GPCIA NEWS -- July 21, 2004 Edition

 

Annual Georgia Peach Family Picnic, Sept. 11 at Rome

2004 Retreat Evaluations Tabulated

Mountain Magic for June 2005

CIAI Links with SHHH

Georgia Peach Board Meetings

National Center for Hearing Assistive Technology

Music Appreciation

Online Newsletter

 

 

Annual Georgia Peach Family Picnic, September 11 at Rome

 

The annual Georgia Peach picnic has a tradition of sharing – food, strategies for better hearing, networking – among the Georgia Peach membership and invited associations. This year, on September 11, we have invited members of Self Help for Hard of Hearing (SHHH) chapters in Georgia and Tennessee, and the Atlanta-based Association of Late Deafened Adults (ALDA-Peach). We anticipate more than 100 adults and children.

 

Especially for the children will be entertainment by a talented clown, a variety of games, and face painting. Georgia Peach will furnish smoked turkey, ham, drinks, and paper products; guests should bring a covered dish (hot or cold) and/or a dessert.

 

The picnic will be held 12 noon to 3 p.m. on the grounds of Oak Hill at the Martha Berry Museum (www.berry.edu/oakhill) in Rome. The site is near (but not on) the Berry College main campus. “This is a beautifully preserved 170-acre estate and the home of Berry College founder Martha Berry,” said Bill Hatcher, GPCIA president and picnic coordinator. “I know everyone will have a great time.”

 

Getting to the picnic at Oak Hill

 

The entrance to Oak Hill is from Veterans Memorial Highway (Loop 1) at the intersection of Martha Berry Highway (US 27).

 

Coming from the south on I-75, take exit 290 and turn left at bottom of ramp. Go 2.4 miles to a dead end traffic light. Turn left, then take an immediate right, up ramp to 411 S. and 20 W. combined. Go 3 miles to the Rome exit, and then go 16.1 miles to the traffic light (Texaco station on your left). Turn right; go to sixth traffic light (7.9 miles). Immediately before you reach this light, get in the extreme left hand lane. The Oak Hill entrance is a white brick entryway on your left.

 

Coming from the north on I-75, take exit 312. Turn right at top of ramp. This is Ga. 53. Go 19.5 miles on Ga. 53 to a traffic light. This is the first traffic light after you enter the Rome City Limits. Turn right. Go through two traffic lights and get in the extreme left hand lane as you approach the third traffic light (2.9 miles). The entrance to Oak Hill is a white brick entryway on our left, before you reach the traffic light.

 

If more information is needed, send an e-mail to Bill Hatcher at hatpillbill@aol.com.

 

 

 

2004 Retreat evaluations tabulated

 

The 2004 Georgia Peach Family Retreat at Cohutta Springs Convention Center, Crandall, Georgia, drew 173 people including 142 adults and 31 children. It was noted for excellent interaction among participants and a genuine sharing of ideas and strategies. Had we not experienced a delay (beyond our control) in mailing of registration forms, the registration total would likely have reached 200. Even with the delay, we had a record 18 walk-ins on Saturday.Among the top-rated events were the education and medical panels, the rap session, and the children’s program. We marked this 10th retreat with an anniversary party complete with candles, cake, and punch. We honored Richard Bowman for his years of support (he’s “Mr. Retreat”) and Danny Jones for dedicated service in assistive technology. We continued our popular raffle, had a tie in the battery-guessing contest, and used the watermelon party on Friday evening to kick-off festivities.

 

This retreat launched our use of mentors: veteran cochlear implant users who were available to assist CI newcomers and candidates with their CI questions and help them navigate through the retreat program. The children’s program, coordinated by Celia Cantrell and supported by student volunteers from the University of Georgia, included a performance by a professional clown who also entertained children and adults during Saturday’s luncheon.  To reinforce our goal of having the retreat serve all people, the participants included six adult CI candidates who were considering the implant and a Spanish-speaking family and interpreter. Thanks to everyone who worked hard and participated to make this one of our better retreats.

 

 

Mountain Magic for June 2005

 

On the heels of a successful Georgia Peach Family Retreat we are now planning the 2005 (11th) retreat at a sparkling new venue. The dates are June 10-12, 2005, and the site is the

Cohutta Lodge (www.cohuttalodge.com) near Chatsworth, Georgia. The Lodge is located at an elevation of about 3,000 feet off Rt. 52 between Chatsworth and Ellijay. It is a few miles east of Fort Mountain State Park and has a gorgeous view of the valley (so gorgeous that that facility is frequently booked for weddings). Amenities include an indoor swimming pool, quality restaurant, lodging in regular rooms, suites, and cabins, and versatile outdoor recreation. The conference area, which will include the children’s program, is convenient to the main lodge. By June 2005 the facility will have a 17-acre lake and additional cabins. The Lodge was selected to address some logistical issues of the 2004 retreat. We wanted better quality food, fewer restrictions from the management with respect to ticket raffle and activity schedules, simplified registration, and affordable rates. Cohutta Lodge seems to have it all. Note that we may plan our first workshops for early afternoon Friday, followed by dinner and recreation,

rather than just dinner and recreation on Friday evening.The Georgia Peach board will continue to keep you posted on site and program plans. Just mark your calendar now for June 10-12, 2005.

