About Us


We are under the umbrella of the national organization of Hearing Loss Association of America which is located in Bethesda. Maryland. http://www.hearingloss.org



HLA-RI’s primary function is to educate it members, their families and friends about the causes, nature and complications of hearing loss and what can be done to better cope with that loss. We hold monthly meetings between September and June at which we may have guest speakers on a variety of topics relating to hearing loss. We may also have informal meetings where the members share their experiences and knowledge relating to hearing loss. We also have two socials a year as well.


We are able to provide CART –Computer Aided Real Time Captioning which is projected on to a large screen so that the participants can “hear what is being said in the meetings”

Some meeting topics include Accessibility, hearing aids, legislation, cochlear implants, tinnitus, captioning, relay system, assistive devices, state services, coping tips many more topics! We also have social events.


Before HLA-RI, many of the members felt isolated, found communication a struggle, were confused about technology, didn’t know their rights and hid their hearing loss


And now HLA-RI is a place to find answers, ask new questions, and meet people who understand. HLA-RI is a resource for information and friendship.

The monthly meetings are held at different locations within Rhode Island. To be placed on the email distribution list for notices and other important announcements, send an email to hearinglossri@gmail.com This email list is not shared with any organizations or individuals and each HLA-RI ‘s member is blind copied on each email.


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Special Event! October 5th 2013 at the Crown Plaza in Warwick




Hearing Loss Association of Rhode Island to Present
Knowledge and Intervention:
Special Program on Understanding Hearing loss


A day to leave our misconceptions and fears about hearing loss outside and gather to learn the best ways to understand and manage hearing loss from two noted experts in the field. It will also be an opportunity for all those who are interested in hearing loss to gather together and gain a better understanding of hearing loss.

When: Saturday, October 5, 2013 from 9:00-3:30 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, 810 Greenwich Ave Warwick, RI Continental Breakfast and a Deli buffet luncheon will be served. This event, including food, is free of charge.

We are fortunate to have two speakers who are very knowledgeable in their fields: Dr Douglas Beck of the Oticon Foundation and Dr. Kathleen Cienkowski, Professor in the University of Connecticut’s Speech and Hearing Department.

Intended audience: Persons with hearing loss, their families and friends, audiologists, social workers, speech- language therapists, early Intervention providers or anyone with an interest in learning more about hearing loss.

Learning outcomes: Participants will learn about causes of hearing loss and how hearing loss is diagnosed and treated, the benefits and limitations of hearing aids.
Participants will also learn their best options for getting hearing aids, how to make sure they are getting the correct device for their particular hearing loss and which sources they should be wary of.

Participants will also learn how auditory training and assistive devices may help them.

Schedule
9:00am -9:45am Registration and Continental Breakfast
10:00am- 12:00 Dr. Douglas Beck: Issues in Hearing, Listening and Cognition 
12:00-1:00pm Luncheon Buffet with time to visit exhibits
1:00pm-3:00pm Dr. Kathleen Cienkowski: The Benefit of Aural Rehabilitation
3:00pm-3:30pm Wrap-up

CART will be provided. Any additional accommodations must be submitted by August 30th


Registration Form


Pre-registration is required as attendance is limited to 75 participants 

To register, please email to HLARhodeIsland@aol.com with the following information. Each Individual must register:

Name:

Email address:

Please check below:
HOH:          Late deafened:           Deaf:                       Hearing:

Consumer:           Parent:          Professional:               (identify profession)

Registration deadline:  Friday, September 13, 2013. Email to HLARhodeIsland@aol.com

             CART will be provided. Any additional accommodations must be submitted by August 30th

You will receive an email confirming your registration



HLAA-RI wishes to thank the following for helping with the costs of this event










Click on the map below for directions to the Crown Plaza






View Larger Map

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Golf Event Cancelled - Book event still on


The social event of Mulligan's Island is canceled as the weather is not promising. However Katherine Boutin's the author of Shouting Won't Help: Why I -- and 50 Million Other Americans -- Can't Hear You"  is on and should be a great event !
 
Ms. Bouton will be doing a reading at the Newport Public Library, 300 Spring Street, Newport. This will take place at 2:00 and run for about an hour. The door will open at 1:30. The event is in the Program Room in the lower level.
CART will be provided.
 
