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Joey Camb

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After reading Innkeeping Quarterly reminded me of something I have been meaning to do for a while which if buy an induction loop for the hard of hearing as both DH's grandparents who visit often (and live 9 miles away) both have hearing aids and it would help them. I thought this might be a neich which doesnt take much to advertise to. So I have ordered a hearing impaired alarm clock ($20), fire alarm ($20) and induction loop ($50) see how it goes. We have also looked into adding other facilities for example fridges for Diabetics insulin (I can't spell just to warn you). I was just wondering if anyone else catered for a specialist market and what things they did to help with that. According to the UK tourism stats the disabled market is huge and they tend to take in country holidays and stay longer so I am thinking it is worth the small investment especially with the Paralympics is comming to the UK next year.
 
Oooooooohhhh!~~~ Where did you order your Hearin Impaired Alarm Clock??????????? My son is hearing impaired and the one that his ENT suggested was over $50!!! Do tell.....
 
Thanks, Camb!! Becuase of the topic, there is now an Amazon listing on the right hand side that offers different hearing impaired alarm clocks...I found one my son likes! Thanks again!!
Just goes to show that you never know what'll happen on this forum
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I used ebay but you can also order them from Amazon but our pharmacy about 10 meters away from us does (more for a girl I think) heart shaped one that bizzes and flashes thats really fun. (they do do more boring grown up ones) My point is as well that when you say disabled people automatically think wheelchair - ie we are a historic building we can't do disabled but it covers so much more - insulin diabetics classed as disabled, deaf or hearing impared, blind or visually impared, people with learning difficulties, downs syndrome and they are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
My Aunt Pauline has been profoundly deaf from having meningitus as a child and stays with us regularly no problem.
 
Camb, you've hit upon something: a need for a change in attitude. I think many of us probably generally resist and resent government mandates that require us to do extra things for the benefit of the disabled. I'm seeing that right now, as my architect explains to me that since we're doing a total remodel of my old building, one of the four units must have a high toilet, grab bars, and several other requirements that seem to spoil the ambiance I'm trying to create at my place. I only have four units, and one has to look like a hospital!
But if we adopt the attitude that this can be a business opportunity (setting aside that it's also helping some people) it can do a lot to lessen one's resistance to it all. Excellent idea that many things can be done to help along this line for not a lot of money.
 
Camb, you've hit upon something: a need for a change in attitude. I think many of us probably generally resist and resent government mandates that require us to do extra things for the benefit of the disabled. I'm seeing that right now, as my architect explains to me that since we're doing a total remodel of my old building, one of the four units must have a high toilet, grab bars, and several other requirements that seem to spoil the ambiance I'm trying to create at my place. I only have four units, and one has to look like a hospital!
But if we adopt the attitude that this can be a business opportunity (setting aside that it's also helping some people) it can do a lot to lessen one's resistance to it all. Excellent idea that many things can be done to help along this line for not a lot of money..
one of the things which could help with that is a wet room - these look totally cool plus are totally wheel chair accessible or for older people who just can't do a bath. If you look online at bathrooms you can see disabled ones that look fricking amazing! would love to put one in in my ground floor room 11 but not sure about drainige if we put in a wet room but am very keen!
 
I have a brother in a wheelchair and I think the government has made it such a hassle and expensive to be "properly" certified for handicapped.
We are in our location small enough that we don't have to qualify but we as we add our rooms will make our one suite what I will call "wheelchair friendly". My brother lets us know what we need to do to make it work, For instance, he says our current doors are plenty wide enough but probably not what the government requires. We will work in a wheelchair ramp once the wing is up etc. It's a shame that everything the gov't sets up makes it so hugely expensive when it can just take a few pointers from someone to help one make the room more manageable.
Riki
 
We did the same as Riki, we asked a relative in a wheelchair for his opinion and now call one of our rooms "wheelchair friendly". It is certainly not up to official disabled standards, but he can manage.
 
