Deaf Navigator Program

03/05/2026

03/05/2026

I’ve grown and transformed my listening of the words “disability” and “hearing loss” over the years. Anyone will tell you that while I do not often choose to let it define me - I also will not deny the invisible weight on my shoulders.

Here are just a few of the unseen extras that go with living a life with as strong individual with hearing loss.

From the exhaustion that comes from constant vigilance, discomfort of adjusting to periodic programming changes, and the vacuum of missed sounds, social details and conversations.

Each of these can drain our mental energy from worry, coordinating, practicing, looking for, asking for repetition, etc. It's no wonder we need sound/hearing breaks and extra time for self-care! To those living this reality, know that your strength is seen, your challenges acknowledged, and your perseverance is recognized.

Together, we can make the invisible, visible.

03/04/2026

Our very own Christopher has concluded his last XC skiing season at East, we are so proud of him.

03/03/2026

Happy March, spring is right around the corner. Remember to file your PFD!
https://mypfd.alaska.gov/

03/03/2026

We want to thank Fred Meyer Great Harvest Bread Co. Anchorage, AK Bear Tooth Theatrepub & Grill for their sponsorship with food! AEIC was very successful this year and we have received great feedback, thank you all for coming. We also want to thank AEIC chair Deborah Bost for her hard work this year, she did amazing job!

03/03/2026

We've had lots of new people join so I'm sharing again.

My hearing aids are great and I love them! But they aren't called hearing miracles for a reason. Something many people don't know is that hearing device limits.

Some people say it's up to 12 feet but I think that depends on the situation. Is there background noise? That shrinks word discrimination and understanding. Harsh acoustics create reverberation and that makes it more difficult. How well the speaker enunciates and project their voice.

It also depends on the severity of the hearing loss. With a severe hearing loss, my maximum is 6 feet. BUT, if there's background noise and harsh acoustics, that number is going to be 2 to 3 feet.

Some people have low vision AND hearing loss. They prefer people to be closer. Without my glasses on, I need people to be within 3 feet for better sound. This also applies to lipreading skills and strategies. The closer people are, the more information I can pull in.

The distance is individual. It works differently for each of us. This week, work on finding your preferred distance. Then let other people know that works. Let's get rid of unrealistic expectations for hearing devices, together. The more we share, the more we all grow. Hearing people need to grow their know too.

02/28/2026

Email from Hope Community Resources Connecting Hard of Hearing Communities Across Alaska   ABOUT HOPE UPCOMING EVENTS GET INVOLVED   Stories of Hope February 2026 Newsletter Dear Friends of Hope We’re

02/27/2026

We’re hiring! Hope is excited to announce a new opportunity to join our team as a Hard of Hearing Navigator.

This role is part of our Deaf Supports team and assists Hard of Hearing people and their families across Alaska by connecting them to resources, services, and systems that promote access, independence, and inclusion. The Navigator focuses on outreach, community engagement, and advocacy—helping bridge communication gaps in healthcare, education, housing, employment, and beyond.

Learn more and apply at https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Hope-Community-Resources-1/jobs.

Know someone who might be interested in the role? Please help us spread the word by sharing this post.

02/26/2026