Thursday, November 13, 2025 – How to deal with the holidays
We had a very good turn-out for this Zoom. Thank you to everyone who attended and participated. And thank you to Pat Dobbs for facilitating the helpful and delightful sharing of ideas. Holidays means large and noisy gatherings. Yup, hard to hear environments. It can be isolating and overwhelming. We shared strategies, and laughs. We felt that we are not alone in our struggles.
And thank you to Thomas for recording the event.
Recording 1h 12m. click on this long link
When prompted for a passcode please use =V0gRT?T
Saturday, November 9, 2025 – Hearing Things With Julie and Brad
Thank you Julie and Brad! We all enjoyed your delightful presentation of living with hearing loss, hearing things, and getting by.
We had delicious Duffy’s Tavern lunches and were cozy inside on that dreary November day in Kennebunk.
Great food and great fun!
Please keep your eyes and EARS open for Julie and Brad and be sure to visit their website at:
Saturday November 1, 2025 – HLAA Downeast chapter was at the Healthy Hibernational Fair at the Blue Hill YMCA.
The event did not a huge crowd, but we were there! Thank you Pat and Thomas!
We were there for you! We want people with hearing loss to know they are not alone!
October 13th and October 17th, 2025 – The Hidden Impact of Hearing Loss on Relationships
Two in- person events presented by Pat Dobbs. And, as always, she did an excellent job!
She presented at the Daughters of the American Revolution at the Congregational Church in Deer Isle, Maine on October 13th. And, she presented to the same church’s friends and membership of October 27th. Thank you Pat!
Pat’s mantra: When we understand each other’s challenges, communication becomes easier.
Thursday September 18, 2025 – Let’s Zoom! The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: How technology has impacted our hearing loss journey.
Our own Gwen LaPointe presented this topic and it was well attended.
Tom Watson III added: [Email Tom, tom3w@earthlink.net, or text 207-505-0870]
Know that Gwen asked us to do at least two things:
1- This week, try just one new piece of technology that could help your work, health, or your connections.
2 – Make a list of dreams that we have for ourselves
A recording of the session is at the link below. passcode: $h9.0XKK
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/zJD5VUxJFrt36KAN3r-mdnXifajcHTL826ABQF2l3jn0DjmLFSWBNdapBIxlNME5.X5UN-m3F_O_UsLES
Saturday, July 26, 2025 – Lunch in York, Maine
We had a pop – up lunch in York, at York River Landing . It was a lovely day. We expected six of us, but two emergencies reduced our numbers. Next time we will triple ourselves!
When one of us called the restaurant to contact us and explain, oh my golly! How can two hard-of-hearing people talk on a non-accessible phone in a bustling restaurant? We couldn’t! But York River Landing was soooooo accommodating ! The hostess acted as a hearing interpreter and we were able to communicate the unfortunate emergency. It is safe to say – we will be back to visit York River Landing . Delicious and accommodating!
Thursday, July 24th – Conversation at the Brewer Public Libary
We had a lively conversation at the Brewer Public Library ~ quiet but friendly and supportive. Thank you to everyone who attended. We enjoyed light refreshments while sharing the challenges of hearing loss.
More to come!
Thursday, May 22nd, 2025- Healthy Aging Expo in Bangor & HLAA DownEast
Thank you to Pat Dobbs and Gwen LaPointe for holding down the HLAA DownEast table. There was amazing pedestrian traffic and the girls made lots of personal connections!
Watch this website and e-mails! There will be new and hopefully active in-person gatherings of HLAA DownEast friends.
Picture is of Pat Dobbs making connections at Healthy Aging Expo in Bangor.
May 17, 2025 -Another Get-Together in Augusta and it was loads of fun!
Our HLAA DownEast Chapter had a second Augusta ‘in person’ gathering at Riverfront Barbecue & Grille and it was a wonderful luncheon!
Ten of us made the long haul from our distant Maine towns and we were all glad we did.
Riverfront was marvelous to turn off the loud background music, the service was fantastic, the food was delicious, and we were able to re-arrange the furniture to help meet our needs as good folks with hearing loss.
Thursday, April 18, 2025 – Hearing Loss 101
Nothing fancy here – just a little bit of everything. Just the facts.
And we all learned and shared a lot.
If you missed it, you may watch the recording:
Click HERE to view and listen to the recording. The password to view the recording is e=#rc89e
Click HERE to view the corresponding PowerPoint presentatation.
March 28 – 30, 2025 – The New England Regional HLAA Conference
Over 100 people across New England came together to learn, share, network and have fun at the New England Regional HLAA Conference.
HLAA DownEast had a super good turnout with about a dozen of us. That is excellent considering that we had to drive to Marlborough, MA and hotel it for at least one night, but really two nights.
It is a good thing that the weather was bad because we all stayed inside to hear all the wonderful speakers, and share stories amongst ourselves.
Our Andy Chandler and our Pat Dobbs were presenters! They both did excellently of course. Andy spoke of cyber security, Pat spoke of hearing loss and relationships. Some other topics were ‘How to Buy a Hearing Aid,’ ‘Hearing Aids and AI,’ ‘home safety,’ ‘aural rehabilitation.’ It was a pleasure to have HLAA Executive Director Barbara Kelly and HLAA Chapter Engagement Manager Melissa Kruse speak about what is happening nationally.
There were captions and interpreters but presentations were not recorded. If Powerpoint presentations become available for posting, or if other links about the event emerge, I will post them here.
The conference website is www.hearinglossnewengland.org/
February 20, 2025 – Phone Apps for Hard of Hearing Folks
Margaret Myatt presented the many smartphone apps that make it so much easier to hear and understand calls. The meeting was well attended and much discussion ensued.
If you missed it, you may watch the recording by
clicking here
This link brings you to the corresponding PowerPoint presentatation.
February 15, 2025 – Bridgton Winter Carnival vendors and crafts
Hooray! We teamed up with Lisa of Disability Rights, ME (www.drme.org) at the Bridgton Winter Carnival . Together we met new friends and stayed warm inside. Together we worked to get the message out: You are not alone with hearing loss! It was a fun, worthwhile day.
Jan 16, 2025 – InnoCaption free smartphone captioning app explained by Matt Goncalves, Senior Marketing Director.
InnoCaption is a free mobile app for the deaf and hard of hearing, offering real-time captions for phone calls using live stenographers (similar to CART). There is an option for automatic speech recognition, and users can switch captioning mode during calls. Both sides of the conversation are captioned – this is unique to InnoCaption. This app allows clear communication for personal, business, and essential conversations. They provide this without cost to these users in the USA thanks to FCC funding.
We had a good turnout for this event. For those who missed it, the 1 hour 24 minute presentation is available for viewing:
Below is a quick summary of the presentation.
Innocaption comes to the national HLAA convention regularly. Privacy of callers is protected by law. A recent survey indicated that users’ listening fatigue was cut in half after only 3 months of calls. InnoCaption can only be used for incoming and outgoing calls where the user is deaf or hard of hearing; NOT for in-person conversations.
Passcode: 3Z=&Zmxd
We are moving around the state and trying to find you.
We want hearing loss Mainers to get together no matter where we are! And we can Zoom together too. Yup. We are reaching out to each other. Let’s keep reaching!
