On 4–5 June 2026, EFHOH President Lidia Best and Secretary General Claire landesmann attended and spoke at the HeAL Conference in Padua, Italy, representing EFHOH and its members.
During the conference, they delivered three presentations highlighting the importance of person-centred hearing care. A key message throughout the discussions was that hearing care should move beyond the traditional “we fit you and you’re fixed” approach and instead focus on the individual needs, communication preferences, goals, and lived experiences of people with hearing loss.
The conference also provided an opportunity to introduce EFHOH’s Hearing Loss Inclusive Employment Toolkit to audiologists and other hearing care professionals. The Toolkit aims to support more inclusive workplaces for hard of hearing people and raise awareness of the barriers that many continue to face in employment. Following its recent launch, EFHOH plans to make the Toolkit available in additional languages to increase its accessibility and reach across Europe.
While in Padua, Lidia Best and Claire Landesmann visited one of the world’s oldest universities, founded in 1222. Its motto felt particularly relevant to our work: “Padua’s freedom is universal for everyone.” A message that resonates strongly with EFHOH’s vision of accessibility, inclusion, and participation for all.
EFHOH is pleased to have contributed to these important discussions and looks forward to continuing its work to promote person-centred hearing care and greater inclusion for hard of hearing people across Europe.
