Might be .
August/Sept probably. Unitron equivalent around October.
Might be .
August/Sept probably. Unitron equivalent around October.
If using Oticon, an Oricon EduMic might be helpful. I just turn mine toward various people as needed. It has a headphone jack which would ideally plug into the court sound system.
I think that you will have to find other employment. I have been in a courtroom and could understand no speech whatever. I somehow doubt that HA in the near future will help.
I assume that you have told the administrative staff of your issue. This would fall under ADA where the employer has some obligation to assist/accommodate. T-coil in the courtroom would also be of benefit to others who wear hearing aids.
Telecoil is obviously an option @Robert_Oenning but they are old hat, FM transmitters also another option, and slightly better than T-coil, Rogers remote mics, are the best available option at present, I have used all 3, over the years, and Roger Systems are by some distance the preferred choice⦠Loop systems are cheap for a reason, they are by far inferior to Roger ALDās or indeed FM systems, it all depends on what type of funding Access To Work gives out these days, 17 years ago, they gave me a Ā£1,500 FM System, fully funded by them for my work related activity, nowadays I believe things have changed, and they will only pay half⦠Cheers Kev
If you need to hear multiple individuals in the courtroom who are already using a microphone, definitely use the loop system with your telecoil. Easy to connect and use.
If you only need to hear one individual then a personal FM or roger pen or auxiliary mic could work.
Or perhaps you need a combination.
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Check to see what assistive listening devices are/can be available for the courtroom. Show your manager whatās available: assistive listening devices for courtrooms - Google Search
Good luck!
I am definitely not a technical person or not even close. Iāve used HAs for many years and struggled. The most effective for me was the coil. For me it is like a miracle. I hear almost perfectly. It might be an older system but, for me, it is the best. Itās used extensively in Europe and many states here in the USA are beginning to use it extensively. Iāve tried what I could afford, i.e. TV connector, Phonak Select, etc., but none have helped me in a restaurant although helpful in other scenarios. Iād suggest that you try the coil in the rooms that have it in an effort to see if it makes a difference for you. If it does, there are accessories to use which include the coil. Iāve learned each person is very different and each has to try to find what works for them and thatās a long difficult road with a lot of disappointments ā some expensive ones too. Please keep us in the loop because any successful āideasā one person has/uses will certainly help someone else who is searching for a solution!
My dear, Iām so sorry. I also struggle in courtrooms, which tend to have high ceilings and hard surfaces.
Iāve recently been trying a new app, recommended on this listserv, called HeardThat. It promises to stream sound directly into your hearing aids via Bluetooth, while editing out the extraneous noise bouncing around in the environment.
In my experience itās not perfect, but in many cases it has been very helpful. Why not give it a try, and see if it helps. But you have to use your phone as a microphone, which, I think for a hearing-impaired person should be allowed.
Today in a train station the announcements over the PA system were so indistinct that we missed the boarding announcement and missed a train. So itās not just you having difficulties.
@ggreenone
Thank you for your thoughts. I am trying some Oticon Real this week. Whilst I donāt expect for a moment they will solve my issues on their own I can tap into the loop system with them. So will give it a try.
@neroth8
Thank you for your support and understanding. I am worn down and worn out by the struggle to hear. On Friday I was sat next to the witness box. One witness was speaking so quickly that once they had got past saying āLike I saidā I could barely make out another word. The whole experience is having a hugely negative effect on my mental health. But I will certainly have a look at the app that you have mentioned.
The bottom line is that the usherās role is all about communication. Something that I cannot manage as things are. Linking into the courts microphone system is not the answer as a lot of conversations with people take place away from where microphones are situated. I have also spoken with the audiologist about Roger accessories.
But I am so broken by my struggles though it has completely destroyed any confidence in that I can actually do this job. The thought of trying to obtain help through Access To Work feels too much of a challenge, especially when there is no guarantee that it will work.
I will know on Tuesday whether the loop system is the answer. Will try the app too. My gut feeling though is that I will have to quit this week. As it stands I simply cannot do the job unchaperoned.
Sincerely hope it does not come to that, and you can find a solution.
Indeed the guardians of our civilisation are not always smart when it comes to helping individuals of goodwill to function. I was called for UK jury service: more than willing to go and help, but first checked with the court whether I would be likely to hear. There was no loop, no infrared, no microphones or hearing assistance of any kind. As in your situation, DangerBun, the courtroom was old, large, high ceilinged, echoing, had zero acoustic treatment. When I queried these matters, I was discharged from jury service. I do wish you all the best in your highly important work.