Introduction

Hearing loss is caused by a wide variety of causes. However it is also clearly related to age. In the United States, for instance, it has been found that in the age group of 18-34 years, 3.4% are hearing impaired; 55-64, 15.4%; and above 65 it reaches 30-35%.

Deafened people are those who grow up with normal hearing but at some point, either suddenly or gradually, became deaf. Usually they continue to function orally, as do hard of hearing people, but frequently with great difficulty, especially at the beginning.

The major problem of hearing loss is, of course, its deleterious effect on listening and communication skills. Coping with the difficulties that are created depends on such factors as coping motivation and skills, the reaction of family, the rehabilitation services that are available and, very frequently, acquaintance with and support from other hearing impaired people.

The major aims of the proposed new organization for hard of hearing and deafened people are to provide some of the services needed by hard of hearing people, to press for more and better services in the community, to provide mutual support and to improve interaction and communication between us and the normally hearing world out there.

Goals of the Organization

Communication therapy

In Israel there is a network of a public and private audiology clinics. These clinics diagnose each patient's hearing problem and recommend the most suitable hearing aid available for his specific needs. Due to the pressure of work, most of these audiology clinics are unable to adequately follow up the adjustment of their patients.

The organization's communication therapist will help individuals and small groups to learn to cope with the difficulties involved while they are adjusting to their new situation.

This treatment will cover the following areas:

• Guidance on adjusting to the hearing aid;
• Follow up on the use and maintenance of the aid;
• Improving communication skills.

Social Worker's Services

The social worker will assist with personal, social, rehabilition and employment needs:

• Advice and guidance to individuals and their families;
• Advice and referral in connection with vocational needs.
• Providing contact with various sources which deal with rehabilitation and vocational needs.
• Improving communication conditions at places of employment of hearing impaired people.
• Initiate courses for hearing impaired people.
• Improve working conditions for hearing impaired employees. For example: assuring equal advancement opportunities at work.
• Establish and assist self-help groups throughout the country.

Psychological Services

Hearing impairment affects interpersonal and communication skills, causing difficulties in many cases. A psychologist who specializes in hearing problems will offer the following services:

• Personal and small group counseling and guidance;
• Guidance to self help groups of hearing impaired people and their families.
• Referral for additional counseling and treatment if necessary.
• Psychological guidance and support for the staff (social worker, communication therapist etc.);

Social Activities Organizer

The organizer will offer the following services:

• Organize social events, trips, lectures etc. which will operate under suitable conditions for hearing impaired people;
• Initiate social groups for interested people (especially those graduating from the`SHEMA' organization for hearing impaired children and youth);

The first professionals working will probably be the communication therapist and the social worker. The psychologist and the social activities organizer will be incorporated as soon as possible, i.e. after consolidation of the organization.

2. Considerably Expanding the Use of Hearing Assistance Technologies in Israel

Modern hearing assistance technologies (H.A.T) considerably improves the listening and communication ability of hard of hearing and deafened people. The organization will increase the awareness and encourage the use of H.A.T as much as possible.

We will concentrate on the following activities:

• Development of a center to demonstrate the H.A.T that is now available.
• Use every means to publicize and to encourage H.A.T use by and for the hearing impaired people.
• Follow up of world-wide technological developments and bring them to Israel.
• Encourage development of new H.A.T.
• Initiate and develop systems for lip reading study with computers.
• Making cellular telephone hearing aid compatible.
• Visit homes of hearing impaired people to offer guidance of the use of H.A.T.
• Encourage introduction of H.A.T in all public facilities - theaters, lecture halls, museums, higher education, hospitals, hotels, tourist sites, retirements homes, etc.
• Establishment and maintenance of an electronic communication network through Internet for the hard of hearing and deafened community.
• Guidance to the hearing impaired who are learning to use computers, electronic mail and the possibility of a 'chat' as a telephone substitute.

3. Improvement of Awareness and Public Relations

Public education will be conducted on two levels - for the hard of hearing and deafened population and for the general public.

Enhanced awareness and public education for the hearing impaired community will include the following:

• Stressing the rights and needs of hard of hearing and deafened people - what is required and what is available;
• Reviewing the rights of hard of hearing and deafened people in other countries;
• Encourage the use of various hearing assistance technologies;
• Publicizing new technological and medical achievements.
• Publicizing the organization's goals and seeking members.

Public education to the general public all over the country will utilize all channels: radio, television, newspapers, magazines, leaflets etc. The following subjects will be dealt with:

• Explaining the nature and implication of hearing loss.
• Increasing awareness of the general public to the needs of hearing impaired people and explanation as to how to communicate with them.
• Describing the signs of hearing loss in older people so that the family will understand that the changes they see are due to hearing loss, which can be helped.
• Urging hearing impaired people to admit their hearing loss and go for hearing tests.
• Initiating and organizing study days on the subject of hearing impaired for professional and other service providers such as medical staff, social workers, bank employees etc.

4. Advocacy for Hard of Hearing and Deafened People

We will work together with other organizations of and for deaf and hard of hearing people in Israel to improve the welfare and life satisfaction of this population. This includes:

• Subtitles - incorporating subtitles in all Hebrew speaking television programs - to be transmitted by means of teletex. (Naturally other languages can also appear as required by the Israeli public).
• Amplification in public halls - special FM or infra red amplification to be installed for the hard of hearing people in theaters, lecture halls, retirement homes, museums, conferences etc.
• Improvement of the support services offered at all educational levels: computerized note-taking, subsidized photo copying of other students note books, special tutoring and preparation of material for teachers on how to conduct a lesson in such a way that it will be easier for hearing impaired students.
• Exemption of Television Tax - The current conditions of exemption are illogical.
• Reduction in taxes for Hearing Assistance Technologies: fax, computers, assistive listening systems, etc.

5. Operation of Volunteer Groups

Volunteers will do such things as:

• Installation of flashing lights on telephones and entrance doors in homes of hearing impaired people.
• Presence at audiology clinics in hospitals - to give initial assistance to hard of hearing and deafened people and to mobilize new members.
• Clerical work in the Organization's offices.
• Volunteers with ability to contribute from their professional knowledge to the organization - communication therapists, social workers, accountants, clerks, secretarial work etc.

6. Other Projects

• Encourage the adoption of "hearing dogs". "Hearing dogs" are trained to alert their owners when hearing specific sounds, in accordance with the hearing impaired person
• In our high schools, there is a special community service project, "Assistance for Others". We would like to encourage this project to work with hearing impaired people.

Becky Shocken beckys@inter.net.il