Date:                           Wednesday 15 November 2023
Time:                          11am – 1pm
Location:                    Australian Hearing Hub Level 1, Lecture Theatre (In-person only)
Presenter:                  Dr Juliette Sterkens – Dutch born audiologist Juliëtte Sterkens has 40+ years of experience in the field of audiology and hearing rehabilitation.

Hearing loops and other assistive listening systems with neck loops give hearing aids and cochlear implant users access to clear sound in in places where poor acoustics, distance or background noise can make it even difficult for normal hearing people to hear. Dr. Sterkens will educate attendees as to current and future developments in assistive technology and motivate attendees to take up advocacy for effective hearing access in their communities.

Register via Eventbrite

Registration:              Free public seminar
Register by:               Monday 13 November

A radio frequency hearing loop will be in use and captions available on screen.

If you have other accessibility requirements, please contact hearing@mq.edu.au to organise.

If you have dietary requirements, please contact hearing@mq.edu.au to advise.

Agenda:

11:00am – 11:05am                Welcome
11.05am – 12.00pm                What are Hearing Assistive Technologies? (Juliette Sterkens)
12:00pm –  1:00pm                 Light lunch and networking 

Titles, Abstract and bios:

Title: What are Hearing Assistive Technologies? Abstract: The demise of telecoils has been predicted for years. Audio companies tout that real-time audio transmission over Wi-Fi is ready to replace hearing loops and FM/IR systems. EHIMA (the European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association) and BT SIG in 2021 introduced a Auracast, a BT LE audio technology yet hearing aid manufacturers are introducing flagship hearing aids with telecoils. Just what is a provider or a consumer to do? This session will cover current and future trends in hearing assistive listening and the role of the telecoil. Why is this program important? Hearing loops and other assistive listening systems with neck loops give hearing aids and cochlear implant users access to clear sound in in places where poor acoustics, distance or background noise can make it even difficult for normal hearing people to hear. Many hearing aid and CI users are unaware of assistive technology. This presentation is meant to educate attendees as to current and future developments in assistive technology and to motivate attendees to take up advocacy for effective hearing access in their communities.

BIO: Dutch born audiologist Juliëtte Sterkens has 40+ years of experience in the field of audiology and hearing rehabilitation. She is on her encore career as a consumer and hearing loop advocate for the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). In this capacity she lectures to consumers and hearing professionals and supports anyone who wants to foster a hearing loop in their personal house of worship, or in local public spaces. Her efforts have resulted in thousands of loops around the country and for these efforts she has received numerous awards. She is a member of HLAA’s Get in the Hearing Loop (GITHL) National Taskforce, member at large of the WI State Chapter of HLAA Board and serves on the board of the Hear in the Fox Cities; a nonprofit that helps pay for hearing aids for children and teens in NE, Wisconsin.