March 20, 2017 at 3:32 p.m.
Rhinelander church installs system to help the hearing-impaired
Rhinelander church installs system to help the hearing-impaired
By Kayla Thomason-
The induction loop system magnetically transmits sound to hearing aids and cochlear implants with telecoils (T-coils), according to hearingloop.org.
"For the hearing aid user, this is a very good experience as it bypasses the microphone on the hearing aid and provides clear direct sound," said Brian Haines, owner of Consulting with Clarity, which installed the system in the church.
According to a http://hearingloop.org PDF document titled "A Baker's Dozen Frequently Asked Questions about Hearing Loops," digital hearing aids enhance sounds, but for many people who use them in an auditorium or are a distance from the source the sound can be difficult to hear. Hearing loops can fix the issue.
"A hearing loop magnetically transfers the microphone or TV sound signal to hearing aids and cochlear implants that have a tiny, inexpensive 'telecoil' receiver," the document states. "This transforms the instruments into in-the-ear loudspeakers that deliver sound customized for one's own hearing loss."
The thin wire lies across the floor under the carpet. The only thing that gives away the system is the signs telling people hearing loops have been installed.
The idea to install the hearing loops began after Rev. Ellen Rasmussen arrived in July 2015 and discovered that hearing was an issue in the church.
Rasmussen had a positive experience with the hearing loop system at her previous church so, within three to four months of her arrival in Rhinelander, she mentioned the coils to her trustees. The trustees, in turn, reached out to Haines for more information, which led to a formal proposal for funding to improve hearing accessability in the church, she said.
"There's a lot of interest, even the improvements that we've made in the sound system in general have got people excited," Rasmussen said.
She knows how important this technology is for her parishioners and the community, not only so they can hear better, but feel included as well.
"Part of the reason I promoted it is because it's not only about how it can help the congregation's people engage, because you shut down when you can't hear things, so it really allows for increased engagement," she said. "We have a growing retirement age and more and more people are going to have issues with hearing and we thought it was real important to bring this to folks' attention and to help everybody."
Rasmussen is hoping her church can be made available to the community for meetings and other gatherings.
"It's a good place for the community to come and for people with hearing issues to be able to hear clearly what people are saying," she said. "We hope that if there are groups, public forums, things that the city or the county are dealing with and they need a place where people can hear better, we hope they'll come and check it out."
Her church is one of two facilities in Rhinelander that has hearing loops. The other is the Rhinelander District Library. Rasmussen hopes they have set the pace for the community and others will follow suit.
"I think what we need to do is promote the benefits of the hearing loop system and educate people," she said.
If other businesses are interested in the hearing loop they are more than welcome to see the church's loop and the difference it makes.
"I do think the benefits outweigh any costs," Rasmussen said.
"We are greatful to the Heurich estates (Joan and Robert)," she said.
For more information visit hearingloop.org.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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