Mission Statement
Loop Initiative Group of Northeast Ohio (LIGNO) seeks to have all public places in Northeast Ohio wired with induction hearing loops, either privately or publicly funded, similar to induction hearing loops publicly available in the UK and in other parts of the US¸ many in our Northeast Ohio Area.
RationaleAmerica is presently experiencing an unchecked catastrophe of hearing loss, disabling to more than 50 million persons. Hearing loss is the second most prevalent health issue globally, with more persons suffering hearing loss than those living with Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and diabetes combined!
While this national problem is somewhat addressed by increasingly effective digital technology, hearing impaired persons report that clear hearing, with even the most expensive aids, is far less than what they formerly knew as normal hearing. With even the best hearing aids, user improvement ranges only between 34-50% of normal hearing. And while hearing aids can make sound louder, they do not improve speech comprehension or understanding distorted by room noise or poor articulation. It is generally agreed that current accommodations are wholly inadequate for large numbers of persons with hearing loss. The bottom line is that too many persons no longer attend public auditoriums, churches, theaters, concerts and library/community center discussions because they cannot clearly hear most of what is going on. And meanwhile, their numbers increase almost exponentially. RationaleThe good news is that a widely used remedy exists to greatly expand usefulness of hearing aids in public spaces. It's called an induction loop.
And this is why Loop Initiative Group of Northeast Ohio (LIGNO) seeks to have all public places in Northeast Ohio wired with induction loops, similar to those publicly available for many years in European cities. Progressive communities in the US are joining this movement, many in our Northeast Ohio Area.
Easily installed on the periphery of a room or arrayed on the floor, induction hearing loops work seamlessly to help persons wearing tele-coil (T-coil) equipped hearing aids, or cochlear implants overcome many hearing aid inherent limitations. Induction loops eliminate background noise and convey sounds directly to the listener’s ear through the hearing aid without the need for additional equipment. For those without hearing aids, or with aids lacking a T-coil, a simple neck worn device is available. Hearing loops are endorsed by the Hearing Loss Association of America and the American Academy of Audiology as the preferred assistive listening system. By making induction hearing loops widely available in difficult hearing environments, persons with hearing loss will re-engage in many activities now closed to them. |
The good news is that a widely used remedy exists to greatly expand usefulness of hearing aids in public spaces. It's called an induction loop.
Hearing loops are endorsed by the Hearing Loss Association of America and the American Academy of Audiology as the preferred assistive listening system.
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