the person being listened to. Directional microphone helps to zero in on the speaker. FM noise reduction |
Be natural and friendly Be willing to forgo some spontaneity for the sake of their enjoyment. Be aware that any social setting is more stressful for people with a hearing loss, even under the best of circumstances. Use the device to point at the speaker to facilitate speech-reading Be sure any joke-teller is using the device before he starts. |
Training - topics
| Title |
Audience |
Objective |
| "Overcoming Impossible Challenges" | Anyone with a challenge to overcome. | People go through life with challenges. Many times they accomplish less than their potential because they have not taken on the challenges head on. Kathryn inspires and motivates people to identify their life challenges, to evaluate the changes and learn techniques to overcome them. |
"One, Two, Three, Rephrase!" |
Anyone who knows someone with a hearing loss. |
How do you talk with a person who has a hearing loss? How can you help them understand and be included? Do you have a relationship that is limping because of communication challenges? Kathryn will educate you with knowledge, understanding and the skills needed to communicate with a person with a hearing loss. She will empower you with ways to recharge your relationship. |
| "Sure I Can Hear! But I Want to Listen!" |
Businesses public facilities, churches, retirement homes, |
Learn low and high tech ways to improve your facility or place of business. Provide access for people with a hearing loss, a large group of people, a largely untapped market, by making it easy for them to do business with hearing loss. |
| "Education in a Glass House" |
College administration, faculty, board and staff. |
Make your educational environment or public shows (plays, musicals, entertainment) accessible to hard of hearing students and the older people who are your alumni. |
"Make it Comfortable" |
Church staff and boards with extension to members |
What is the need - how much participation is there of deaf and hard of hearing in church activities? What situations are difficult for people with a hearing loss? What's the difference between deaf and hard of hearing accommodation? How do deaf and hard of hearing differ in attitude toward their challenge? |
| "Stemming the Tide of Retreat" |
Business administrators and managers in charge of employees' work environment |
Analysis of employee make-up and their friends and relatives. How to improve the working environment for a person with hearing loss. What accommodations need to be made. Increasing employee understanding. |
| "It's Your Choice --Glass House or Social Manor" |
Enjoying social gatherings despite the challenges of a hearing loss |
Learn educate family, friends and coworkers about assistive devices that can ease hearing. Also learn confrontation techniques and ways to disengage when stress becomes intolerable, |
| "Tizzy or Busy: The Case for Enlightened Procrastination" | Anyone who is having difficulty managing their busy schedule. | You've always thought procrastination is a bad thing? Well, think again! When it's used creatively, procrastination can be a valuable tool to improve productivity and quality of life. |
| "Beyond ADA: Adventures in Innovative, Creative and Affordable Hearing Loss Access" | Any business, school, private venue, police or fire department, hospital that wants to ease hearing for clients with a hearing loss. | Be empowered!! You've always wanted to understand hearing loss and how you can help associates you know who are deaf or hard of hearing. Background music. Din. Dim lighting. Poor amplification. Uninformed communication techniques. All are factors in creating a difficult hearing situation for hard of hearing people. |
"You have an inspiring energy when
you play the piano. It really brings a group to life. It’s
wonderful when an energy like that is contagious. Thank you again.
We highly recommend your speaking and musical talent to groups
who want a magical blend of pleasure and inspiration."
Susan Zimmerman, Programs and President-Elect, Awesome Women
Attention! Free publicity opportunity for venues!
In the next few weeks, Kathryn will be launching a recognition system for venues who are making an ongoing effort to provide access for people with a hearing loss.
Venue directors and administrators will be be receiving letters and forms for evaluation which will accompanying letters to the venue inviting activity schedulers to book theme shows.
In order to receive recognition on her website, you will need to book an access assessment tour, either separately or in conjunction with a booked show. The evaluation form will assist you in determining what access your venue does or could provide.
There will be several levels of award, as well as an honor roster which would be listed for the entire year. Deadline for inclusion in honor roster will be December 31, 2008. Initial awards will be announced the month following assessment.