Maria Anderson, Anne Taylor, JoAnne DeVries, Flo Innes at the 2014 HLAA Convention

Listen!UpOCTOBER, 2014

HLAS Headline Story

HLAA Sarasota/Manatee Dream Team is Walking for Hearing Loss

The HLAA Walk4Hearing Florida Walk will step off at 9 AM on November 15 in Metropolitan Park, Jacksonville on November 15. Join us or make a pledge at http://hlaa.convio.net/site/TR?fr_id=2213&pg=entry.Click on the Sarasota Dream Team to make a pledge or better yet contact JoAnne DeVries to join us at jdv.devries8@gmail.com .

The 2013 HLAA-Sarasota “Dream Team”, Ed Ogiba, Joan Haber, Valerie Stafford-Mallis, Flo Innes, Brad Ingrao

Since its inception in 2006, over 35,000 walkers have stepped up and the Walk4Hearing has raised more than $6 million. Money raised from the Walk4Hearing is shared between the local Walk sites and the HLAA national organization. Funds are used to provide timely and reliable information about hearing loss through HLAA’s website; to support Hearing Loss Magazine and HLAA e-news; to support Hearing Loss Support specialist training; monitor messageboards/chat forums and to put on the annual conventions. In addition funds support a nationwide network of chapters and state organizations providing peer support. Funding is budgeted for hearing aids and cochlear implants as well as communication access in public places and other important public issues.

Scene & HeardHLAS COMMUNITY NEWS BITES

EVENT CALENDAROCTOBER EVENTS

Wednesday, October 8, 2014 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM – Chapter Meeting“Assistive Technology to Help You Hear Better in Daily Life", Flo Innes 3:00 PM – Refreshments and Social TimeNorth Sarasota Library Meeting Room 2801 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota

Saturday, October 11, 2014 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM—Macy’s Charity Day HLAA-Sarasota-Manatee Charity Shopping Day UTC Mall, University at I-75, Sarasota

Monday, October 13, 2014 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM--“Between the Covers” Book Club “Confessions of a Lip Reading Mom”1350 Main Street, Sarasota

Saturday, October 25, 2014 7:00 AM –1:00 PM--Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market Free Hearing Screenings1920 State Street, Sarasota

NOVEMBER EVENTS

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 5:00 PM -- HLAA-Sarasota-Manatee Board Meeting Center for Arts and Humanities1226 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Wednesday, November 12, 2014 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM – Chapter MeetingDr. Lindsey Nalu, “Understanding Your Audiogram” 3:00 PM – Refreshments and Social TimeNorth Sarasota Library Meeting Room 2801 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota

Saturday, November 15, 2014 9AM to Noon--Walk4Hearing Metropolitan ParkJacksonville, Florida

Saturday, November 22, 2014 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM--Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market Free Hearing Screenings1920 State Street, Sarasota

Tuesday, November 25, 2014 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM -- HLAA-Sarasota

“After Hours”, Education, Social, Support“Highlights from the National HLAA Convention” Center for Arts and Humanities1226 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Save The Date

February 6, 2015Veteran Hearing Awareness Workshop Sarasota, Florida

March 7, 2015Fourth Hearing Tech Expo--MTI Bradenton, Florida

June 24-28, 2015HLAA National Convention St. Louis, Missouri

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

JoAnne DeVries, President HLAA-Sarasota

MEMBERSHIP NOTES

RENEWALS AND NEW MEMBERSHIPSOur memberships are dual memberships in both the HLAA and the HLAA Sarasota/Manatee Chapter.

The cost is $35 for an Individual membership, $45 for a Couple. .

Among the many functions of HLAA National is the lobbying for people with hearing loss to have equal access in public venues. HLAA National is working on lower cost hearing aids –working with Medicare on that.Right now, Medicare Part B covers only people who have lost hearing due to illness or accident. Progressive, age-related hearing loss is not covered.

If you have any questions on Membership please feel free to contact Anne Taylor at membership@hlas.org. Membership applications can be found at the Chapter website, http://hlas.org.

Welcome new members:

David Goodrich - Osprey

HLAA-SARASOTA/MANATEE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee hosts monthly meetings, organizes social events and participates in community outreach. In the past few years, the Chapter has grown to over 200 members and the Board is committed to continuing that growth. In order to accomplish this, your support is necessary. We always have a need for volunteers for the Chapter meetings, such as membership assistance, 50/50 raffle and social hour. We are active in Outreach at the Farmers Market, Health Fairs, public events and another knowledgeable member is always welcome.

