It clearly was a moving memorial service for a longtime friend who had died after a long illness, but I sat in silence, unable to hear the poignant stories and loving words from family and friends. The problem was something I’ve encountered all too often before: A house of worship without the technology to allow those with hearing loss to fully participate. The service was held in a beautiful 19th century church in Cambridge, Mass., in an alcove that seated about …Frustrated by Silence at a Funeral
It clearly was a moving memorial service for a longtime friend who had died after a long illness, but I sat in silence, unable to hear the poignant stories and loving words from family and friends. The problem was something I’ve encountered all too often before: A house of worship without the technology to allow those with hearing loss to fully participate. The service was held in a beautiful 19th century church in Cambridge, Mass., in an alcove that seated about …
Smart Hearing 
At least one third of the people over 65, and about 10% under 65, who attend
funerals and memorial services, have some degree of hearing loss and would
appreciate having CART, (computer assisted realtime transcription), instead of an
audio loop, because they don’t wear hearing aids. There are also people who can’t
hear using a loop and need CART. CART is the “ramp” for people with hearing loss.
It provides universal access and passive assistance. CART can be shown on a
screen or streamed to smart phones. It can be provided by an operator who is in
the room or by remote access, which increases the number of people available to
provide the service. Another option, which I used at a recent memorial
service when CART was not available, is to ask a friend or relative to type brief
phrases on a smart phone or tablet. My friend did a good job. I got the gist of
what was being said and was very grateful.
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