 

 

CIAI Links with SHHH

 

Some readers may be aware that the national Cochlear Implant Association, Inc. has ceased taking memberships and has entered into a “Memorandum of Understanding” with Self Help for Hard of Hearing People. Basically, this will allow the mission of CIAI to continue under the administrative umbrella of SHHH. Georgia Peach CIA has been a chapter of the national association. We remain an autonomous regional association, and we are delighted with the many advantages possible through a link with SHHH – the nation’s largest advocacy group for people with hearing loss. For one, SHHH will devote space in their periodical for CI interests. For another, SHHH will accent a CI track at their annual convention.  While on this topic, note that the SHHH Georgia State Office will participate with an exhibit and workshop in the Touch the Future assistive technology conference, Oct. 27-29 at Augusta. This is a statewide activity sponsored by Tools for Life, Georgia’s assistive technology program under the Department of Labor. For TTF information, contact www.gatfl.org.  This Touch the Future participation will precede SHHH’s first statewide conference, Oct. 29-30, also at Augusta. This event starts with a Friday evening dinner and includes workshops all day Saturday. The Georgia Peach Cochlear Implant Association will have an exhibit. For advance details, e-mail to Carrie and Dave Welter (dave.welter@comcast.net).

 

 

Georgia Peach Board Meetings

 

Monthly board meetings are held on the second Saturday of the month at Hellenic Tower, Roswell Rd., in Atlanta. For time and agenda, e-mail to Bill Hatcher, President (hatpillbill@aol.com) Association dues are $12 per year, payable to GPCIA and mailed to GPCIA, PO Box 1172, Tucker, GA 30085-1172.Always check our web site (www.gpc.edu/~btucker/gpcia) for the most current GPCIA news.  Retreat registration forms will be posted soon.

 

 

National Center for Hearing Assistive Technology

 

There is a wealth of information on technology for people with hearing loss, including people using cochlear implants, on the NCHAT web site (www.hearingloss.org/hat/). The Center is administrated by Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) under supervision of Dana Mulvany. Ron Vickery, Rome, Ga., is on the Center’s advisory board.The Center serves as a technological resource for people with hearing loss, their families, professionals, educators, and industry and government representatives. It is headquartered at the SHHH offices in Bethesda, Md. Among the Center’s national sponsors are Cochlear Americas, Oticon, Phonak, and Advanced Bionics. Supporting firms include Ameriphone, Audex, Williams Sound, and Listen Technologies. Cochlear Americas recently donated $10,000 to the Center.

 

 

Music Appreciation

 

The current (July/August) issue of Hearing Loss, the SHHH’s official publication, has a feature on music appreciation for cochlear implant users. In the past our GPCIA retreat has included music appreciation as a topic of interest, and member John Weber has continued research on the theme in conjunction with the University of Georgia’s music therapy department.The same issue of Hearing Loss has commentary on insurance reimbursement for CIs and hearing aids, and a novel article on how to cope with noise levels within a restaurant.

 

Medicare Guidelines

 

Rene Moland of Atlanta Ear Clinic has an interesting post: Cochlear Corp. reports that Medicare has agreed to review their cochlear implant coverage policy. They are requesting people to write comments to Medicare in support of changing the coverage guidelines. Currently the FDA has approved the use of the CI in adults with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss and 50% or less word discrimination. This guideline went into place in 2000. However, Medicare recipients must have 30% or less word understanding to have surgery. So a person on Medicare can be denied cochlear implant coverage when a patient with the exact same loss will be covered by their private medical insurance. You can see the conflict. Following is a web address and some suggested points to make in your comments to Medicare. Medicare will accept comments from the public until Aug. 9, 2004. Keep your comments on the positive side and emphasize your personal experience, whether as a CI user or professional with a hearing impairment. Ideally, Medicare will chose to update their coverage guidelines and make access to the CI the same for seniors as it is for everyone else.  http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/public_comment.asp?from=indexcomment&nca_id=134&basketitem=nca:00107N:134:Cochlear+Implantation:Pending:New

You must fill in all the fields marked by an asterisk. Under “Title of NCA” click on the dropdown arrow and click on “Cochlear Implantation.” Type in the “Comments” field, then click on “Submit Comments.” Afterward, you should get an e-mail confirmation that your comments have been accepted. If a confirmation is not forthcoming, resubmit your comments.

 

Online Newsletter

 

We are experimenting with an online newsletter, or news bulletin, to individuals who request to subscribe. The legwork is being done by Ron Vickery. Individuals may subscribe by writing to GPCIA subscribe@Yahoogroups.com. A request to subscribe will be fielded by Ron and you will be notified of your acceptance.This is an announcement-only deal. Only the moderators of the mailing list (currently Ron Vickery and John Weber) will be allowed to post messages to the group. But anyone can send an announcement to the moderators (GPCIA@yahoogroups.com), who will determine the value of the

announcement to the list membership.  Announcements will relate to Georgia Peach cochlear implant users, their families, friends, CI candidates, and professionals. We would like to extend the list to related

groups who may benefit from knowledge of CI activities. Events, trends, GPCIA board activities. This issue is a mirror for what to anticipate.  There is no set schedule for announcements, or length of content. Ideally, you may receive one or two per month. Do let us know your opinion of this service; do send us announcements; and do tell othershow to subscribe.

 

Thanks!