Camb, you've hit upon something: a need for a change in attitude. I think many of us probably generally resist and resent government mandates that require us to do extra things for the benefit of the disabled. I'm seeing that right now, as my architect explains to me that since we're doing a total remodel of my old building, one of the four units must have a high toilet, grab bars, and several other requirements that seem to spoil the ambiance I'm trying to create at my place. I only have four units, and one has to look like a hospital!
But if we adopt the attitude that this can be a business opportunity (setting aside that it's also helping some people) it can do a lot to lessen one's resistance to it all. Excellent idea that many things can be done to help along this line for not a lot of money..
I advise my Aspiring classes to install handicap height toilets in all their bathrooms. Whether you have the grab bars or not, those extra couple inches are appreciated by old knees - and it will not destroy your ambiance. I hate going places that make me wonder which day care they robbed to get their toilets.
I have had smoke alarms that light up when the alarm goes off from day one. We had them in our house in Illinois. It just makes sense to have a light come on to if nothing else, orient one to what is where in the room. If the alarm (lighted) is over the door either go that direction to exit or if that is not an option, they know which direction to go to find a window..... I have had deaf guests who appreciated the fact there was a light that would come on. Will have to look into the alarm clocks.
BTW - DH has been classified as handicapped since he was 12. Until the post-polio hit, the only thing he could not do was run.
 
I simply love this topic....I've been a social worker for the past 20 years in the field of the disabled...it's just great...I've loved almost every minute of it.
Bottom line is we have to all be thinking this way...heck, it could be us someday! There is nothing more rewarding than to have someone in a wheelchair or other special needs in front of me and "Well, what you offer sounds great but can you accommodate me with all my needs?" YES, we can! It's a great feeling.....
 
I simply love this topic....I've been a social worker for the past 20 years in the field of the disabled...it's just great...I've loved almost every minute of it.
Bottom line is we have to all be thinking this way...heck, it could be us someday! There is nothing more rewarding than to have someone in a wheelchair or other special needs in front of me and "Well, what you offer sounds great but can you accommodate me with all my needs?" YES, we can! It's a great feeling......
You know whats even better? is when you can hear it in their voice they are just waiting for rejection ie "no I am sorry we can't accommodate you" and you say yes that's not a problem you can hear the shock! which in a lot of ways is really sad.
 
I wear a hearing aid......<correction>.......I seldom wear my hearing aid especially in crowded venues. I have, until this post, ever heard of an induction loop. Has anyone had any experience with these? Do you have to wear a specialized hearing aid for it to work?
Mine has to be fine tuned to amplify the frequencies I'm losing. I can't see how something like that would work.
 
I wear a hearing aid......<correction>.......I seldom wear my hearing aid especially in crowded venues. I have, until this post, ever heard of an induction loop. Has anyone had any experience with these? Do you have to wear a specialized hearing aid for it to work?
Mine has to be fine tuned to amplify the frequencies I'm losing. I can't see how something like that would work..
I am not an expert but they are quite common in the uk ie the customer service desk in Walmart has one you have to put your hearing aid into the T poisition (don't know what that means) and the idea is it helps tune out all the background noise so say you were in a busy shop you wouldn't be blasted with all the background noise around you while you told customer service what you needed. Will try and find a better explanation on the web and send a link.
 
I wear a hearing aid......<correction>.......I seldom wear my hearing aid especially in crowded venues. I have, until this post, ever heard of an induction loop. Has anyone had any experience with these? Do you have to wear a specialized hearing aid for it to work?
Mine has to be fine tuned to amplify the frequencies I'm losing. I can't see how something like that would work..
http://www.inductionloop.org/advice.asp#whatis
think this is the best explanation they are quite common in this country.
 
I wear a hearing aid......<correction>.......I seldom wear my hearing aid especially in crowded venues. I have, until this post, ever heard of an induction loop. Has anyone had any experience with these? Do you have to wear a specialized hearing aid for it to work?
Mine has to be fine tuned to amplify the frequencies I'm losing. I can't see how something like that would work..
http://www.inductionloop.org/advice.asp#whatis
think this is the best explanation they are quite common in this country.
.
http://www.inductionloop.org/advice.asp#whatis
think this is the best explanation they are quite common in this country.
It wouldn't work with my hearing aid then.
 
I wear a hearing aid......<correction>.......I seldom wear my hearing aid especially in crowded venues. I have, until this post, ever heard of an induction loop. Has anyone had any experience with these? Do you have to wear a specialized hearing aid for it to work?
Mine has to be fine tuned to amplify the frequencies I'm losing. I can't see how something like that would work..
http://www.inductionloop.org/advice.asp#whatis
think this is the best explanation they are quite common in this country.
.
http://www.inductionloop.org/advice.asp#whatis
think this is the best explanation they are quite common in this country.
It wouldn't work with my hearing aid then.
.
thats a shame trouble is I don't know enough about the technicalities of hearing aid to be of much help.
 
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