Please use Mapquest for driving directions to 300 Spring Street, Newport: www.mapquest.com

Friday, May 10, 2013

Hearing Loss Awareness Month Events


From a RICDHH email
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May 11th, 10am - 11:30am (FREE!)Rhode Island Parent Information Network will host a support group meeting for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing at 1210 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920. Child care and sign language interpreter available upon request. For more information: Email Tara Townsend, Family Support Coordinator at townsend@ripin.org or 401-270-0101 ext. 139.
Download the flyer - please click here
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May 14th, 9am Rhode Island Deaf Senior Citizens' May Breakfast and Mother's Day Bingo at 529 Plainfield Street, Providence, RI. Breakfast starts at 9am (when doors open) and Bingo starts at 10am. Admission reservation deadline is May 10th. For information: call Diane 401-404-4892 VP or Carole 401-354-7511 VP.
Download the flyer - please click here
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May 16th, 11am - 3:30pm (FREE!)The Hearing Loss Awareness EXPO I will be held at the Department of Administration Building, Atrium, 1st Floor, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI. The EXPO will have more than 20 exhibitors to share beneficial information and resources with people who have hearing loss. Everyone is welcome to come and see what's new! ASL Interpreter will be provided. For more information, contact Pamela Zellner at 401-256-5511 or email: pamela.zellner@cdhh.ri.gov.
Download the flyer - please click here
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May 16th, 2pm - 4pm (FREE!)Rhode Island Speech-Language-Hearing Association (RISHA) will celebrate Annual Better Hearing and Speech Month by having a display event at the Rhode Island State House, 82 Smith Street, Providence, RI. For more information, please contact RISHA President, Ellen Connery at Ellenconnery@verizon.net or visit RISHA's website.
Download the flyer - please click here
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May 16th, 6pm - 8pm (FREE!)TV and Internet Captioning for People with Hearing Loss presentation will be given by Lise Hamlin, Director of Public Policy,Hearing Loss Association of America. The presentation will be held during the Hearing Loss Awareness EXPO II (more than 20 exhibits in Atrium) at the Department of Administration Building, Conference Room A, 2nd Floor, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI. ASL Interpreter and CART will be provided. For more information, contact Pamela Zellner at 401-256-5511 or email:pamela.zellner@cdhh.ri.gov.
Download the flyer - please click here
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May 19th, 1pm - 3pm (FREE!)Storytelling and activities for children who are deaf and hard of hearing will be held at the Providence Children's Museum, 100 South Street, Providence, RI 02903. There will be exhibitor tables so parents can become familiar with the resources that are available in Rhode Island. For more information, contact Cathy Saunders at saunders@childrensmuseum.org.
Download the flyer - please click here
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May 21st, 7:45am - 4:30pmRhode Island Hearing Assessment Program will host 19th Annual Seminar, "Creating Positive Environments for Children with Hearing Loss" at Crowne Plaza at the Crossing, 801 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick, RI. ASL Interpreters and CART will be provided. For information: Tunisia Johnson, 401-277-3607 or email: tejohnson@wihri.org or Kathi Flanagan, 401-277-3738 or email: kflanagan@wihri.org or visit RIHAP's website.
Download the brochure - please click hereDownload the registration form - please click here
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May 22nd, 6pm - 9pm (FREE!)RICDHH Public Meeting will be held at the Department of Administration Building, Conference Room A, 2nd Floor, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI. The meeting is open for public. ASL Interpreters and CART will be provided. For more information, contact Pamela Zellner at 401-256-5511 or email: pamela.zellner@cdhh.ri.gov.
Download the flyer - please click here
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May 30th, 6pm - 8pm (FREE!)Healthcare Reform Forum for Rhode Islanders who are deaf and hard of hearing will be held at the Department of Administration Building, Conference Room A, 2nd Floor, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI. Please come and learn more about Afforddable Care Act (ACA), The Patient Protection and Health Benefits Exchange under Healthcare Reform. ASL Interpreters and CART will be provided. For more information, contact Pamela Zellner at 401-256-5511 or email: pamela.zellner@cdhh.ri.gov.
Download the flyer - please click here
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June Social Event!


