Adults Living with Hearing Loss Programs

SLHS holds Living with Hearing Loss Group Sessions for Adults and their Frequent Communication Partners. These are educational and support group classes dedicated to building strong communicators. The course content and format have evolved over many years to bring its students the most essential information about learning to listen and communicate with individuals who have hearing loss. Classes are open to the public and taught by our Audiology clinical faculty and Audiology graduate students.

Brochures are available on Programs for Adults with Hearing Loss and Maximizing Communication.

Please read information on Hearing and Hearing Loss here. Learn about hearing aids and cell phone use with this ASHA podcast.

If you are interested in listening to hearing loss simulators, you can check these sites: University of Wisconsin Hearing Loss Sampler, Phonak, Better Hearing Institute, and Audibel.

Course Information

Living with Hearing Loss: 5-week group: This group meets for 2 hours, once per week for 5 weeks. Two groups are offered each regular academic semester (fall, spring) and once during the summer on the main campus of The University of Arizona in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Class size is restricted to no more than 15 participants. Persons with hearing loss and a frequent communication partner (e.g., spouse, friend, relative) are encouraged to attend together. Topics include information on how we hear, hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and communication strategies training, including speech reading.

Living with Hearing Loss: 2-week classes: This class meets for 2 hours, once/week for 2 weeks. Dates and times vary by semester. Class size is restricted to no more than 25 participants. Persons with hearing loss and a frequent communication partner (e.g., spouse, friend, relative) are encouraged to attend together. Topics include basic information on how we hear, hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and communication strategies training, including speech reading.

(PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL SPRING CLASSES ARE FULL. PLEASE CONTACT 621-7070 TO BE PLACED ON THE WAITING LIST FOR FUTURE CLASSES).

Session Dates and Times
Five week group - Spring classes in 2010:
All classes will be held Tuesday from 9:00-11:00 a.m. on the following days:
Group 1

• Session 1: January 26th
• Session 2: February 2nd
• Session 3: February 9th
• Session 4: February 16th
• Session 5: February 23rd
  BONUS CLASS AT ALOHA*
  Wednesday, March 3rd at 10:00 a.m.
  (details to be provided)

Group 2:

• Session 1: March 23rd
• Session 2: March 30th
• Session 3: April 6th
• Session 4: April 13th
• Session 5: April 20th
  BONUS CLASS AT ALOHA*
  Wednesday, April 28th at 10:00 a.m.
  (details to be provided)

Two week classes - Spring 2010:
Thursdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m:

• January 28 and February 4
• February 18 and February 25
• March 4 and March 11
• April 1 and April 8
• April 22 and April 29

Tuesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m

• February 16 and February 23
• March 2 and March 9
• March 23 and March 30
• April 6 and April 13

Who should attend?

• Adults struggling with hearing loss and communication problems
• Adults interested in learning about strategies for better communication and hearing technology
• Adult hearing aid users
• Significant others of individuals experiencing any of the above are encouraged to attend

What do I need to bring?
Course materials are included in your registration fee. If you are a hearing aid user or utilize any assistive devices, you should bring them with you to every session. If your hearing has been tested in another facility, you should obtain a copy of your audiogram and bring it to the first session. Before classes begin, you will be mailed a packet of information. Please complete the questionnaires before your first group session.

Directions and Parking
When parking behind the building: From Speedway, turn south on Mountain Avenue. Turn right at 2nd Street. Turn right at Palm Road. You will enter Parking Lot 3039. You may park in the designated spaces behind our building (look for blue signs “Speech and Hearing Patient Parking”). Place the permit on your dashboard, driver’s side face up.

Handicap access is available. The building has two handicap entrances. Both are located on the north side of the building, by way of the ramp.

When parking in the multilevel, 2nd Street garage: Take Speedway to Mountain and turn south. Take Mountain to 2nd (traffic light) turn east (left). You will be driving alongside the parking structure. Pull into the lot and take a ticket. If “Parking Lot Full” sign is displayed, enter garage, press call button and tell cashier you have a reservation and give your name. A ticket will be issued.Proceed to any unmarked parking space. Take your ticket with you.

Walk, heading west out of the structure, onto 2nd street, cross over Mountain, and continue to Speech and Hearing Sciences Building at the corner of 2nd and Palm. Enter the building, take stairs down to the 1st floor and enter clinic or walk around the building and enter the clinic directly. Go to Room 110 and check in.

Upon your return to the parking structure, take your ticket to the cashier and give cashier your name and ticket. Cashier will then validate ticket, which you will swipe as you exit the lot.

About us
Our interactive aural rehabilitation classes are led by a team of University of Arizona Audiology faculty and graduate students:

Program Coordinator: Fran Harris, PhD, CCC-A, CCC-SLP, James S. and Dyan Pignatelli/Unisource Clinical Chair in Audiologic Rehabilitation for Adults

Dr. Harris has been in the field of Audiology/Hearing Science for over 30 years. She has been affiliated with the University of Arizona for a good portion of this time on the instructional, research and clinical faculties.

“Hearing Rehabilitation is comprehensive and typically involves more than a simple solution through one means, such as amplification with a hearing aid, cochlear implant or assistive device. The effects of hearing loss extend beyond the person who has it to include family members and associates. Our goal is to maximize communication while minimizing the effects of hearing loss using a multifaceted approach.”

To obtain more information about our audiologic rehabilitation programs, contact the main clinic number, 621-7070.  If they are unable to answer your questions, they will take a message for Dr. Harris.

Tucson Community Resources

• Adult Loss of Hearing Association Inc.
• Arizona Relay Service
• Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Community Hearing Aid Program, Inc.
• Community Outreach Program for the Deaf
• Handi-Dogs, Inc.
• The Hearing Aid Bank
• Pima Council on Aging

Helpful Websites

• American Academy of Audiology
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• American Tinnitus Association
• Better Hearing Institute
• Center for Disease Control
• Hearing Loss Association of America
• H.E.A.R.
• Hear-it: Hearing Loss and Hearing Loss Treatment
• House Ear Institute
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration
• Virtual Tour of the Ear

Funding for this webpage provided in part by the James S. and Dyan Pignatelli/Unisource Clinical Program for Audiologic Rehabilitation in Adults.