Unequivocally Advocating for Changes to Access ADA Assistive Listening Systems

 “I asked the sound engineer if he had provided a loop system to assist the hearing aid users, his sharp answer was NO!!

..it became clear that I was a member of a group that did not matter.”

Why Hearing Accessibility Matters, ISCVE May 2025

“Manufacturing hearing aids (HA) without telecoils once again and this way try to force the new technology onto the users (and with our hearing loss and auditory disability we essentially finance the market. They live off us, but they treat us as if we have no rights. They don’t even involve us users in the development of new technology. They say they do, but they only involve those who already think the newer the better. No respect for the difficulties in hearing loss. 

This is no way like the car industry, the clothing industry or any other industry. And we cannot just exchange our product either. The 4 (5) years warranty on HAs puts us on hold as soon as we have been given a new set of HAs.
Even when a brand new set of HAs fail, the manufacturers take their right to take ages to repair or whatever they do, and they do not even lend us another pair, we need to do without for as long as it takes them to repair a mis-product.”

–A consumer in Denmark, 9 year teacher of Deaf/deaf and Hard of Hearing pupils. 28 years as an educational audiologist for school children nationwide.  But if someone wrote this in the USA, they would’ve said the same things!!!  Hearing aids are sold and serviced internationally.

“I now need 2 different accessory devices to accomplish what I could do with one device with my older Ponto, streaming my phone and using hearing loops.”

–A consumer blog

Patient #1

“the Sonnet 3’s external T-coil is very cumbersome to use...I very much regret that Medel omitted the T-coil from the Sonnet 3 itself. T-coils will continue to play an important role for a few more years before being replaced by Bluetooth Low Energy Audio (BLE Audio) in conjunction with Auracast.” (Forum, translated from German, using Google Translate)

Patient #2, from forum

I want the Sphere Infinio but it doesn’t have a telecoil nor disposable batteries.  I refuse to give up my access to telecoil and looped spaces that I use daily.   I’m also never going to give up having Roger!   grrrr……  don’t even get me started on rechargeable batteries…..  HATE THEM – For me, the are dead by mid-afternoon b/c I use all my streaming/mic/telecoil features from wakeup till after bed.  I hate having to live my life around a lengthy recharge.  

I am confused! I won’t bother.

(CHA editor: no wonder. Take a look at what a patient needs to figure out because the manufacturer doesn’t have patient materials and their audiologist didn’t tell them)

“Back in the lobby, I stand alone against the wall as the same usher once again rummages through the closet. Slowly anger rises up through my chest. Why don’t these people support me with my hearing loss? Don’t they care that I will end up in tears? Don’t they know I’m feeling totally alone…”

Let’s Hear It for Hearing Access in Public Spaces, Hearing Health Foundation blog, July 31, 2024