Information, Education, Support and
Advocacy for People with Hearing Loss 

2nd Saturday of the Month
(September - May)
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. 
Community Room, Gold Hill Police Station
955 W. Moreno Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80905


Next Chapter Meeting

Saturday, September 9, 2017
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Community Room
Gold Hill Police Station
955 W. Moreno  Avenue
Colorado Springs  80905


Chapter meetings are free, and all are welcome.  
Membership is not required to attend.

Free parking, refreshments, professionally-installed hearing loop,  assistive listening devices (ALDs), and CART (live captioning) are provided.

The permanent loop was installed by Erin, Assist2Hear, and was funded by t he City of Colorado Springs.  Thank you!

COME CELEBRATE with Us  and HEAR the DIFFERENCE!!

CCDHH
Our Speaker this Month

Luke Adams
Outreach Consultant, Hard of Hearing Specialty, CCDHH

We will have an ASL Interpreter for this meeting
President's Corner
Welcome back to HLAA Colorado Springs!  Trust you've had a great summer.  We are looking forward to a great year.  Vickie has been working to put together an interesting roster of speakers.  And as always we look forward to sharing some social time with you.
 
I will be missing in action until about November.  My husband had a biking accident and will be needing standby assistance until he can bear weight on his right leg. I no longer consider myself a retired nurse! 
 
I will look forward to seeing you as soon as I can get back.  Until then I am very grateful for our strong leadership team who have pulled together to keep our ship afloat!  Hope your HLAA year gets off to a wonderful start! Ann
The Summer, in Pictures!

Dixie, Rick, Stacy, Ann, Pauline, Dwight, Michelle (and husband), Vickie, Bev (Carol and Tom not pictured)
Colorado Raised over $26K.  
Our "Springs Sweet Soles" was the top fundraising Team; Dixie was the top fundraiser

Stacy Signs the National Anthem as it is Sung - Beautiful!!   
Click on pic for video; be sure volume is on!


Colorado HLAA Members - Stacy, Erin N, Debbie, Ann, Erin M, Vickie (and 2 from Grand Junction in back)

Can You Guess Who
We Are??

Notice the "Loop" Symbol on the Registration Desk

Banquet - Vickie, 
Ann, Stacy
Ron, Daisy, Bev, Kay, Ann, Dixie, Rick, Pauline

Summer Socials

Hike and Lunch in Garden of the Gods Park (left)



Donuts and Coffee at Horseshoe Donuts (right)
Kay, Karen, Chris, Duane, Barbara, Trisha (Bev, Pauline, Stacy, Vickie not pictured)
Stacy, Vickie, Pauline, Duane, Bev, Nichole



Need Help Paying for Hearing Aids?

Click here


For LOTS More Pictures

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Advocacy in Action

Pauline using an ALD
throughout the drill
Public Health Emergency Dispensing Exercise (PhedEx)

El Paso County Department of Public Health conducted a full-scale exercise to practice their response system and their procedures had there been a public health outbreak or emergency.  Pauline, Kay and Vickie were participants  to share first-hand how people with hearing loss were being accommodated.   The County had an assortment of ALDs.  It was an opportunity to educate County staff and volunteers of our needs, and to explain the use of assistive devices.  Sadie,  from The Independence Center  was interested in the outcome of our roles as advocates, and the County promises to incorporate these ALDs in future planning and training for community emergencies.

Award Recipient, 
Ben Bills, PIO  for  El Paso/Teller 9-1-1 Authority for Implementing Text
 to 9-1-1
ADA - Celebrating Progress

The Independence Center sponsored a luncheon at the DoubleTree on July 26th to recognize the 27th anniversary of the passage of ADA legislation. The theme this year was "Celebrating Progress in the Pikes Peak Region." Jon Karroll of KRDO was the MC, and Mayor John Suthers was a primary speaker.

For chapter members in attendance ( Pauline, Bette, Carol, and Vickie), it was very gratifying to hear people with disabilities talk of the progress they've made in becoming more independent and able to participate more in society. And we loved hearing Mayor Suthers mention that the Gold Hill Police Station Community Room has a professionally installed hearing loop. This was a great reminder that advocacy can change lives. Hard of hearing people are included in more public functions in this city with the help of looping and FM systems, and our chapter played a role in this. Please make it a point to speak up about our needs - you really can make a difference!         - Submitted by Pauline


Possible Effects of Hearing Loss on the Patient-Provider  
Relationship in the Medical Setting

Rick and Vickie  attended a Denver Chapter Meeting to hear  Melinda C. Anderson, PhD, CCC-A, Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.  "A significant number of individuals seen in our clinical spaces experience reduced abilities to hear and communicate with their care providers."  Dr. Anderson presented current approaches underway at UCHealth to improve access to medical care for those who have hearing loss. We all provided feedback and recommendations on alternative approaches to improve patient access.  
 
