Self Help Group forms for Hard-of-Hearing

Since May is “Better Speech and Hearing Month,” an organizational meeting has been scheduled for persons in Northern Palm Beach County who may be interested in forming a chapter of SHHH. This is a national organization of persons with hearing loss. It has chapters around the country including chapters in Delray Beach and in Boca Raton.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 26 at 2:00 pm. The session has been called by a local resident familiar with the work of SHHH, Nita Gordon. The host and site for the meeting is the Senior Program of the City of Royal Palm Beach. They have offered the use of Room D in their Recreation Center at 100 Sweet Bay Lane (off Sparrow Drive). More information is available from Kathy Cruz at 791-7080.

SHHH stands for “Self Help for Hard-of-Hearing.” It is the nation’s largest organization for people with hearing loss. SHHH exists to open the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy, and support. Members include people with hearing loss, their families and friends, and caring professionals. The stated goal of the organization is to be the nation‘s voice for people with hearing loss.

The speaker for the first meeting will be Fred Schott, the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the HEARING WELLness Center of Palm Beach County. He will review the kind of issues and activities the chapter might deal with.

Hearing problems are more common than many people realize. It is our #1 birth defect and #1 untreated chronic health problem for seniors. More than one person in nine has some hearing loss. Since it typically happens gradually, people often don’t notice it or even deny it’s true. One result is that there is a disproportionately small public outcry for somebody to do something.

In Palm Beach County, that somebody is the HEARING WELLness Center and other divisions of the Deaf Service Center of Palm Beach County, Inc. Last year the nonprofit agency contributed to the hearing health of 50,000 people. In addition to the distribution of special free telephone equipment for hard-of-hearing and deaf residents, the agency provides information & referrals; client advocacy, assistance, and counseling; as well as client & community education, including classes in speech-reading and in sign language.  The HEARING WELLness Center provides complete audiology services including state-of-the-art hearing aids.

The Deaf Service Center is a member agency of the Palm Beach Community Chest/United Way. Major support is also provided by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners.