Better Hearing Australia Brisbane

25/05/2026

You are not alone! Living with hearing loss can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. BHA’s Community Connect Groups bring people together to share experiences, tips, and support in a friendly, understanding environment.
Whether you want to learn from others, share your story, or just enjoy being part of a community that truly gets it, BHA’s Community Connect groups are waiting to welcome you. Comment or DM us to find a local group today or learn more at https://bhabrisbane.org.au/services/advocacy-support-connection/support-groups/

BHA Brisbane is Queensland's Peak Body for people hard of hearing. We are not for profit and have been supporting Queenslanders with hearing loss since 1946.

22/05/2026

"I should just change my voicemail message to: 'Please hang up and text me'."

Who hasn't thought that... or done it!

While hearing loss can be frustrating, isolating and challenging, sometimes a little humour can help us feel connected. And this week's funny is probably more a piece of advice than a joke as such. In any case we hope it helps or provides a little chuckle.

Do you have a hearing loss-related joke or light-hearted moment to share? Why not share it with us and people living with hearing loss.

19/05/2026

“Learning, understanding and sharing has been so helpful.”

Christine took part in the BHA ACE Your Hearing program and found it helped her better understand her hearing loss, manage social situations and feel more confident.

She said the program gave her simple everyday communication tips, helped her understand listening fatigue, and showed her how to prepare better for conversations.

Christine also valued being able to attend with a support person, helping her family better understand the challenges of living with hearing loss.

If you or someone close to you is finding hearing loss difficult, BHA’s free ACE Your Hearing program may help.
Banyo Library
Thursday 11 June and Thursday 18 June
10am to 12pm

For more information and to register your interest, click here: https://bhabrisbane.org.au/services/advocacy-support-connection/active-communication-education-ace-program/

18/05/2026

Imagine hearing aids that don’t just make everything louder… but help you hear the person you’re actually trying to listen to.

A study published in Nature Neuroscience tested a “brain-controlled” listening system that can pick up who you’re paying attention to in a noisy, multi-talker setting, then boost that voice in real time. The researchers used high-resolution brain recordings from people already undergoing neurosurgery, and ran a closed-loop system that adjusted the sound as attention shifted.

What they found:
• Clearer speech in busy, “cocktail party” situations
• Less listening effort (people didn’t have to work as hard to follow the conversation)
• People preferred it over standard audio

It could track attention even when people changed focus mid-conversation

Big takeaway: this is strong proof that “attention-guided” hearing tech can work — but it’s early research and not something you can buy today. The testing used specialist brain recordings, so the next step is figuring out how to bring this kind of benefit into practical, everyday devices.

Would you want hearing tech that could help you tune into one voice in a noisy room?

Read more here:

This study shows that brain signals can identify and amplify the voice a person wants to hear in a crowded scene. Choudhari et al. provide evidence that brain-controlled hearing can improve speech perception and clarity in noisy environments.

15/05/2026

While hearing loss can be frustrating, isolating and challenging, sometimes a little humour can help us feel connected. This cartoon was shared with us and gave us a smile, so we thought we’d pass it on.

Do you have a hearing loss-related joke, cartoon or light-hearted moment to share? Why not share it with us and the people living with hearing loss.

14/05/2026

Hearing aids are not the whole answer. Hearing aids help, but communication is more than technology.

Many people are surprised to find that even with good hearing aids, some situations are still difficult.

Cafés. Group conversations. Family gatherings. Meetings. Social events. Talking from another room.

That does not mean you are doing something wrong.

Hearing aids are aids, not a complete remedy. The right communication strategies can make a real difference.

BHA’s free ACE Your Hearing program helps people with hearing loss learn practical ways to manage conversations, prepare for social situations and feel more confident in everyday life.

Banyo Library
Thursday 11 June and Thursday 18 June
10am to 12pm

Register your interest here: https://bhabrisbane.org.au/services/advocacy-support-connection/active-communication-education-ace-program/

12/05/2026

A major medical milestone has just been approved in the US, with the FDA giving the green light to the first gene therapy for a rare inherited form of childhood deafness.

The treatment is designed for children with otoferlin deafness, a genetic condition where the ear can detect sound but cannot properly send those signals to the brain. In a small clinical trial, hearing improved in 80% of children who received the therapy.

It is an exciting development, but also a complex one. This therapy only applies to a rare type of deafness, not all hearing loss, and the article also highlights important concerns from parts of the Deaf community about how “cures” are discussed.

For families, clinicians and advocates, it is a reminder that hearing care is changing quickly, and that new technology needs to be considered alongside choice, identity, access and respect.