There are so many ways you can make a difference. Please contact Anne Taylor at membership@hlas.org if you can pay it forward with your time to help educate and advocate for the 135,000 community members with hearing loss.

HLAA-SARASOTA/MANATEE BOARD APPLICATION—LAST CALLIt is time again to seek members for the HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee Board of Trustees. The term is for 2 years-- 2015-2016. The deadline is Oct 16, 2014. Elections will be at the December general meeting. The job description and the application are posted on the HLAA-Sarasota website under the bullet points on the right hand side: http://hlas.org/Please contact the Chapter Nominations Committee Chair, Dr. Susan Fulton at: sefulton@sar.usf.edu for additional information if needed. Dr. Fulton states that: “We are looking for individuals with a love of the association and who are interested in getting involved and making a difference”.

Meeting UpdateUPCOMING MEETING PREVIEW, PRIOR MEETING RECAPUPCOMING MEETING

OCTOBER CHAPTER MEETING

The title of the meeting is “Assistive Technology to Help You Hear Better in Daily Life” but our presenter and past-President is liable to pass on more wisdom than just the latest in technology.

Always entertaining, Flo Innes will likely have the vibrating clocks, loud doorbells and the like but having spent three days with all the hearing aid manufacturers, cochlear implant companies and the Verizons of the world at the HLAA Convention, she will bring us up to date on the FM and Bluetooth bells and whistles. Maria Anderson will recap her first experience in the overwhelming exhibit hall at the HLAA Convention as well. In addition, CapTel will be updating the Chapter on the new FCC rules and the technological advancements in caption phones.

Flo Innes

October 8 at 1:30 PMNorth Sarasota Library Meeting Room

2801 Newtown Blvd. Sarasota

Meeting supported by hearing loop and CART Refreshments will be served following the program.

MEETING RECAP

SEPTEMBER CHAPTER MEETING RECAP

"Recap of the 2014 Austin HLAA Convention”

The Chapter had a great turnout for the first meeting of the season with over 60 in attendance.

The stage right attendees were enthusiastic—(as were the stage left folks)

Chapter members who attended the 2014 HLAA Convention in Austin shared the information that they learned about hearing loss issues. Joan Haber, JoAnne DeVries, Flo Innes, Richard Williams, Kathy Combs, Anne Taylor and Ed Ogiba presented and if you missed this informative session, it will be repeated at “After Hours” on November 25.

NOVEMBER HLAA-SARASOTA/MANATEE “AFTER HOURS” MEETING

The next meeting of “After Hours” will be at HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee’s permanent location for “After Hours”, The Center for Arts and Humanities, 1226 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The date and time is November 25 at 6:00 PM.

The topic is Highlights from the National HLAA Convention”. Since HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee had 14 members in Austin covering all the forums and discussions, a wide range of topics will be covered by some of the members attending the Convention

As always, questions and discussions are encouraged. Refreshments are served and this is a great opportunity to bring a spouse or guest that may work or otherwise unable to attend a daytime Chapter meeting.

The social time is always enjoyable with the best from Napa and Sonoma.

Loud & ClearNEWS FROM HLAA & THE WORLDHLAA AWARDS

The August/September Listen Up featured the HLAA “Community Outreach” Award earned by the Chapter—here it is!

HLAA FOUNDER’S BOOK -- THE “INVISIBLE CONDITION”

Join us in a yearlong celebration of Rocky Stone, HLAA’s Founder….

In last month’s Listen Up we wrote about our Founder, Howard “Rocky” Stone and his vision for our organization which he began in 1979. In his book, “An Invisible Condition, The Human Side of Hearing Loss”, Rocky wrote: “the most pervasive physical handicap in America today is an invisible condition – hearing loss”.

To celebrate Rocky and the 35th birthday of the Hearing Loss Association of America, our Chapter plans to kick off a year of remembering Rocky and getting to know his legacy. Beginning November 12th, we will have a party at our Chapter meeting on with a special cake. Every month, we will email you a small essay from his book, which you can read and reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go with our hearing loss. We will briefly discuss the essays at each chapter

meeting and award prizes to those who answer Rocky trivia questions. Stay tuned for more information on this yearlong celebration, which we are calling “Celebrating 35 years for 48 Million”.

