Fostering Inclusive Communication for Seniors with Hearing Loss (FICS): a five-year project

In August 2025, the CHHA-NCR Branch was awarded a five year subcontract from the national office of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, as part of a collaborative initiative involving nine Ottawa based community organizations.

FICS stands for Fostering Inclusive Communication for Seniors. The project aims to improve inclusion and accessibility for seniors with hearing loss, particularly those facing social, cultural, or economic barriers. It is funded in part by the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program.

The community partners are Immigrant Women Services Ottawa, Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre, John Howard Society of Ottawa, Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre, Rural Ottawa South Support Services, the RA Centre, Volunteer Ottawa, Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, and Vectors Group.

One of the project's commitments is to run live captioned virtual workshops several times each year. The first, Inclusive Communication and Support for Seniors with Hearing Loss, was delivered on May 29, 2026. It helped normalize age related hearing changes, explained common signs and social impacts, and gave participants practical strategies: facing the speaker, choosing quieter rooms, asking for repetition or slower speech, using captions online, and improving meeting accessibility with microphones and clear audio.

The project also carries a message for community organizations, that inclusive communication is a core part of respectful service delivery rather than an optional addition.