Next Meeting:  June 8th - 1:00 PM
                               (Rain date: June 22nd.)
Event:  June’s Social event: Mini Golf and Ice cream
Where:  http://www.mulligansisland.com/images/title-welcome.gif
Mulligan's Island presents (2) two - 18 Hole Mini-Golf Courses that are spectacular Fun for people of all ages.Both our Red and Blue Mini-Golf courses are themed to make the players feel like they have landed on a Volcanic Island.Mulligan's Island Mini-Golf features a WRECKED PIRATE SHIP and a REAL VOLCANO. The Volcano has cool, refreshing water cascading down one side, and an amazing 25 foot fireball going off from the top of it. It is spectacular, powerful and amazing! All this energy, fun and excitement will keep players wondering, what’s next!
Flowing rivers, dramatic landscaping, and gorgeous scenery evolve around
each mini-golf course, helping to create the wonderful culture and atmosphere
that makes Mulligan's Island the most unique and special golf & entertainment 
http://www.mulligansisland.com/art-photos/photo14.jpgcenter anywhere.       It has to be seen to be believed.
Mini-Golf:  Adults - $10.00 and Children (10 years old and younger) - $8.00
Mulligan's Island Golf & Entertainment Center
1000 New London Ave.
Cranston, RI 02920
From Interstate 95 North or South: Take Exit 14 (Rt. 37 West)
From Interstate 295 North or South: Take Exit 3A (Rt. 37 East) from Rt. 37 Take Exit 2A (New London Avenue exit)    At First Stop Light, Take Left Onto Howard Ave. In 100 Ft. Take First Right onto Mulligan's Island Drive
After the mini golf, we will go for ice cream at Newport Creamery in Garden City.  For those who do not want to play at Mulligan’s can join us for ice cream about 2:00-3:00. Or join us at Mulligan’s by cheering us on in the gallery!

May 16th Presentation


As part of the Better Hearing Speech Month, there will be a very important presentation on TV and Internet Captioning . There are changes with thanks to the 21th Century Communication and Video Accessibility Act that was signed into law by President Obama in October of 2010. 

This act:
Among other things, the Act (1) extends closed captioning requirements to video programming distributed on the Internet; (2) reinstates the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) video description regulations; and (3) requires customer digital equipment, including navigation devices (in particular, cable set-top boxes), to accommodate accessibility features for closed captioning, video description, emergency information, user interfaces, and video guides and menus.
The Act phases in these various requirements after an Advisory Committee submits its recommendations to the FCC, and the FCC adopts regulations to implement the recommendations and the requirements of the Act
 
Lise Hamlin who is the Policy Director for the Hearing Loss Association of America based in Bethesda Maryland will be giving the presentation. She is very knowledgeable and will be able to answer questions you may regarding any aspect of this very important act as it provides accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
 
It will be held at the Department of Administration Building, One Capitol Hill, Providence  from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Conference Room A .
 
Attached is the flyer of this event. This presentation is highly recommended for you to attend.

Click Picture to Enlarge


Saturday, April 6, 2013

Meeting Announcement!




Next Meeting: Saturday April 20 2013 10:00 AM- 12:00 Noon
                                                                (Please note time change)

Where: Warwick Public Library, Sandy Lane, Warwick, RI

Topic:  What Do You Want to Know about Cell Phones?

Speaker:  James Litvack-Self –Made Guru of Assistive Technology

The next meeting will be a presentation on cell phones. It will include the following:

1. Brief history of cell phone / pagers for those with hearing loss
2. Ways Smart Phones can help (relaying, texting, captions)
3. Information about which companies offer discounts and data- only plans and
    how to obtain desired plans.
4. Questions and thoughts from the audience


So bring your questions and thoughts as there will be an opportunity for an interactive discussion.

There will be CART.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Email List and Meeting Announcement


The first is that we are changing the email address from Cthom27062@aol.com to HLARhodeIsland@aol.com 
And if you wish to be on the elist. Please Reply to all so that your email address will be added toHLARhodeIsland@aol.com for future announcements and meetings.
After this email, future emails will be coming from HLARhodeIsland@aol.com   So please respond to this email if you want to be added to the new address.
The second reminder is:

Next Meeting: Saturday March 30 2013  2:00 PM-4:00 PM

Where: Warwick Public Library, Sandy Lane, Warwick, RI

Topics:  Informal Discussion of Sharing your Experiences as a Person with Hearing loss

The next meeting will be an informal discussion where the participants will share their experiences or frustrations in dealing with hearing loss. People may be able to offer suggestions and solutions to your frustrations.

There will be no speaker; however Beth Wilson will help to facilitate the discussion so everyone will have a chance to share their experiences.


So bring your questions and thoughts as this will be an interactive discussion.

There will be CART.