Hearing Loops
Dr. Remensnyder advocates the use of Hearing Loops in large gathering places, such as Places of Worship, Senior Centers, and meeting halls to give people with hearing instruments access to sound. Hearing Associates, P.C. has purchased loop drivers and receivers for multiple local large gathering places with poor acoustics. See an example of how Hearing Loops have helped congregation members at Lake Forest Presbyterian Church; featured on ABC Channel 7 News: Lake Forest Presbyterian Church Hearing Loop.
What is a Hearing Loop? The Hearing Loop is literally a copper wire that is looped around the periphery of a room which allows those who have a telecoil in their hearing aid/s to link directly into the facility's sound system. The Hearing Loop is the method of choice to facilitate hearing in large gathering places that have notoriously poor acoustics such as Places of Worship, airports, great halls, and anywhere where high ceilings, lack of sound deadening, and extensive window space sacrifices audibility–not just for those with hearing loss but also for those who have normal hearing.
Why is the Hearing Loop superior to other listening devices? First, there is no need to place unsightly earphones into your ears. Second, because your hearing aid's telecoil serves as the "antenna", the reception of sound is molded and modified by your personal hearing aid. Doctors of Audiology know that hearing loss is as unique to an individual as is his/her fingerprint and generic listening devices amplify all incoming sound exactly the same way for all listeners. In short, audibility is maximized with the Hearing Loop.
What places that may be familiar to me are currently looped? The House of Representatives is looped, Westminster Abbey is looped, the Grand Rapids Airport is looped, and multiple Places of Worship and senior citizen gathering places in Lake County are looped primarily due to the efforts of Dr. Remensnyder, President of Hearing Associates, P.C.
How do I find out which places are looped in Lake County? Call our office (847.662.9300) and we will forward a list to you. The list is updated frequently. In regards to Places of Worship, most denominations are already represented with more and more facilities being looped monthly.
As long as I am wearing hearing aids, why do I need to use a telecoil in order to hear in places with poor acoustics? Most individuals are under the mistaken belief that hearing aids return hearing to normal. Actually, a hearing aid's microphone amplifies best at distances 3-6 feet away. Thus, you would need to sit in the first pew or in the first row in order for your hearing aid to pick up the best. In addition, a hearing aid's microphone couldn't possibly know who, or what, is important to hear. Since the hearing aid's microphone amplifies best what is closest, a baby crying or a person opening a package of cough drops in the seat next to you will be louder and clearer than a speaker at the pulpit or podium located in the front. The Hearing Loop resolves these issues.
Do all hearing aids have telecoils? Approximately 60% of all hearing aids incorporate telecoils. Occasionally, your hearing aid may have a telecoil but your audiologist hasn't enabled it. The states of Arizona, Florida, and New York have recently mandated that all hearing healthcare providers educate the consumers regarding telecoils and how the use of telecoils improves audibility in large gathering places that have Hearing Loops installed.
Is the installation of Hearing Loops becoming more popular? The Hearing Loss Association of America (a consumer action group comprised of those with hearing loss) and the American Academy of Audiology (a professional group comprised of audiologists similar to the American Medical Association) have established a joint initiative called Get in the Loop. Dr. Remensnyder has been appointed to the Task Force.
Can I get a Hearing Loop to improve the audibility of my television? Absolutely, and people love them. First you need to check for an audio-out jack on the television. Then you need a nearby electrical outlet for the power. And then you can either place the copper wire and loop it around the periphery of your living room or you can have a personal hearing loop which can be looped around your neck. Either option allows you to continue to converse with others in the room as well as hear environmental sounds so you are not isolated from the goings on like you are with other TV listening devices.
How do I go about investigating a Hearing Loop for my home or my Place of Worship or other large gathering place? Your facility needs to be measured by a reliable, well experienced installation team. We have a list of installers that we trust and those installers will not only measure but also check for the presence of any metal that may pull from the magnetic induction loop. Most importantly, when they install, they will check that the signal is stable no matter where the listener sits in the room.
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