Author: admin

MIT Stratton Student Center, Cambridge, MA

In collaboration with the Boston Chapter, Association of Late Deafened Adults (ALDA)

Planned to honor the work of the many New England hearing loss organizations and chapters that have created a wide range of programs, Celebration ’14 featured the acclaimed actress, writer and hearing loss advocate Gael Hannan in a presentation of her witty yet profound performance piece,   “Ear Rage.”  In addition, we honored Valarie Burrows and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston with an award for excellence in accessible programming.  Guest, Commissioner Heidi Reed, began the program with some words about our diverse hearing loss community.   A light catered reception followed the program, and CART, looping and ASL were provided.

Over 115 individuals from all over New England attended Celebration ’14!

Kathy-and-Andrew-Strutt-1024x682

Barbara-J.-and-laughing-guy-1024x682

Buds-reception-1024x421

Paul-Czeck-1024x682

Valarie-Jim-and-Francine-1024x679

Boston-Celebration-Karen-Keefe-Joan-Marcoux-1024x768

Boston-Celebration-Peggy-Ellertsen-Rhianon-Elan-Gutierrez-CA-768x1024

Boston-Celebration-14-Tram-and-Betsy-Mc.-CA-768x1024

Boston-Celebration-large-group-hands-raised-CA-1024x768

Carolyn-Tata-and-Duane-1024x682

Celebration ’14 was made possible through the generous support of our sponsors:

• Oticon
• Shanahan Sound
• Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Advanced Bionics
• Med El
• Hamilton Relay
• Sebastiens Catering

Speaker Series Event:  Auditory Training – What It Is and How It Facilitates Habits for More Effective Listening with Hearing Loss with Geoff Plant

Geoff Plant, President  of the non-profit Hearing Rehabilitation Foundation (HRF), is a long time provider of auditory training to children and adults with hearing loss, including those fitted with hearing aids, cochlear implants, and tactile aids.

From the Hearing Rehabilitation Foundation website:

“The past twenty years have seen many exciting technological innovations for people with acquired profound hearing losses. These have included greatly improved hearing aid designs, specialized assistive listening devices, the introduction and rapid development of cochlear implants, and innovations in tactile aid design. Despite these developments, it is apparent that technology is not always enough, and that some people with acquired deafness require special additional assistance even after the fitting of the most appropriate devices.”

In addition to his client practice, Geoff presents speech communication training workshops for teachers and clinicians working with adults and children and organizes the biennial Adult Aural Rehabilitation Conference for hearing healthcare professionals.

Workshop Event: Build Your Resiliency to Stress: An Introduction to The Relaxation Response  with Laura Malloy, LICSW

This program allowed participants to engage in a dialogue about stressors that are unique to living with hearing loss and learn about the Relaxation Response, the antidote to the stress response.  Participants also discussed and practiced simple, evidence-based strategies to help build resiliency and stress hardiness.

Laura Malloy, LICSW is the Co-Director of the Education Initiative and Director of Yoga at the Benson-Henry Institute at Mass General Hospital.  She teaches various forms of relaxation and stress reduction in educational, clinical and community settings.

Speaker Series Event:   Captioning in the 21^st Century: Digital TV, Online, and Mobile
with Larry Goldberg

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Larry Goldberg is founder and director of the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) at Boston’s public media leader, WGBH. Mr. Goldberg reviewed the current laws and regulations governing TV and online media; how and where to access captioned media; and how to advocate for captioning in public places.  Refreshments and socializing to follow the presentation.

NCAM is a research and development group which focuses on public policy, advancing access to media and technology for people with disabilities. Under Larry’s leadership, NCAM has conducted dozens of innovative R&D projects for full inclusion in such fields as online education and digital publishing, mobile devices and mobile media, in-flight entertainment, home media networks, Web-based media, theatrical motion pictures, museums and theme parks, and many others. Larry regularly briefs Congressional and regulatory agencies on barriers and opportunities in new and emerging media and was instrumental in the passage of landmark legislation for accessible media and technology.

When: November 10, 2013

Workshop Event:  Communication, Hearing Loss and the Holidays – A Wine and Cheese Gathering and Group Conversation on Living Well with Hearing Loss

facilitated by Beth Wilson 

The first Quiet Restaurants event was terrific!  Rabia’s in the North End is, indeed, a quiet restaurant before 7:30 PM or so, and then it becomes quite lively.  The food is amazingly good, and Boston chapter members and friends had a chance to meet and talk about ideas for new chapter social events, the Walk4Hearing, hearing loss forums – and the Red Sox.  Stay tuned for the next date at one of Boston’s “Quiet Restaurants,” and send us your suggestions for quiet restaurants.  (email HLAABoston@gmail.com, subject line “Quiet Restaurants.”)