Mrs Lynn writes: I've mostly challenged TV stations about their background music drowning out the spoken word. I have written many times to no avail. The BBC acknowledge but nothing is done. It drives me mad with frustration and I have to switch off or revert to 888. I have written to RNID on the subject and sad to say can’t see you have done anything.

I have registered with local council on my audiologist's suggestion 2 years ago, and after many phone calls they actually sent someone round last month and she went into action. I now have loop in my lounge, doorbell activating light, new 36db phone and other goodies. The loop is great but has big disadvantage inasmuch it cuts out any other sound than TV, so husband is virtually cut off when it is in use.

Dorothy Clarke writes: I have telephoned the BBC and ITV about the horrific 'background' music on many occasions. Usually it takes ages to get through, but I keep persevering - must be an awful lot of people complaining about something or other!

Elizabeth Shutte writes: Yes, I frequently speak to individuals whom I meet about hearing loss and encourage them to wear their aids and to investigate other forms of help as advertised in the RNID magazine.

As I do quite a bit of speaking in churches and guilds, I often tell folks that I wear a hearing aid and encourage them to indicate if they don't hear me. The very fact that you aren't afraid to admit the need of a hearing aid helps to break down barriers.  We often start to compare notes and aids over tea/coffee afterwards!

Elizabeth Warhurst writes: In November 2006 I went with a friend to the New Victoria Theatre to see the touring stage production of 'Entertaining Angels'.  Since I had experienced difficulty hearing the speech in a performance a few years earlier, I checked in advance that the theatre supplied headsets or a loop system for the hard of hearing.

I was given a pair of infrared headphones which did not work – indeed the hissing noise made voice recognition impossible and my friend complained to me about the sound that the headsets were emitting.  During the break, I requested a replacement headset and found that in fact the system was not operating properly. My request for vacant seats closer to the stage was refused. As a result, the evening was completely ruined as I was quite unable to follow the dialogue, even with the use of my hearing aids.
I subsequently wrote to the theatre manager explaining the problem I'd experienced and requesting that they consider installing a loop system.  The response was not encouraging.

.... "the producers for the show did not feel that microphones were required for the cast which were performing."

"With your regard to the suggestion of installing a loop system, the system that we have is a versatile system and one some productions we are able thought the same units offer audio description for those who wish for this facility."

Coincidentally, I have heard similar complaints from others – particularly the elderly. I reported the case to the RNID who gave a helpful response, but I did not pursue it further. I have not returned to the theatre since that time and no compensation has been offered.

Graham Crook writes: In 2006, I became a School Governor. I realised I had problems at the first meeting. I was wearing a pair of top-of-the-range, private hearing aids. However, hearing aids, alone, are only effective within a range of 4 feet, on a one-to-one basis. There were around 20 people at each meeting, some of whom I couldn't actually see.

I raised the issue with the Chair of Governors, who simply asked me to let her know what they could do to assist. As a former employee of the Local Education Authority (LEA), I was familiar with the Governor Services team. I liaised with them about the problem, and worked with them on the sourcing of a Portable Induction Loop System.

After sourcing a suitable product, I heard nothing for several months. Chasing up the issue, I was simply informed that they hadn't bought any Loop Systems. I soldiered on for several more months, and then made an official complaint to the LEA. Their response was that the Governing Body was responsible for this, not the LEA. Certainly, I was never previously informed of this, and, in any event, the Governing Body did not seem to be aware of their responsibility. This led to my resignation from the Governing Body, in the Autumn of 2007.

I found the whole episode wholly unsatisfactory, to the extent of being scandalous. I understood that they had legal obligations to provide reasonable access, under Equality Legislation. I felt I was discriminated against, and that my problem was largely ignored.
Jennifer Thompson writes: I contacted the BBC regarding the presentation of weather forecast. The presenter was looking at the map and denying the viewer from seeing their lips, also distracting and excessive movements of the arms. Included was a comment about background music.  I received a very good response from the BBC but whether anything will be done is a matter of speculation.

Lia 0'Toole writes: I am an avid reader of your RNID magazine. Please keep up the good work and well done.  It is wonderful to read about like minded people with a hearing loss.  We need each other as it is not easy to cope in a ‘hearing’ world on a daily basis.

I am hard of hearing since about the age of 7.  Unfortunately my hearing loss was not recognised because I was such a good lip reader. I had thought it was natural not to hear every word spoken. However, when attending secretarial college in the 70's I realised that I could not hear the tutor at shorthand classes.  This is when the penny dropped and I went to see many Consultants to see what could be done.  The only solution was for me to wear hearing aids.

I discovered deafhear.ie here in Ireland about 10 years ago whilst attending lip reading classes.  I was so happy to meet other people like me who had this 'hidden' disability of hearing loss.  Since then I completed my Diploma in Aural Rehabilitation in University College, Dublin so that I could help others.  Whilst doing this course I learned so much about my plight  as a hard of hearing person. 

At my lip reading classes I explain that we have to be assertive  and make our needs known when talking to other people, otherwise people will  think we are 'rude', 'standoffish' and 'stupid'. I also explain coping strategies such as where to sit in a restaurant etc

Speech is made up of vowels and consonants and when we become hard of hearing the consonants are the first to go, but thankfully some of these consonants are visible lip shapes which are demonstrated at lip reading classes.  People are not keen to buy hearing aids for two reasons, firstly they are outrageously expensive, and secondly noise is a huge factor when wearing them.

I know research is ongoing in trying to find a solution for deteriorating hair cells in the inner ear and all we can do is wait. Digital hearing aids are a help, but still do not solve the problem of noise which is louder than speech. Does anybody out there have a solution for hearing aids that will work 100%??

