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Letter: Keep the hearing impaired in the loop

Salmon Arm man a fan of new technology
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If you can’t hear, you’re not truly living.

This is my personal experience. It is something that creeps up on most people as they age. It begins by saying,”Pardon me,” or, ”Would you mind speaking a little louder?” It comes to a head when you accuse your spouse of always shouting at you. When she responds, “You need a hearing aid,” you know the game is over.

For us seniors, this is a justice issue. Would you believe, I invited a 100-year-young lady who used to teach English in Salmon Arm, to critique this letter. More and more of us are living 25+ years after we have lost our hearing. We would like to continue to be part of society, not dumped on the scrap heap. Many of us have hearing aids, but they are not all that good. Some of us learn to cope by lip-reading, or pretending that we do hear. Then someone repeats the question, so we simply withdraw into our own little world. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are other options.

New technology is being developed everyday. Imagine, you can touch a small brooch-like gadget attached to your shirt, and say,” Hi, Siri, call Mom,” and within 10 seconds Mom is speaking to you right in your ear. “ Impossible,” you say?

Come, find out for yourself. An experiential workshop, sponsored by: Deo Lutheran and First United churches; Shuswap immigrant services; and MacQuarrie Institute; titled,” Keep us in the LOOP,” is scheduled for Oct. 20, at First United Church.

You will be truly amazed when you try on the latest equipment. The workshop is free. Register early as there is limited room. Call 250-804-2726.

Dan MacQuarrie