The Invisible Disability

At Listen Technologies we are passionate about educating people on the pervasiveness of hearing loss.  As part of this passion, we invite architects to participate in an open dialogue concerning the laws and new regulations surrounding assistive listening systems.

1. Nearly one-fifth of all Americans 12 years or older suffer from hearing loss severe enough to negatively impact communication
2. Only 1.4 percent of the population uses a wheelchair, but more than 20.3 percent of Americans have hearing loss in at least one ear
3. It’s the law! The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) stipulates that designing assistive listening systems into assembly areas is required
4. With new legislation and rapid technological advancements, it is becoming increasingly important for architects to actively design assisted listening solutions into the project as early as possible
5. About 26 million young people have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to loud noises at work or in leisure activities
6. There is currently no cure for the underlying cause of hearing loss, due to damage of sensory and supporting inner ear cells
7. The three top technologies used for assistive listening are RF (radio frequency), IR (infrared) and IL (induction loop, also known as hearing loop)
8. Designing in an assistive listening system is much more cost effective than renovating and retrofitting
9. In 2001, only 37 percent of hearing aids came equipped with telecoils (to receive a signal from an induction loop—today, more than 60 percent are hearing loop enabled
10. The issue is not going away. As people age, hearing loss increases; at age 65, one out of three people has a hearing loss