Springs In the Loop - Ann, Pauline, Bev,  and Vickie provided accessible hearing for the PPLD History Symposium in June for the third straight year, laying the portable loop in the East Library  Community Room.
Assistive Technology Partners collaborating with  El Paso County Emergency Management
presents:

  Free Emergency Preparedness Training 
Specifically for Persons
with Disabilities

Saturday, September 16, 2017 
8:00am - 5pm 
El Paso County Office of Emergency Management Training Room
3755 Mark Dabling Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80907 

Lunch is provided

Register here.   Questions? Email Julia Beems  or call 303-315-1284
(NOTE: The Training is Open to Anyone Who Wants to Attend!)
ADVOCACY WORKSHOP

Learn how to advocate for change for People with Hearing Loss at The Independence Center, 729 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs 80903. RSVP jmuth@the-ic.org

In Other News...
Men's Health, and the Hidden Impact of Noise Pollutionby Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen, MDs 
( article submitted by  Pat Going)

In New York, a man's average  hearing age  is more than 12 years older than his actual age; in Houston it's almost 13 years older; and in Los Angeles it's over 14 years.

That shows the measurable impact of noise pollution on hearing.   But noise damages more than men's hearing!....read more


Hearing Loss Magazine
September/October
Issue Coming Soon!






In Case You Missed It...Below Are the Articles In the July/August 2017   Issue . . . 
  • Ototoxic Medications:  Is it Better to be Deaf than Dead?   by Jane Biehl.  
    A lesser known cause of hearing loss could be from the effects of some medications.
  • Nine Facts about Earwax by Morgan Heinrich.  Many people know that earwax can cause hearing loss, but maybe not how valuable it is.    Read the whole article.
  • Laughter Helps a Loss by Jo Bailey.  A smile and humor go a long way  for people with hearing loss.
  • Reasons for Joining an HLAA Chapter  - Where It's Okay Not to Hear Well.  Just a few of the many reasons why chapters are such an amazing resource.  Read more..
  • We're All on This Journey Together by Erin Mirante.  The efforts of chapters on the local level are integral to the mission of the whole organization.  Read the whole article.    
  • Hearing Aids Should Be Large - Not Small!
    by Eugen Tarnow.  Hiding our hearing aids means hiding our hearing loss. But why do we do that?
  • Featured Products - Some of the latest technology for people with hearing loss. 

President Trump Signs Legislation into Law

HLAA Supports the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids Act, and, as Barbara Kelley, Executive Director of Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), states,  "People need an easy and affordable  entry point  to get hearing help."   

The Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017 makes certain types of hearing aids available over the counter to adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to regulate this new category of OTC hearing aids to ensure safety, efficacy and consumer protection. This will give consumers the option to purchase a safe, high-quality FDA-regulated device at lower cost, and will eliminate the medical clearance requirement for adult consumers.

Since this new category has not yet been created,  it is unclear how the devices will be defined.  However, OTCs should not be confused with products already on the market called PSAPs (Personal Sound Amplification Products), which cannot legally be marketed to people with hearing loss as a "hearing aid," but only to people with normal hearing as an amplification device.

The Act has sparked a great deal of debate and controversy.   If you missed the HLAA May Webinar, "Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids: Rationale for Support", click here for the captioned replay.

Audiologist and HLAA-CS Member,  Dr. Nichole Kovel , Elite Hearing of Colorado Springs , shares, "I thin k it's important for all parties involved to have some understanding of both sides of the issue."    Click below to see one of the many articles she sees from audiology sources.
 

HLAA 2017 Convention Highlights


 

Ann, making her workshop presentation, "Confessions of 

a Reluctant Leader"

 

Amy,  HLAA Western Colorado Leader, with that familiar expression when the sound system is not working!!   

 

 


Once fixed, she Rocks! with an instrumental on her electric ukelele (think, Carlos Santana!), winning first place in the Talent Contest!

The "Cranky Cochlea" Dinner Theater with Gael Hannan


CART technology -Captions display at top portion (in yellow) of the speaker's presentation slides. No more head turning as if you are at a tennis match! This technology is called 1Fuzion, developed by 1CapApp.

To see more Convention Photos of the workshops, the FUN,  the FOOD , and the PARTIES , click  here .   Be sure to click on the "View Photos" to see the full album in each section of photos!

Mandy Harvey will Perform at the HLAA 2018 Convention
 in Minneapolis!

Chapter News
The City's Voice for People With Hearing Loss

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or 
Visit our Website!  
Chapter Leadership Team
 (2016 - 2018 Term)

WELCOME,   Stacy Gibson , our new Social Committee Chairperson!  Glad to have you 
on  the Team!

