Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - B.C. Chapter

A program designed for the Hard of Hearing adult. You will learn to:

Speech read

Cope in noisy places

Reduce your stress

Enjoy conversing again

Purpose: This program will help you understand normal conversation better. When you communicate effectively, you will regain your self-confidence, begin to relax, enjoy conversing again and cope effectively with your hearing loss at home, at work and at play.

Speechreading (Lip Reading): Speechreading is the ability to understand the spoken word by observing a speaker's lip, tongue and jaw movements, as well as interpreting the speaker's facial expressions, gestures and body language. Speechreading is a skill which requirs study, practice, patience and a sense of humour.

Coping Strategies: Coping Strategies teach you how to live with your hearing loss and to adapt to difficult communication situations without stress or discomfort. It is important that you learn to talk about your hearing loss without embarrassment or apology. As you progress through this program you will learn to express your personal needs without distress. Also, your hearing loss creates many daily stresses in your life. This program examines these stresses and recommends ways to help you relieve the tensions caused by your hearing impairment.

This program offers approximately 6 to 20 two-hour sessions (depending on which community you live in) and examines different problems related to your hearing loss. Here is a brief outline of what you will learn:

Speech movements
Listening and communication
How the ear works
Causes of hearing loss
Diseases of the ear
Aids to communication
How to cope with: hearing loss, hearing aids, family and friends, telephone, restaurants, special devices, speakers, noise pollution, travel, shopping, workplace, tinnitus, Meniere's Syndrome and mental health.
Assertiveness training and stress management
Health care staff and hospitals
Medications and hearing loss
Hearing loss and the elderly
Hearing Ear Dogs

Note: After this class, you may wish to join a monthly support group to improve your speechreading skills, participate in group discussions on current issues of special to hard of hearing people and enjoy the companionship of your new friends.

Where is it offer? There are locations across the province that offer speechreading programs from CHHA branch or through Post Secondary Education or Continuing Education. Here are the latest:

Chilliwack area: Managing Hearing Loss course is starting on March 21, 2007, from 2 pm to 4 pm at St. Paul's Luthuran Church Hall. Contact Maggie at 604-795-3665 or email her at maggiedodd@shaw.ca.

Victoria area: 12 week Speechreading Course starting on September 28th, 2006. Contact Alison or Kathleen at the CHHA-Victoria office at 250-388-6854 for more information.

North Shore area: 6 week basic Speechreading Course starting on Monday, November 6, 2006 at West Vancouver Seniors' Activity Centre, 695 - 21st Street, West Vancouver. For more information registration, please contact the Activity Centre at 604-925-7280. Click here.

Comox Valley and Kamloops area: Please call CHHA-BC Resource Centre office.

Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers classes called, "Better Communication with Your Hearing Loss" that is offered through their Audiology Department. It runs for 4 weeks, 2 hours a week. They offer these classes on a monthly basis and costs $20 for WIDHH or CHHA members, $80 for non-members. More information is located at their website by clicking here.

Vancouver Community College in Vancouver area: Part of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adult program, it is offered once a week for 12 weeks, classes start January, April, and September and is located at the King Edward Campus. More information, click here or contact them at 604-871-7341 (TTY only),604-871-7342 (Voice/Voice mail)or 604-871-7000 (Fax).

Vancouver Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre in Victoria: Offers Aural Rehabilitation Program at their centre. For more information, please click here or contact them at 250-592-8144 or 1-800-667-5448 toll free.

If you like to learn how to manage with your hearing loss, please contact the CHHA-BC Resource Centre office at (604) 795-9238 in Chilliwack, or toll free at 1-866-888-2443, or email us by clicking Contact Us link and we will get you in touch with the closest branch or community that offers this program.