Lisa writes: Several elderly gentlemen in my village are deaf but deny it and will not wear hearing aids and their wives complain about how loud they need the TV and other difficulties. I speak to them individually in a social way and tell them how wearing hearing aids made my life better and less stressful for myself and those around me. I put a flyer in the local Parish magazine about the telephone test and the RNID contacts. I notice two men are wearing aids now and no-one minds coming up to me and talking about deafness. It may not be due to my openness but I believe breaking down barriers about deafness helps people access services with less embarrassment.

Monica Mackay writes: I find people who talk with a hand in front of their mouths infuriating. How can someone lip read when the lips are covered that way. I either ask the person to move the hand or sometimes have even moved the hand myself.  Having done this so many times at the church I go to, that when I attended a concert there recently, there were many comments made to me about one of the comperes who talked behind his hand. I had a 'few words' to him later on as well.  So the message is getting through but oh so slowly!

Maggie McLoughlin writes: My two 'challenges' were emails to the Post Office and the Halifax about the lack of a loop system in the local offices. The Post Office didn't reply, but when the local office was refurbished the microphone system mane a great improvement in audibility generally. The Halifax didn't reply, but the office has also been refurbished and it's slightly better. The irony is that the counter clerk I spoke to is also deaf in one ear and finds it hard to communicate with her colleagues if she sits in the wrong place!

Marjorie Beebee writes: Over the years I have challenged various people/organisations. In particular my bank, (several years ago now) when asked whether they had a loop system the assistant called the manager who admitted to having one sitting in its box somewhere upstairs. I asked what good it was doing up there & he promised to set it up, which he did; and from tome to time I have confirmed it is working – though some assistants have been unsure of how it functions.

There have been many problems with theatres.  I regularly go to dance performances, especially at Sadlers Wells, and have so many times had problems with the infrared headphones and wasted the interval trying to sort out why they are not working. I have never quite resolved a specific problem, but suspect that since the performance is dance-rather-than-music-oriented, the music is considered of secondary importance (which it is, and the main reason for my having largely given up concert-going) Alas these days performances often include speech as well as music (live and canned), so you can never get the balance right.

About 18 months ago we went the opening weekend of the new Birmingham Town Hall, and I was disappointed to discover that they have no infrared system – was told something about it couldn’t be installed because of the limitations of the planning permission for restructuring the old building – I can't remember the details, just that sadly I shan't go there again. They may have had some sort of loop system, but I find my NHS hearing aids are really not up to producing a worthwhile musical quality.

I am a Fitness League teacher, & had problems hearing on courses I went on, especially when lying on the floor trying to follow instructions, & after my comments to the organiser, I was asked to give a talk on the problems at the next teachers' course! So there's a bit more awareness there now. 

Neville Hayes replies: I have paid a compliment where the hearing sign was on show. e.g. at the bank.

Phillip Townshend writes: I wrote some time ago to 'Music & Memories' who sell DVDs and CDs asking if it would be possible to indicate in their catalogues the DVD's which have sub-titles for the deaf. They replied that they would take up the matter but they have not included this so far.  Other firms like Webb Ivory (Simply & PDSA) include sub-title information.
 
The Bath and Wells diocese of the Church of England once produced a DVD on activities within the diocese so I contacted the diocesan office to ask if subtitles would be included but their response was that they were sorry there wouldn't be any. The Bishop did not have a broadcasting budget.  As the diocese support some deaf people such as those who rely on sign language through their Deaf Church Mission it seemed a pity the inclusion of subtitles could not somehow be made affordable for a wider range of the deaf. 
 
I get the feeling that our problem is thought by many to be overcome by 'turning up the volume'. The problem of high frequency hearing loss with its severe loss of clarity is not understood or taken into account. I don't know but I should think a very great number of older people suffer this form of deafness and sub-titles make a huge difference in what we can understand enjoy.
 
I do feel more could and should be done to get subtitles included on DVDs. I also feel it would be so much better to have some symbol included on the packaging like there was for VHS cassettes. It is sometimes quite difficult to find if there are sub-titles or not, especially if stickers are put over the information.  It happens on library rental DVDs!

Please could you at RNID see if you can get something done about all this.

Sally Ehlinger writes: I have only recently joined the RNID and have attended the first term of a lipreading class, and I have found out so much more about hearing loss... to the extent that I am now no longer trying to 'hide' my deafness (which thankfully is only moderate loss), and am taking steps (slowly!) to find out what I can do to make my hearing loss more manageable.

I have 15 years left to work (at the very least!), so might as well make my quality of life better. I requested some of your cards to hand out to people to make them aware that their loop isn't working, or that some other problem had occurred, and thought I'd tell you about my visit to the local Matalan store last weekend. Two things happened:

I explained to the manager that because I am only moderately deaf, I could manage at the counter, but that if the store were any busier or noisier, or I was more severely deaf than I am at the moment, the loop system would have been essential. I'll try and go in there again and see what I can find out about the 'hearing pod'.

Wherever I go I find a distinct lack of awareness or knowledge about the loop system and how it can be of use. I'm now challenging (politely of course!) more shops, cinemas and the like to find out who is on the ball, and who isn't. Most aren't, as you probably are aware. The only place I did receive some sensible information was at the local arts centre, where I was told that in the theatre I was visiting, there was a section 'looped' off, and that in the rest of the theatre it wouldn't work. Good info for when I next book. Their other theatres and the cinema are apparently fully looped.

I can imagine myself going around making people aware and training staff to use various strategies to help deaf people, in the same way they help someone in a wheelchair.