First Movie Theater in the Tri-Counties Equipped with Hearing Loop
Thanks to a generous donation by Otojoy, guests attending film screenings at the vintage Ojai Playhouse will have more to appreciate than just the recent renovations. Otojoy recently installed a hearing loop system at the Ojai Playhouse, which will allow guests with hearing aids and cochlear implants the ability to hear sound clearer and without background noise.
Hearing loops utilize telecoil technology by magnetically transmitting sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants effectively acting as wireless earphones. The technology eliminates background noise and clarifies sound for hearing aid users who often struggle to understand speech in auditorium type settings. Those without telecoil-equipped hearing aids or who are hard of hearing but don’t wear hearing aids can also benefit from the hearing loop by checking out a portable receiver and headset.
Otojoy specializes in hearing conservation and amplification. The company’s mission is to educate, inform and provide innovative, competitively priced hearing products. In addition to their donation to the Ojai Playhouse, Otojoy also works with schools and the Channel Islands YMCA to provide hearing screenings and educational sessions for the local community. Otojoy is based in Santa Barbara and will be opening a second office in Ojai in early May 2013. In addition, Otojoy will offer free hearing screenings at Help of Ojai in May. For more information, please visit www.helpofojai.org.
Local residents who participate in a free, 30-day hearing aid trial with Otojoy will receive two complementary free tickets to test the hearing loop system at the theater. Until the grand opening of Otojoy’s Ojai office, audiologist Donna Gilmartin is available for home visits. With more than 25 years of experience in her field, including work with the St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, Australia, the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles and the Santa Cruz Medical Foundation, Donna Gilmartin and Otojoy founder Thomas Kaufmann are excited to take the first step of turning Ojai into a hearing friendly city.
The Ojai Playhouse is located at 145 E Ojai Avenue in Ojai, California. The theater is used for daily public movie screenings as well as weekend screenings by the Ojai Film Society. For more information on show times and price of admission, visit http://www.ojaiplayhouse.com.
