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On World Assistive Technology Day, the organization highlights inequalities in affordability and support across Europe. The European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH) marked World Assistive Technology Day on June 4 by calling for more available, accessible, and affordable hearing technologies across Europe to address ongoing inequalities. While hearing aids and cochlear implants are a starting point for many individuals with hearing loss, EFHOH emphasizes that a wider ecosystem of assistive technologies is essential for full participation in society. This includes assistive listening systems such as hearing loops, remote microphones, captioning, speech-to-text services, and smartphones. https://hearingreview.com/hearing-products/amplification/amplified-caption-phones/when-captioning-helps-patients-regain-connection The organization points to its research, including surveys on the provision of hearing aids in Europe from 2018 and 2022, which documents significant disparities in affordability, reimbursement, and lifelong support criteria among different countries. An ongoing 2026 survey continues to investigate access to hearing aids and cochlear implants. These findings coincide with increased attention on the issue at the European level. The European Commission recently identified accessible and affordable assistive technologies as key enablers of inclusion and equal opportunities in its communication on Enhancing the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities up to 2030. https://hearingreview.com/hearing-products/amplification/assistive-devices/perspective-evolution-of-assistive-listening-systems While EFHOH welcomes this recognition, it cautions that access to technology is only one part of the solution. In its announcement, the organization states that meaningful inclusion also depends on accessible environments, inclusive communication practices, rehabilitation, and lifelong support. On World Assistive Technology Day, EFHOH reiterated its call for a Europe where assistive technologies are responsive to individual needs, preferences, and lifestyles. Recognizing the right to hearing access, the group says, means recognizing the fundamental role of technology alongside the support and services that allow users to realize its full benefits.

Tag: EFHOH

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