Volume 37, Issue 4 Fall 2021
President’s Column – Fall 2021
Hello ALDAns, I hope you are enjoying the lovely Fall season. I am recharged and full of love and ALDAhugs after attending ALDAcon 2021. I can’t tell you what it meant to me. To be able to hug and chat and reconnect with “my tribe” was so fulfilling! I am so glad we had the in-person convention. Everyone was relieved that we also made the convention vaccinations required. We all felt a bit safer. The venue was wonderful and very close to Niagara Falls. Many members visited the Falls and some did several times. The speakers and workshops were very…
Regional Director 1: Fall 2021 Report
by Laura Sinclair, Regional Director 1 In exciting news, the summer has had more activity through the ALDA Contact page, both domestically and internationally! That means people are becoming more social and desiring better tactics to resume communication with others outside the confines of a computer or phone. While some questions were more technical or occupational in nature, such as how to hear better on the phone with the newer Bluetooth aids, others were from those seeking local support. I have been expanding my own tool box of listening devices in anticipation of resuming in-person meetings by ordering several from…
Advocacy Corner – Fall 2021
by John Waldo, ALDA General Counsel For better or for worse, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on two cases this Fall that could have a significant impact on the interests of deaf and hard of hearing people. One case I think will help, or at least not hurt. However, I’m worried about the other. The case I feel good about is called Cummings v. Premier Rehabilitation. A Deaf woman in Texas needed physical therapy, but when she asked for interpreters, the facility refused, not once but twice. She filed a lawsuit. The center’s refusal to provide interpreters is…
Communications Committee Report – Q3 2021
It was an exciting quarter for all of us at ALDA. The main highlight was obviously the return of in person ALDAcon. It was a great success and the Niagara Falls location lent itself to some great pictures (check out our ALDAcon group here and here) and future blog posts for the website. So many great presentations and smiling faces helped make it an easy but busy quarter for those of us on the Communications committee, but it was worth it and we look forward to doing it all again next year in San Diego. In addition to ALDAcon there’s…
Meandering Through the Hearing World: Hear Well – Enjoy Fall
by Linda Bilodeau Growing up in Vermont, I always looked forward to the calendar pages turning to fall, my favorite time of year. In October, lively green leaves would turn crimson and gold, signaling a call to action before the coming winter. There was much to do before the first snows fell: bring in the remains of the summer garden, clean and put away summer furniture, and rake leaves. There were fun times too, like backyard football games and the gathering of friends and family under a still warm fall sun. Each new season brings on challenges for those of…
One of Us: An Interview with Laura Taylor
This issue’s interview is with Laura Taylor, an ALDAcon newcomer. Laura Taylor is an exuberant newcomer who joined us at this year’s ALDAcon in Niagara Falls, NY. Laura was born and raised in Dixon, IL, and currently resides in Georgetown, TX. Laura experienced a mild to moderate hearing loss at age 35, but ignored it for several years before getting hearing aids in 2015. She heartily suggests not emulating her, but addressing it early instead. Last year when the pandemic began, Laura sensed something was wrong since she could not understand anyone wearing a mask. The proliferation of face coverings…
ALDAcon Memories: I Loved ALDAcon 2021
By Kay Tyberg It was wonderful to see the ALDA members from near and far come together at the 2021 ALDAcon held at Niagara Falls, New York. It felt great to see members just an arm’s length away and not being timed by a virtual remote platform. What a jubilant feeling to hug, bump elbows, bump fists, smile, laugh, and relax without shortening our conversation like we have been using virtual remote platforms over the last year and a half! During preparation and planning of the event, the Convention Committee assured the attendees that health and safety protocols were the…
ALDAcon Memories: On the Outside Looking In
By Susan Beckett “Deafness separates people from people” – comes from a quote by Helen Keller from a letter she wrote in 1910. This is true for many people today as it was back then. Up until a few years ago, I felt separated from people too. Deafness had changed me to my inner core. Joining ALDA was part of one of many steps I have taken on the journey to regain my life. While I was looking forward to joining the Niagara Falls ALDAcon; I was unable to attend for medical reasons. I wanted to share what I saw…
Ask The Nurse: Do I have allergies? A cold? The flu? Or COVID-19? How to tell the difference.
Summer is almost over. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, soon the days will become shorter, nights will be longer, and winter will be upon us. We have seen a lot of turmoil in the news lately. From the medical and nursing point of view the most upsetting information is the rise in COVID-19 cases across the U.S. and in the world. Sadly, this was cautiously predicted. Keeping our distance from one another, taking better care of ourselves and others, and staying safe and mindful of our environment dictates where we go…
Ask The Nurse: Caring for yourself before, during, and after hospital procedures
Summer is almost over. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, soon the days will become shorter, nights will be longer, and winter will be upon us. We have seen a lot of turmoil in the news lately. From the medical and nursing point of view the most upsetting information is the rise in COVID-19 cases across the U.S. and in the world. Sadly, this was cautiously predicted. Keeping our distance from one another, taking better care of ourselves and others, and staying safe and mindful of our environment dictates where we go…
Deaf Representation Coming to a Screen Near You
By Grace Avila Marvel movies are always so exciting, funny, and action-packed with an inspiring message to appeal to their viewers. When the credits roll in, I feel empowered and invincible — like I can do anything! When I found out that there will be not one but two deaf superheroes in two upcoming Marvel projects, I could not be more excited. According to IMDb, Eternals takes place after Avengers: Endgame, “when an unexpected tragedy forces the Eternals, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years, out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s…
2021 ALDAcon Award Recipients
Each year the ALDA Board of Directors honors various people and organizations that have either improved the lives of late-deafened adults or significantly contributed to the activities and well-being of ALDA. To find descriptions of the awards, look here. We are pleased to announce the award winners for 2021. Congratulations and thank you to all of you for everything you do! Cheryl Heppner Advocacy Award: Debbe Hagner, for many years of advocacy on behalf of people with hearing loss. Served on the ALDA board of directors and has helped lead ALDA Suncoast for many years. Brainstorm Award: Corin Goodwin,…
Regional Director 4: Fall 2021 Report
by David Baldridge, Regional Director 4 Region 4 covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territories, Japan, Pacific Islands, Asia, Australia, New Zealand. Our numbers make up fully one third of ALDA membership! We have several active or newly forming groups or chapters: California: ALDA-San Jose Leader: James Laffer Website: http://www.aldasanjose.org Meetings: Meetings are held on the first Saturday of each month Sample events: The Annual Holiday Party Winery Picnics Other Annual events Colorado: ALDA-Boulder Leader: Rebecca Herr Website: http://www.aldaboulder.org/ Education Sign language Transitions Conversation…
ALDA Board Nominations for the 2023 Term
It’s time to nominate ALDAns to serve on our Board of Directors. This year’s open positions are: Regional 3 Director Regional 4 Director ALDA President ALDA Vice President Nominations can be made by any ALDA member who is current on their dues, either nominating someone else or themselves. All candidates must also be current on their dues. You can also join the Nominations Committee to help fill these vacant positions by contacting Past President, Rick Brown, at pastpresident@alda.org Nominations are due no later than October 31st, 2022. For detailed job descriptions of all Board positions please see Article VI, Section…