For more on the founder, see http://www.hearingloss.org/about-us/founder

Rocky Stone with our CART guy, Jack Boenau and Jack’s mother Maxine from many years ago

“Where are we to find the courage, the confidence, and the trust needed to take action on our own behalf? My experience leads me to conclude that we obtain these things by reaching out to each other. Hope flourishes in community, not isolation. That is why the concept of chapters at the local level is so important”.Rocky Stone, March/April 1981

LEGAL NEWS—ADA ADVOCACY

HR 3150, the HEAR ACT

Introduced by Representative Matt Cartwright from Pennsylvania with 20 co-sponsors, the Help Extend Auditory Relief Act of 2013, the HEAR Act (HR 3150), would:

amend the Social Security Act to include Medicare coverage for hearing rehabilitation, including a comprehensive audiology assessment to determine if a hearing aid is appropriate and more.

extend Medicare coverage to hearing aids, defining them as any wearable instrument or device for compensating for hearing loss. This would include cochlear implants.

One thing members can do is to go to http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/to-pass-hr- 3150.fb49?source=s.fb&r_by=10985278 to sign the petition for hearing aids to be covered by Medicare.It is not likely the Bill will move forward as the 2013/2014 session winds down but it will be reintroduced. It has been assigned to the Health subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee and our Congressman, Vern Buchanan it the only Floridian on that subcommittee. Nothing happens unless the Bill comes out of that subcommittee and we can be influence that action with our letters to Congressman Buchanan. The second thing members can do is to write him at the local office:111 South Orange Avenue Floor 2R, Suite 202W Sarasota, FL 34236Phone: (941) 951-6643Fax: (941) 951-2972

ADA REGULATION FOR MOVIE THEATRES TO CAPTION MOVIES

The bad news is that Senator Harkin’s Bill to require movie theatres to caption movies was not supported but the good news is that on July 23, 2014, Attorney General Holder proposed to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act title III regulation to provide closed movie captioning and audio description to give persons with hearing and vision disabilities access to movies.

The Justice Department is proposing to provide a consistent nationwide standard for movie theaters to exhibit movies with closed movie captioning and audio description for all showings of movies that are available with closed movie captioning or audio description.

As The Private Eyes Movie Club attendees know, 95% of movies are captioned but most theatres will not invest in the caption glasses. We can make a difference! Go to the website below and submit your comment. The comment period on the above regulation was extended to December 1 and comments may be submitted online. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!home , then put in the word “movies” in the search box, the first regulation should be from DOJ (if not scroll down), the “comment” box should be to the right, open it and write your comment, it will then prompt for name and address and close with receipt..

HLAA WEBINAR

HLAA conducts educational webinars for its members and constituents. There is no cost to attend webinars.

Webinars generally take place the third Wednesday of each month with top-notch professionals. All webinars are captioned and archived for access at the HLAA website.

To view a Webinar, go to http://www.hearingloss.org/content/webinars .

The October Webinar features our “After Hours” Chair and HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee Trustee, Lindsey Nalu.

Lindsey’s topic is Untreated Hearing Loss: Effects on Physical, Cognitive, and Social Well Being

Lyndsey Nalu, Au.D., CCC-A

Date & Time:Oct 15 2014 - 8:00pm - 9:00pmThis webinar highlights detrimental effects of untreated hearing loss. Topics include an overview on why hearing loss is often left untreated, and how ignoring your loss can increase your risk for auditory deprivation, depression, isolation, and dementia.

Plugged-InLOCAL NEWS & EVENTS

HLAA-SARASOTA/MANATEE BOARD NEWS

On August 5, 2014, at the quarterly Board meeting, the Board was asked to consider changing the name of our chapter to the Hearing Loss Association of America – Sarasota/Manatee, to adequately describe the composition of our membership and our service area. The change was unanimously approved. The new logo will soon be added.

MACY’S AND HLAA SARASOTA/MANATEE CHARITY SHOPPING DAY

The University Town Center Mall opens October 16 but we are invited to a preview at Macy’s on Saturday, October 11. That will be the Macy’s Charity Shopping Day from 10 AM until 9 PM.Do the Math—contribute $5 to our Chapter for the “Shopping Pass” and get $10 Macy’s cash (for $25 or more purchase) and 20% off everything in the store and a chance to win$500—all for $5!

