HEARING LOSS

If you are a person with a disability, there are many agencies that can assist you with services such as, special needs housing, job training, small business assistance, and assistive devices that you may benefit from. New technology has been developed to allow people with disabilities to be included in many areas such as college, the work place, and places of worship, etc. I am going to use this particular blog to tell you a little about myself, and the help I have been given to make my life more richer.

I know first hand how much a disability can change your life. I have been wearing hearing aids in both of my ears for the past five years, and it has been quite an adjustment. I will probably have several posts on disabilities; especially hearing loss for this is something close to my heart. If you are in need of hearing aids, there are agencies that can assist you with the cost, and those that will buy them for you. Please note that you will have to be registered for their services in order to benefit.

The first organization that I will praise is Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation. My wonderful Counselor, Cheryl (won’t post her last name until I get permission), not only received authorization to purchase my hearing aids, but she also sent me to Business Now for small business training. If you priced hearing aids, you know that they aren’t cheap. I could not afford them, and I thank God that Vocational Rehab exists to help people in need.

Working with Goodwill Industries, I obtained a certificate from Business Now, a micro business organization that assists you with writing your business plan. They keep you up to date on opportunities for small business loans, and opportunities to promote your business, etc. In addition, once I graduated from the Business Now class, that qualified me to receive a Happy Embroidery machine. Writing my business plan wasn’t hard for me, because I love research and writing. It was a long process, but well worth it. I have embroidered items for bike clubs, co-workers, and established a clientele that became repeat customers. I took a break from embroidery to give something back, this blog.

I can’t tell you how much I am grateful for the assistive listening devices that I also received. They also purchased for me, a TTY Text Telephone, vibrating and tone alarm clock, and other devices that use blinking lights to alert me of a ringing phone, or doorbell. If you need help, there are a wealth of resources to assist you with job training, job placement, and how to pursue a meaningful career.

The following link will bring you to “SOAR,” (Searchable Online Accommodation Resource), which will list Vocational Rehabilitation agencies by state, http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/TypeQuery.exe?902. Find your state, click on the link, and contact your local Vocational Rehab office today. You will be so very happy that you did. I am! May God bless those who have helped me along the way.