Getting St. Joe in the loop
Abstract
"Hearing loss is prevalent in the aging population with one out of three adults age 65 or older being affected by their hearing impairment.1 Hearing aids work well in small groups at close distances, but they are technically limited in large, crowded spaces such as public forums due to difficulties in deciphering point sources in echogenic atmospheres with multiple sound sources. Hearing loops overcome the limitations of hearing aids by transmitting sound from the PA to telecoils in hearing aids and cochlear implants. Where installed, hearing device users can wirelessly connect and hear the facility audio directly in their ears. Though this technology has been available for decades, awareness is poor. Hearing loops have been installed in two locations in St. Joseph, including the Missouri Theater, but lack of awareness has led to underutilization."--Background.