Macy’s has partnered with selected local charities for this private soft opening and we are one—you don’t have to be a member to purchase tickets for family and friends.

Last chance to buy a shopping pass for $5.00 will be at the October 8 Chapter meeting.

Schedule Change -- The Private Eyes Movie Club will now meet on Third Tuesdays.

This month, the Club will “meet” on Tuesday, October 21 around 4:00 PM at the Hollywood 20 on Main St. in Sarasota. A roundtable review--and other conversation-- follows at Appleby’s next door to the theatre.

The exact time and movie will be announced to Private Eyes Members (membership is free— signup with link below) by e-mail and on Facebook.

Remember to ask for “caption glasses” or caption devices at any movie theatre and thank them for the accommodation.

“Private Eyes” free membership is limited to HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee member. First time “Private Eye” members are entitled to a free movie ticket at their first movie. To receive the notice of the movie selected, which goes out the weekend before the movie date, contact Joan Haber at: mentorjoan@hlas.org.

The Players Theatre at 838 N. Tamiami Trail, in its 84th season, has again agreed to provide the Chapter with 20 tickets for the preopening of its 2014-2015 productions. The shows are, of course, looped!

The Chapter has tickets—free to members—for the October 28 presentation of The Addams Family”.

The area premiere of a family classic!This macabre cartoon family has been loved and imitated for generations. The Addams Family features an original story and it’s every father’s nightmare. Wednesday Addams has grown up and fallen in love with a man her parents have never met. Gomez and Morticia’s “normal” lives change on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents

If you wish to attend “The Addams Family”, please leave your e-mail with Committee Chair Betsy Roberts at TheatreClub@hlas.org as tickets are allocated on first response basis.

If you use the box office in person, thank them for the loop. If you attend a performance, thank them for the loop.

The Chapter’s “Between the Covers Book Club” will meet on Oct 13th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at 1350 Main Street. This event is for Chapter members only. Members must RSVP to

jdv.devries8@gmail.com. “Confessions of a Lip Reading Mom” is only $6.99 on Kindle and $10.79, both through Amazon. Order by linking to:http://www.amazon.com/Shanna-Groves/e/B00JBR8MZS/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1Shanna Groves writes about the day she held her newborn son when she should have reveled in the joys of motherhood. But instead of hearing sounds she once took for granted — the doorbell, smoke alarms, baby cries — all she heard was silence. Then the buzzing started — the sound of locusts filling her head. What was wrong with her and most importantly, how could she care for her newborn son, if she couldn’t even hear him cry? No matter the struggles you’re facing, Shanna’s honesty in sharing her emotional battle with a progressive hearing loss diagnosis, will inspire you.

A fun group in a setting that you can HEAR the discussion and enjoy wine and cheese as well.

“LIKE” THE HLAA-SARASOTA/MANATEE FACEBOOK PAGE

The Chapter now has 592 users. Pictures and notices of HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee activities will be posted on Facebook. In addition, information on assistive devices, new looped sites and events will be found there as well. Find HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee on Facebook. Just tap on "LIKE"

https://www.facebook.com/Hearing.Loss.Association.of.Sarasota

HLAA WEBSITES

Listen Up recommends four websites that have relevant information regarding hearing loss:

The national HLAA website is:

http://www.hearingloss.org/

The Florida Coordinating Council on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (the Governor appoints two HLAA- FL members to the Council by law) website is:

http://www.fccdhh.org/

The revamped HLAA-Florida Association website is:

http://hla-fl.org/

The HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee Chapter website is:

http://hlas.org/

FARMERS MARKET

HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market

Saturday October 25 - 7 AM to 1 PM

Our monthly information and support booth offers an opportunity for people to learn how to address their hearing loss.

The Chapter has a permanently assigned site, 1920 State Street between Lemon and Pineapple.

There will be free hearing screening each month by one of HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee’s Pro Partners. If you have a friend who needs hearing help and cannot make one of our meetings, please suggest they visit us here.

Members are encouraged to volunteer a two hour shift. Let Dave Donnelly know if you can help HLAA-Sarasota/Manatee out by contacting hla.sarasota@gmail.com .