Approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss.[1] For most, the loss increases over time, diminishing previously enjoyed activities like going to the symphony, attending a play, or even participating in worship.

 

While hearing aids help improve the experience, they often don't work well in audience settings. It's why Hear Us Now is passionate about creating a better-assisted listening experience.

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How hearing loss impacts the experience of events

 

Dallas-resident, David Neisius and his wife, Jean, have been season subscribers at the Meyerson Symphony Center for the past 33 years.

 

"I began noticing my hearing loss 20 years ago, and it increased over time," shares Neisius. "I now have 80% loss in one ear and 70% in the other. I'm dependent on hearing aids. One of the challenges that few people talk about with hearing loss is that you begin withdrawing when you can't participate in activities you used to enjoy."

 

Neisius's experience is typical. Most people affected by hearing loss stop attending events. It can feel isolating to be in the middle of the crowd and not have context for what others are experiencing. Many do not participate in the arts or worship via television because their hearing devices support it.

 

"During the COVID quarantine, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra televised some of its performances, allowing me to listen with the features of my device. I could hear and appreciate the interplay of the instruments for the symphonic piece. It made me explore the symphony's options, hoping there was something new. This is how I learned about the Hear Us Now system."

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How a T-loop system impacts the experience

 

At the Meyerson Symphony Center, David used the Hear Us Now system with a T-loop rather than with earphones. A hearing loop sends sound directly to the telecoil receiver in a user's hearing device. Neisius called ahead of time, and the Meyerson staff placed the loops in an envelope at the desk near the entryway for him to use.

 

"The first time Bradley Hunter Welch had his organ concert on a Sunday afternoon, I could understand every word he said about the piece and the organ. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition had many plays with individual instruments. It was 3-dimensional. The sound was so rich, it was like heaven."

 

After experiencing the live event, Neisius listened to the television replay of Pictures at an Exhibition, "The two-dimensional sound was nothing like the depth of sound experienced by being there using the Hear Us Now system with the T-loop."

 

One of the best parts of using the hearing loop system with Hear Us Now is that because Neisius's hearing aids were in place and working, he could speak with his wife between movements enhancing the shared experience.

 

[1] https://www.hearingloss.org/wp-content/uploads/HLAA_HearingLoss_Facts_Statistics.pdf