Hearing at work..

[girlingrey]

Well... started work today, and pretty quickly realized that while I can hear the PA system, it's difficult to understand. One of the most common announcements is so-and-so to dial a certain number. They do, of course, also make other announcements, but my big problem has been with these. I'm worried that I'm not going to hear my name if they called it. Any suggestions here? We don't use headsets at all. I wear my hearing aids, but it's not really helping. I was thinking like a one touch pager, right by the PA mic, so that they could just call me to the main desk. However, I guess I wouldn't hear the instructions. Ideally, I guess, I'm thinking text message :P How did anyone else resolve this?

 

[Anij]

Well... started work today, and pretty quickly realized that while I can hear the PA system, it's difficult to understand. One of the most common announcements is so-and-so to dial a certain number. They do, of course, also make other announcements, but my big problem has been with these. I'm worried that I'm not going to hear my name if they called it. Any suggestions here? We don't use headsets at all. I wear my hearing aids, but it's not really helping. I was thinking like a one touch pager, right by the PA mic, so that they could just call me to the main desk. However, I guess I wouldn't hear the instructions. Ideally, I guess, I'm thinking text message :P How did anyone else resolve this?

YOu could either use an alphanumeric pager (like drs use/ed pre cell phone) or have them text message you the line ... provided your cell provider is FAST at relaying texts.

I do know a number of hoh who have used a very simple pager set up where the receptionist pages the line & time so "line 3 3:32" to the hoh persons pager .. they then pick up the line.

I actaully had a system like this with the receptionist at my workplace (which was noisy, and didn't have PAs in some spots I worked in) - If I didn't get the call after 1min, they'd text me "Line #3 holding 3:45pm mm/dd). It worked really well.
The receptionist used my service provider's website (Rogers Canada) "send a text message" site (bookmarked on her computer) which sent the messages out to me in seconds and confirmed to her that I'd received the text. All in all it was a VERY good system that required NO additional technological or $$ (I had unlimited texts already on my cell plan).

If you typically work in the same room as other employees ... set up "listening buddies" - ie people who are able to understand the pages and will relay important messages to you.


One thing that has been a HUGE lifesaver is the new(ish) Voice to text programs available for voicemail. My cell phone voicemail uses a voice-to-text service (spinvox) from my cell provider which not only audibly records the voicemail message like "normal" , but also sends me the message in SMS text format. The voice-to-text occasionally makes mistakes, however you can call 711 (relay) from TTY,VCO or VRS and have the retrieve the message and then type it back to you to resolve any mistakes the automatic spinvox program may have made. This is also a good option for times that you just can't understand someone on the phone ... ask them to call back, leave a breif voicemail, and you'll call them back with the answer (then once they record the message check the voicemail-to-text SMS, and if that isn't clear just call 711 and have them type the message back to you (TTY , VCO, or VRS).

Hope that helps !