ASHFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Town of Ashfield is debuting a new assistive listening system to be used during Town Meetings and other public events in the Town Hall’s Upper Hall. The system utilizes neck loops, worn like lanyard and attaches to a small receiver that is compatible with many hearing aids, Auracast, and even headphones. A public demonstration of the system will be held on September 4th at a luncheon hosted by the Council on Aging and the Town Clerk’s Office. 

From the Town of Ashfield:

Town Hall Adds Assistive Listening

Have you ever had trouble hearing the speakers at Town Meeting?

In response to resident requests, the Town of Ashfield is excited to debut the Auri Assistive Listening System (Listen Technologies). The assistive listening system, supported by an Age & Dementia Friendly Community Grant from LifePath, is installed in Upper Hall and will be used at Town Meetings and other public events to help people hear more clearly by delivering sound directly to a user s ears. The system works in a few ways depending on the user s equipment or technology, as described in this article.

On Thursday, September 4, 2025, the Town Clerk s Office and Council on Aging will host a luncheon and product demonstration in Upper Town Hall from noon to 1:00. We invite anyone interested to come by, enjoy a pizza lunch, and try out the new system. Let us know if you plan to attend by contacting Alexis Fedorjaczenko at TownClerk@ashfield.org or phone 628-4441,x5.

What is assistive listening? An assistive listening system helps people hear better in noisy or large spaces by sending sound directly from a source (like a microphone) to the listener s hearing aid or earbuds — with no background noise, reverberation, or static. When ambient sounds, distance, or room echoes make it hard to hear, assistive listening technology can make a big difference.

The reliable standard: Telecoil technology The most common assistive listening systems work using telecoils (or T-coils) in hearing aids. Despite being decades old, telecoil systems are still widely used because they re simple, reliable, and compatible with many existing hearing aids. Ashfield’s system supports telecoil with the use of “neck loops”, which are worn like a lanyard and attach to a small receiver. Ashfield has these available at no cost to users; we’ve started with a small supply, with the possibility of adding more if there is interest.

To connect, a hearing aid must be switched to telecoil mode. Some hearing aids have a physical button or switch, and some can be switched using a phone app. Not all hearing aids have the telecoil feature enabled by default, so if you re unsure or don t know how to access it, your audiologist can check your device and program the telecoil mode into your settings if it s available.

The hot new option: Auracast

While learning about assistive listening systems, we heard about a cutting-edge technology that promises a more convenient and flexible way for people to connect hearing aids or earbuds to the audio in public settings like airports, arenas, and meeting rooms — Auracast broadcast audio.Ashfield’s system supports this exciting new option, which means that Ashfielders with Auracast- compatible hearing aids, earbuds, or smartphones can receive Town Meeting and other event audio directly to their devices.

You can check with your audiologist about Auracast. It uses Bluetooth LE Audio, which is not yet supported by many devices though it’s projected to become a standard feature in the next five years. During testing we’ve learned a few things about compatibility:

• Some hearing aids come Auracast ready” but won’t work with Auracast until the hearing aid maker sends a firmware update to your equipment (and we don t know when that update will be); other hearing aids come Auracast enabled” and should work out of the box.

• Some newer model phones (mainly the latest models of Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel) work with Auracast; Apple hasn’t yet added support for Auracast to any of its devices but is expected to.

• Some wireless earbuds support Auracast, and there are other kinds of receivers available. We are learning more and testing options.

An easy way to connect: Headphones

For people who want some help hearing at events but who don t have the technology for telecoil or Auracast, standard headphones are a simple alternative. We have small, portable receivers that connect to headphones via a standard 3.5mm auxiliary plug. You can bring your own headphones or wired earbuds, or you can borrow a clean pair of over-ear headphones from the town.

Connected to the receivers, headphones transmit the same high-quality audio signal being broadcast through the speakers and allow users to adjust the volume to their individual comfort level. It s an easy and effective way for anyone of any age to benefit from clearer sound.

Join Us!

Please join us on Thursday, Sept 4 to learn how this exciting enhancement to our town hall will help YOU — and have some pizza! Contact Town Clerk Alexis Fedorjaczenko at TownClerk@ashfield.org or 628-4441, x5.