2025 in Review
2025 In Review
The mission of HLAA NB is to improve the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, support, and advocacy. How did we do this in 2025?
Information
This past year we distributed HLAA brochures and Hearing Life Magazines in person at Sonoma County and Marin Libraries, Senior Fairs in Santa Rosa and Marin, Vivalon Senior Center, and Villa Marin, Smith Ranch Road, Heritage San Francisco and Spring Lake Village communities, JCC San Francisco, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Dominican University. Popular Topics were Signs, Symptoms and Steps, Hearing Loss by the Numbers, Hearing Loss Communication, Hearing Life Magazine, Are You Hearing Everything You Could (Assistive Technology), A Guide to Understanding Hearing Loops, Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Tip Sheet.
We sent monthly email newsletters connecting members to HLAA webinars and Zoom presentations from other chapters.
At the HLAA Convention in Indianapolis we attended workshops, socialized with new and returning members, walked in the Walk4Hearing, and brought back information to include in our chapter email.
Education
Through slide presentations at libraries and learning communities we educated people about hearing loss. The presentation included symptoms, stigma, hearing aid styles, assistive technology, personal sound amplification devices, and additional resources. We answered participants questions and encouraged them to use resources, try new technology, and talk about hearing loss with others.
Our monthly Zoom meetings on the 2nd Thursday taught us about other sides of hearing loss. Nancy Rubin talked about her photos and descriptions, which were later displayed in Marin County Libraries. We showed people how to get captioning on their Smartphones, and another meeting a captioning company described their product. In August we shared highlights from the HLAA 2025 Indianapolis Convention. A Chinese delegation met with us and presented their over-the-counter hearing aid in September.
Support
Our monthly Zoom Hearing Other People's Experiences on the 4th Thursdays welcomed HLAA members from our chapter and across the U.S. to share experiences of living with hearing loss. Some people shared successes. Others shared challenges and sought our input. Similarly, our in-person monthly support group the first Fridays at Vivalon in San Rafael met in a hearing accessible auditorium with participants encouraged to use the assistive listening devices with their hearing aids and cochlear implants. Results of the support group include improved quality of life through listening and connecting to others reducing isolation and hopelessness.
Our Cochlear Implant Email Support Group connected people with CIs to others contemplating implantation. Requests were sent to the group, and individuals responded offering their experiences.
Our summer picnic and December holiday parties gave members time to enjoy each other's company in outdoor and indoor settings.
Advocacy
We met with Marin Cultural Services to educate them about the assistive listening devices and to encourage them to educate their volunteers and provide signage at all venues about the devices. We requested and received captioning at the Marin Veterans Ceremony in the Exhibit Hall.
We distributed badges that say "Please face me and speak clearly" and "Please speak slowly" at support groups, presentations, fairs (Marin Senior Fair, Santa Rosa Senior Expo, Fairfax Library Senior Event) to reduce the stigma of hearing loss.
We hosted an information table at the Vivalon Falls Prevention Event with information sheets on falls prevention in Spanish and English and a 5-Minute Self Hearing Check.
At the Bay Area Walk4Hearing in Alameda we connected with Northern California Chapters and raised money for HLAA and HLAA North Bay.
Planning our Future
Our December holiday party gave us time to express gratitude for our hearing success and to consider our future. We enjoyed food and drink and camaraderie at the Forest Room in the Mill Valley Community Center. We created 10-word positive hearing loss stories and shared them in a speed dating game. You can read the stories in the Holiday Party Storytelling below. Then we looked at chapter activities for 2026. We came up with lots of suggestions for 2026. You can read them in Holiday Party Let's Try Something New below. We have a volunteer for a January weekend potluck as a result of our brainstorming.
Holiday Party Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful way to connect and create community. At our December party everyone created a 10-word positive hearing loss story and wrote it on a post-it. Next, we speed dated for 5 minutes exchanging our stories with one other person. Then we changed partners and exchanged stories again. After several exchanges we posted our stories on a display board. Here's what we came up with.
Don't apologize. Don't explain. You are safe here.
In my house we've been in same room talking only.
I can hear music melody individual instruments at the symphony.
Familial hearing loss, stopped doctoring ,now I am a painter Rexton BTE can hear!
Learned about schools for the deaf!
Got hearing test. Spouse was happy and accepted my excellent hearing.
Hearing support group meetings have given me peace of mind.
Requested RogerOn3 to use telecoil function.
Used Roger On outside to hear someone 35 feet away.
Moved to home no one else wanted on busy street. I don't hear car traffic except suped up muffler or motorcycle.
Implant gave me hope and improved my life.
I face my wife, not refrigerator, to talk.
Can turn tv volume down. wife stays in room.
Holiday Party Input: Let's Try Something New
Then we discussed the future. What do we want HLAA NB to look like in 2026? Here are some suggestions:
Get more people to attend Walk4Hearing in Alameda.
Get more people to organize and lead.
Try captioning glasses.
Speakers
Small groups
Casual meetings
Show and tell assistive technology--similar to exhibit hall at conventions
Outings
Recommend where to buy hearing aids.
Review hearing aid performance.
Spouse/partner support
Potlucks on weekends lunch during day to discuss spouse/partner support
Updates on assistive listening devices i.e. RogerOn3
Event at park where children are welcome
Find program at schools for the Deaf (Fremont, Socal) . Can we connect to a program that helps both of us?
Your Input
What would you like to see happen in our chapter? If you attended the party or if you weren't able to attend the party, either way, please send us your suggestions for 2026 activities. We invite your feedback and participation. All suggestions are welcome. Click on the orange button below to send your suggestion now. Thank you for supporting our mission of improving the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, support, and advocacy. Happy 2026 New Year!
My Input
Thank you
Thank you to everyone who made our HLAANB 2025 chapter activities possible: Our benefactors and donors who provided direction and insights as well as needed funds to pay our expenses, volunteers who hosted our tables, librarians who promoted our presentations, senior centers who made space for our support groups, and every person who wore a badge saying Please face me and speak clearly or Please speak slowly, or who handed a brochure to a friend, or who attended a meeting or hearing loss support group. All of you in your own way supported our mission of improving the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, support and advocacy. Thank you for a successful 2025, and we look forward to your participation in 2026.
