Hearing Link (Hearing Aids/Loops)

Wed, Nov 29th 2017 at 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Dr Lorraine Gailey, Chief Operating Officer of Hearing Link, gave a clear and comprehensive presentation to the Club on Wednesday, 29th November 2017. The charity Hearing Link, has recently merged with Hearing Dogs.


Together, they have now become one of Rotary’s Community Service Partners
It's believed up to 10 million people in the UK suffer hearing loss and of these approximately 2 million wear hearing aids. However, hearing aids don't provide a total solution, for example in a crowded room they merely increase the overall sound thus not helping the hearing aid user. This can leave them feeling isolated and unable to fully join in conversations. 
Lorraine said that ‘T’ Coils are essential components in hearing aids but some don’t have them. 
More can be done by the likes of hotels, supermarkets, offices, etc. to comply with the Equality Act by installing hearing loops or other hearing assistive devices. Even 12 
where these are installed they are frequently not in operation because of lack of training of staff. It is estimated that only 15% of hearing loops work, 85% don’t because they have been wrongly installed, and some of those that do work aren’t switched on! So there is a large educational need here. 
So Hearing Link has teamed up with Rotary on a national basis, with the aim of encouraging local clubs to carry out audits of buildings, establishing what assistive hearing they have and use. Shop checkouts are a prime target. 
A number of Rotary Clubs have already signed up to this initiative but more need to join in. Hopefully Senlac Rotary will consider doing this as a community venture that doesn't hit our charity account. 
The success of Lorraine's talk can be judged by the number and range of questions at the end, indicating that it certainly didn't fall on deaf ears! 
Further details are available on http://www.hearinglink.org

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