ADVOCACY

I hope everyone is managing with the current COVID-19 related isolation issues. I’m interested to know if you feel supported by your community, whether that is your family, friends, local neighbours or perhaps another interest group like your sporting colleagues, book club or walking club.

What about your local implant recipients? Do you know someone nearby with an implant that you can collaborate with or just meet with on a social basis? Many have found social media or ZOOM meetings have kept them in touch to some degree with their friends and associates, but some who cannot manage the technology required, or have not been able to use it well, have felt quite isolated.

Read more: ADVOCACY

Pandemic measures mean extra challenges for people with hearing loss

May 2020 CBC News
Masks, plexiglass barriers, and reliance on virtual meetings can make communication difficult.

For Kim Scott, dealing with feelings of isolation is nothing new. Scott grew up with progressive hearing loss, and over the years she got used to spending a lot of time alone, because of the challenges of communicating with others.  But as the world has shifted to virtual communication amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott says feelings of isolation for herself and others with hearing loss are "compounded."  "There's a lot of challenges people are facing, you know, in terms of just staying in touch with work or loved ones," said Scott, who is the executive director of the Sudbury branch of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. "This is just increasing our isolation even further."

Read more: Pandemic measures mean extra challenges for people with hearing loss

What We Do

CICADA provides support to hearing impaired Australians through information, education and social events:

Live Transcripts

International Cochlear Implant Day

1. BUZZ magazine and state newsletters
2. information, understanding, practical advice
3. sharing first-hand, personal experiences
4. presentations, lectures and workshops
5. social functions, BBQs and dinners
6. internet forums and chat groups
7. working with manufacturers and clinics in Australia/NZ
8. financial support of clinics in metropolitan and country areas
9. links with organizations for the deaf and hearing impaired
10. helping to lobby governments and health funds re policies

Hearing Loss and Hearing Solutions - A Guide

Here at last is our 2018 revision of the "Hearing Loss and Hearing Solutions - A Guide" that we have published in PDF format for the enjoyment of users. Our original version was reviewed very favourably and attracted a lot of viewers. We now have this Guide in two formats: Desktop or Tablet version; iPhone/Android version.

You can view/download it from these links:

For desktop or tablet -  Hearing Loss and Hearing Resources - A Guide (91 pages, 2.4 MB size). 

For smartphones - iPhone or Android - Hearing Loss and Hearing Resources - smartphone version (101 pages, 1.6 MB size)

We welcome edits, corrections, updates, suggestions etc. Contact the authors via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Here are some of the professional comments about our new 2018 version.

Overall Reactions to Second Edition:
Monica Bray (Cochlear): I’ve just discovered the wonderful Hearing Guide. It's an awesome resource.
Jade Parr (Advanced Bionics): What a great resource.
Roberta Marino (Fiona Stanley Hospital) with permission:
I really enjoyed reading the guide!  It's brilliant. So comprehensive, easy to read and relatable. I'm really impressed with the level of detail and can only imagine the hours you've spent researching new updates. The guide will positively impact so many people including professionals.  I can see it being so useful for instance, at our hospital when new medicos have a rotation in the Ear, Nose and Throat Department or when we have new Audiology students in our Department who are new to implant devices. Again - well done!  It's fantastic there's people like you who are so pro-active and care enough to put in the hundreds of hours required to develop such a useful and thorough guide.

Overall Reactions to First Edition:
Margaret Anderson: It's going to be a great resource for consumers and all sorts of people. Well done for tackling it!
Marie-Louise Hekel: Congratulations on this most thorough publication. You have done a splendid job. It would be a very valuable resource, not only for hearing impaired people, but professional audiologists in particular.
Roberta Marino: I think you’ve done a brilliant job. You really have a great understanding of how the different devices can be applied. If you don’t mind, when the product is finished, I’d like to pass it on to training ENT’s at the major teaching hospitals here in Perth and also the upcoming Audiology students.
Sarah McCullough (Advanced Bionics): Well done on all your hard work
Linda Ballam-Davies (Cochlear): It looks great and you've done a top job.