Lockdown 2020 was a challenging experience for the world and life changed in so many ways that it looked as though there was little hope of anything beyond the prospects of a bleak future. However, for me, something happened during this time that changed things completely, but in a fantastic way. It was during lockdown …
Some people struggle to understand in a large group of people speaking at once. This phenomenon is known as the “cocktail party effect.” New research shows that for certain individuals with hearing loss, the problem could be the brain having difficulty processing sounds. This differs from the natural inability to discern vocal sounds from other …
Growing up, it’s important for children to feel included and recognize similarities in themselves and others. Children with hearing loss can sometimes feel different, especially when they wear hearing aids and their friends don’t. Dolls with hearing aids are becoming more popular, as brands such as Barbie, American Girl Dolls and Lego have all added …
An experiment in reversing changes in the perceived dominant hand. When someone asks me to use my dominant hand, there is often a lag, before I comply, and even then, the result can be less than ideal. You see, when I first attended school at the age of five, it was noticed that I …
Rose Ayling-Ellis is a winner in so many ways. It remains to be seen whether the deaf “EastEnders” actress will walk off with Giovanni Pernice as the outright winner of this year’s “Strictly Come Dancing,” but according to viewers, she has an excellent chance. “Strictly Come Dancing” The series “Strictly Come Dancing,” known to its …
Will Rose Ayling-Ellis win ‘Strictly Come Dancing?’ Read More »
Karen Putz is a deaf life coach, author, Phonak hEARo and motivational speaker. Did we mention she’s also an accomplished barefoot water skier? Putz, “specializes in helping people unwrap the gift of passion within them.” We talked with her about her services and life, which lead her to serve as a leader in the deaf community. The …
A deaf customer’s recent incident at a Taco Bell Drive-Thru in Rochester, NY has renewed attention on the need for employee training and understanding for deaf and hard of hearing customers. Deaf Customer Denied Service On November 19, Karen Putz, who is a deaf author, speaker and coach, approached a drive-thru at a brand …
The world’s largest movie theater chain giant AMC recently announced that it is adding open captions at 240 U.S. locations. This is a major win for deaf moviegoers and makes theaters more accessible. Open Captions Open captions are similar to subtitles. They appear on the screen and can’t be turned off by viewers. In the …
Sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than stopping by a restaurant for a quick meal. But for many deaf customers, challenges still arise with miscommunications and accessibility issues at restaurants and fast food venues. Recently, a news story about a deaf customer at McDonald’s went viral, after a woman was left the restaurant in tears when …
Can I take your order? How restaurants can better handle deaf customer Read More »
Deaf trans artist and activist Chella Man has launched a new jewelry collection that celebrates the beauty of being deaf. The Beauty of Being Deaf Chella Man, 22, identifies as Deaf, Trans, Jewish and Chinese. He is also an artist, activist, author, and actor. Man teamed up with the New York-based genderless Asian-led street-wear brand …
Chella Man’s jewelry collection celebrates the beauty of being deaf Read More »