Read the article here:

The agency's decision is based on results from a clinical trial in which the treatment improved hearing in 80 percent of the pediatric participants. However, Deaf community advocates worry about the push to cure hearing loss

12/05/2026

Calling families with a 2½ to 3½ year old child 📣

Help shape the future of hearing health in children.

NAL is inviting families in Australia to take part in a 20 minute at-home activity with their child and receive $30.

This research will help us improve early hearing checks for young children in Australia.

To sign up, visit: tinyurl.com/chatterbugs

For more information: chatterbugs@nal.gov.au

11/05/2026

Free program: Communicate better with hearing loss
Do you wear hearing aids but still find some conversations difficult?

You are not alone.

Hearing loss can make everyday communication harder, especially in background noise, group situations, social events or family conversations.

BHA’s ACE Your Hearing program is a free two-session program designed to help adults with hearing loss build practical communication strategies, improve confidence and better manage everyday listening challenges.

The next program will be held at Banyo Library:
Thursday 11 June, 10am to 12pm
Thursday 18 June, 10am to 12pm

ACE Your Hearing is especially useful for people who want more than hearing aids alone can provide.

Registrations are now open: here: https://bhabrisbane.org.au/services/advocacy-support-connection/active-communication-education-ace-program/

06/05/2026

Important update: The National Relay Service is taking action on scam calls

The National Relay Service, or NRS, is an essential communication service for many people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech communication needs.

Unfortunately, between May and November 2025, the NRS experienced a significant increase in scam activity. These scam calls created risks for users, disrupted communication with businesses and organisations, and placed extra pressure on Relay Officers and the service overall.

The NRS has now introduced stronger processes to help identify and stop suspected scam calls, while continuing to protect access for genuine users.

Previously, Relay Officers were required to relay a call in full, even when it appeared to be a scam. The call could only be assessed after it had ended. This meant scam calls could continue for longer, increasing call volumes and putting extra pressure on the service.

Following discussions with the Australian Government, a new process was introduced in November 2025. Relay Officers can now disconnect suspected scam calls while they are happening.

Since the new process was introduced, the NRS has seen a noticeable reduction in scam-related call volumes and call handling times. This helps free up Relay Officers to support genuine users and reduces the risk of fraud affecting individuals, government agencies, financial institutions and other organisations.

The NRS has also outlined a three-stage approach to help stay ahead of changing scam tactics:

Stage 1: Disconnecting active scam calls
This is already in place. Relay Officers can now end suspected scam calls, helping reduce scam activity through the service.

Stage 2: Improving user registration
The NRS is planning improvements to the registration process to make it harder for scammers to gain access to the service. This will involve consultation with NRS users and government agencies.

Stage 3: Caller verification
Future changes will help confirm that the person making the call is the registered user, adding another layer of protection against impersonation and misuse.

The impact so far has been encouraging. In October and November 2025, the NRS was seeing an average of around 500 undetected scam calls per month. Since 26 November 2025, 94 suspected scam calls were disconnected, and in January, 87 scam call attempts were identified. Based on these figures, scam activity has reduced by around 80% from its peak.
BHA understands that some people may be concerned that extra security steps could make services harder to access.

However, we commend the intention to keep the NRS safe, trusted and available for the people who genuinely rely on it.
Protecting the integrity of the NRS also helps preserve confidence among the businesses, services and organisations that NRS users may need to contact.

We welcome efforts to reduce scam activity while maintaining fair and accessible communication for people who are Deaf, hard of hearing or have speech communication needs.

The video below has no sound and provides an Auslan translation of this information with captions.

National Relay Service - Scams

06/05/2026

Get involved in the Australian Deaf Games 2026, 4–11 July 2026.

The Australian Deaf Games are coming to the Sunshine Coast, bringing together sport, community and connection for Deaf and hard of hearing athletes, families and supporters.

With Athletics, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Chess, Futsal, Golf, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Touch Footy, AFL, CrossFit, Handball, Surfing, Pickleball available there's something for everyone.

Ceremonies, social activities and much more.

Registrations close 24 June 2026.

Find out more and register now at the link below: https://austdeafgames.org.au

See you there!

July 4 – 11, 2026 Australian Deaf Games countdown QUICK LINKS ——-> Sports Schedule Social Program Results GAMES MERCHANDISE NOW AVAILABLE! ATHLETE REGISTRATION HERE 2026: Achieving Sunshine Moments Together The Games is proudly hosted by: Games registration now open! Standard registration avai...