Deaf & Hard of Hearing Fight to be Heard
Recently, The New York Times reported on various civil cases in which the deaf and hard of hearing were denied basic services as outlined by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). In the 25 years since Congress passed the ADA, hearing loss still remains one of the leading causes of disabilities in the US today. Assuming tax payer money is used to finance public bodies and maintain public amenities, providing people with disabilities the opportunity to use these services remains a moral obligation for those with have the responsibility to do so. However, since the ADA has been passed, the rights of those with hearing loss have yet to be fulfilled, with a number of public and private bodies failing to provide the adequate measures needed to meet their needs.
Hearing Discrimination
In response, Union Square Law Centre has litigated around 100 deaf or hard of hearing discrimination cases in the last decade against police departments, hospitals, schools and other government agencies. In some instances, the violators of the law have been sued multiple times, including New York Police Department. As a result, deaf and hard of hearing rights are slowly coming to the foreground, with public bodies introducing pilot programs in order to meet the needs of those who have hearing disabilities. If you believe you have experienced discrimination due to your hearing abilities, contact your Congressman or woman to report ADA noncompliance.
Hearing Loss: A Common Condition
Hearing loss is a common condition in the US, affecting at least 20% of the population. As such, it is crucial that people who are hard of hearing receive the rights and benefits the ADA has outlined.
Hearing loss can occur in one or both ears, and can effect people of all ages, from children to the eldery. In the case of children, the partial loss of hearing can affect a child’s ability to learn a language, while in the case of adults, it can affect ones ability to work or gain employment, and can often leave old people feeling afraid and vulnerable. It can occur for many reasons, the most obvious being exposure to high frequency noise, but also through birth complications, genetics and the use of certain medications and toxins.
Ear infections are also born as a side effect of the disability, and certain infections during pregnancy such as rubella can also cause hearing problems. The diagnosis comes when a person is unable to hear 25 decimals of sound in one ear, and testing can be carried out for people of all ages, from new born babies to older Americans.
Solutions for Hearing Loss
Using hearing aids to alleviate the distress of hearing loss, is both a practical and affordable. Nowadays, digital hearing aid technology has produced hearing aids that are extremely light and small, and almost invisible when worn. These devices can be tailor made to fit the needs of the patient, with brands such as Siemens, Phonak, Widex, Oticon and Starkey producing products that can alleviate the stress of both moderate and severe hearing loss.
These modern devices use hair fine wire technology in order to transmit sound to a tiny tailor made receiver placed in the ear canal. The benefit of using such technology means those who are hard of hearing can now drastically alleviate the distress they are suffering, while also maintaining ones natural appearance.
Taking a quick and easy hearing test with a hearing health care professional at My Hearing Centers can determine the options available for those who need assistance with their hearing, producing results that literally have to be heard in order to be believed.
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