Ann Belfiglio - President
Rick Rivers - Vice President  
Duane Gritzmaker - Secretary
Bev Limbaugh - Treasurer
Patrick Going - Technical Assistant
Stacy Gibson - Social Committee Chair
Kay Chartier   - Welcome Committee Chair
Pauline Weiss   - Loop Colorado Springs Committee Chair 
Vickie Pacheco   - Website and Newsletter Editor

"Volunteerism is the Heart of HLAA."  Chapters are staffed and run by volunteers - we don't do this because it's our "job" - we do this because we care about people with hearing loss! 

If you would like to get more involved on a committee, a short-term  project, or in HLAA-CS' work in the community, please let one of the Leaders know.  We can always use help!
Chapter Outreach and 
Advocacy Opportunities 
Colorado  Springs Homeless Veterans Stand Down

T he Chapter will host a table Tuesday, October 17, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at this event, held  at City Auditorium (corner of Kiowa and Weber).  The Stand Down will provide winter clothing, haircuts, dental work, vision assistance, etc.  We will recommend  vet's stop at the  Sertoma HEARS van for hearing screenings, then refer them to appropriate agencies (VA, Independence Center, etc.).  S ee Rick to find out how you can help.

It is a well organized event.  Limited parking, but the church parking lot across the street is OK.   HLAA will be table #28.
Advocacy Group for Emergency Preparedness for  People with Disabilities   

Emergency managers at all levels increasingly understand that they cannot fully plan for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards on their own.  Whole community engagement is needed to ensure that the knowledge, resources and experiences of the whole community can be leveraged to meet community needs in any emergency.  Meeting the needs of people with disabilities is no exception.  People with disabilities must be involved in the process at every level to ensure that programs and policies will effectively benefit themselves and their communities. 

The Emergency Preparedness Program at The Independence Center hopes to create a model to develop a consistent approach which will benefit local and state and, and also benefit FEMA disaster responders to specifically target whole community inclusion. 

Sadie MartinezEmergency Program Coordinator at The Independence Center i s seeking community members  with disabilities, and others with access and functional needs,   to join the Core Advisory Group (CAG) to address  the three major components of the ADA; 
  • physical access, 
  • program access, and 
  • accessible effective communication
CAG members work to create awareness and to identify resources f or accommodations for people with disabilities. CAG engages with City and County ADA Coordinators, Red Cross, Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and other government and community -based organizations.  

As a CAG member, we ask for the following commitment:
  • Attend Monthly CAG meetings
  • Increase your knowledge within Emergency Preparedness to include people with disabilities, and others with access and functional needs
  • Attend Access and Functional Needs Meetings in February, May, August, and November
If interested, contact:

Sadie Martinez
729 South Tejon Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
719-471-8181 x 146 (w)
719-325-9426 (c)

PS: This is the committee Vickie has been involved with for several years, advocating for the needs of people with hearing loss. 
Keeping Up with News From National
Have HLAA National News  Delivered Directly 
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R eceive important news and happenings from the HLAA National Office.
 
NOTE:  "This Week in Bethesda" (TWIB) is no longer available.  Instead, click on the link HLAA e-News to receive HLAA news automatically - p ublished two times monthly focusing on HLAA   advocacy work ("HLAA in Action")  and genera l news.

Patient Content Review Panel
HLAA members can review video content that is streamed into hearing health-care waiting rooms across the country.  For more information or to sign up for the Patient Content Review Panel, click here.    
HLAA Monthly Webinars

An all-new series of Webinars
begin in January
   
In the meantime, catch up on past Product/Service and Showcase webinars.  All are recorded and captioned.  

To browse the topics and to replay, click  here

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WITH THANKS TO:  

Dr Koval at 

for sponsoring our
e-Newsletter!
 
Mention this sponsorship to receive a  discount on  a pair of hearing aids!   


Help Support HLAA-CS when you shop on Amazon!  Select "Hearing Loss Association of America Colorado Springs Chapter" as your charity of choice and Amazon will donate a portion of your total purchase price to the chapter.  Click on the icon  at right.

Hearing Loss Association of America  (HLAA)  is the nation's leading membership and advocacy organization for people with hearing loss.  

The Mission of HLAA is to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy.

As a member, you share in this mission. Through our advocacy work at the federal level, we represent 48 million people with hearing loss in the United States.   Make Hearing Loss an Issue of National Concern!   Please consider becoming a national member of HLAA.  We  offer complimentary memberships to our United States Veterans. F or all member benefits, click here.
Disclaimer:  Mention of goods or services in advertisements in this e-newsletter does not imply Hearing Loss Association of America endorsement, 
nor should exclusion suggest disapproval