In June of 2012 The Hearing Loss of Association of America held it’s annual convention in Providence Rhode Island. We wanted to do a blog post documenting this event. It quickly became very obvious that this event benefited so many in many different ways. It was not going to be possible for one single writer to successfully document the convention in it’s entirety. So an email was sent requesting snippets and paragraphs from the HLA-RI members who attended.
The first person to respond immediately took us to task for even thinking it would be possible to do a paragraph summarizing the convention.
You want me to write just ONE paragraph on a weekend that will long linger in my memory? Just ONE paragraph on a new-found friend (many thanks to you), on the many people I spoke to, empathized with and.. oh, I do hope so...may have helped as they have helped me just by relating our stories? You want just a few words on the fantastic exhibits and workshops? Forget it; but if you want at least one chapter of a book or perhaps an entire book, well, maybe I can come up with something. It was a WOW experience from beginning to end.
Diane B.
Another member pointed out how she benefitted from the workshops and the exhibit hall
My favorite was the legal update. It is so important to learn what our rights are. I also enjoyed
the exhibit hall you may have question about certain products, there will be someone to answer your
question. It is so hard to pick what I enjoyed the most, since I really enjoyed all the workshops that I went to.
Sandra G
Someone emailed a detailed report on how attending the conventions over the years has provided her with, technical knowledge, availability of services. She described being able to get professional and personal information about replacing her CI. She also pointed out how one member at her table experienced the use of a T-Coil with a loop for the fist time
I reconnected with many old friends and made new ones, and I found the exhibit hall to be bustling and very informative. I attended a couple of very good workshops, most notably the one about Emergency Preparedness. This is an excellent workshop for any individual to attend. I came away reminded of the things I should get in order and new things I should implement.
One of my personal benefits from the convention was encouragement from many sources both from professionals and users to investigate into whether I can get my 22 year old cochlear implant replaced. The main issue is whether the old implant can be physically fully explanted. This is necessary as any remnants of the old implant array could short out the next new implant array going in. I was told approximately 5 years ago that it was a 50/50 chance. It is a tough chance to take when I rely upon this system to do conduct my livelihood (my job at the hospital). However, I have been encouraged by all to at least ask, and don't stop at a "No"answer at the local level. Being realistic, I'm tentatively excited.
A charging moment for me was watching the reaction of one of our own group to the benefit of using a T-coil with the loop at the banquet! I won't mention names, but just want to say that I felt her astonishment and happiness, big time.
Carolyn T.
One of the vendors also wrote in to praise how the exit hall was organized and described a positive experience with working with the convention staff
I was thrilled to have been able to exhibit at the HLAA Convention in Providence -- for many reasons!! The HLAA staff was extremely professional and organized as were the people they contracted to work with us in the exhibit hall. The most impressive part of what they did for exhibitors was the wonderful "passport" program that brought so many people to the tables for a stamp in order to win a "scholarship" to the next HLAA Convention. I know we got a lot more people in the hall because of this.
Elaine J.
One response shows how a person may have a hearing loss for many years and later in life become aware of the benefits to being a member of the hearing loss community.
After 35 years with a profound hearing loss, I have recently begun coming out of the cold to embrace the HL community for several good reasons The technology now available will make life easier for me on many fronts – at home and in the workplace,. Secondly, connecting with others who have been trying to cover their loss in a world that still does not seem to understand its role in being more accommodating has given me comfort to know I have not been nor am I now, alone.
He also described the great benefit of meeting and interacting with others with hearing loss
...and found new friends, new sources for information and technology, new ideas and most of all kindred spirits who have themselves endured hearing loss in all its forms and challenges often with more alacrity and skill than I had - for much of their lives. Listening to their stories was an inspiration, but also a lesson to me on not being isolated any more and finding connections with those who not only have hearing loss, but also have full lives.
Stu N.
One attendee was very excited to learn about the future of captioned Radios
In other workshops, I learned many new things that I would not have picked up anywhere else such as the new developments in captioned radio. It will be programs from NPR available on computers, tablets and cell phones instead of a physical radio, although a prototype of an emergency device may be available in October.
That same attendee also pointed out how the exhibit hall allowed her the opportunity to compare similar products side by side.
I was thrilled to see so many hearing loss products in the same room: Captel and Caption call, the three cochlear implant manufacturers and the different products. I especially liked having the opportunity to compare CapTel and Caption Call almost side by side.
