There may be free help available for those who experience difficulty hearing at the movies or theater. The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that public assembly venues with fixed seating for at least 50 people (except houses of worship) built or renovated after 1992 provide assistive listening devices for at least 4%of the audience. These devices, which can be used with or without a hearing instrument, bring sound directly to the listener's ears via a receiver that picks up a signal from a transmitter in the theater. If the listener's hearing instrument is equipped with a telecoil, he or she can wear a "neckloop" that will transmit the sound directly to the hearing instrument without the need for earphones.

There are a variety of devices and products on the market today to assist the hearing impaired to live happier, more fulfilled lives.

P.S. Assistive listening devices are also helpful in boardrooms and lecture halls.