Every conversation can be challenging. It is difficult to hear words clearly because they are muffled. They often have to ask others to repeat themselves and sometimes try to fake it through conversations. This is the world that the hard-of-hearing.

The Hearing Loss Association of America reports that approximately 20 percent of Americans, or 48 million, have some hearing loss. Telephone conversations, while not as difficult as face-to–face interaction, can turn out to be nightmares.

“I went to the VA, and I found out that the problems I have with my hearing were caused partially through the explosions [from the war],”Don Pullan, a World War II veteran, is 89 years old and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. “It was difficult to have a simple conversation with my two daughters over the phone.”

While hearing aids do an “excellent job of helping people meet many of their communication needs,”Sometimes more is required.” adds Dr. Sergei Kochkin, a board member and executive director of the Better Hearing Institute in Washington, D.C.

“In certain situations, additional assistive listening devices may be required.” he says. “Some users of hearing aids still experience difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments like restaurants or while listening to the telephone.”

To this end, one company is helping to break the silence for those who have trouble hearing.

Salt Lake City-based CaptionCall created a new telephone that allows hard-of-hearing users to follow conversations on their phone much like they would closed-captioning television.

CaptionCall uses voice recognition technology and a transcription service to display written captions of what callers say on a large screen. The service is provided free to all qualified individuals as a result of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Customers make and receive calls as they always have. All that is required to use CaptionCall is a high-speed Internet connection, a standard home phone line and medically recognized hearing loss.

“We are improving communication for the hard-of hearing every day.” says Pat Nola, president and CEO of the company. “It makes people’s lives better in a profound way.”

Pullan agrees.

“[CaptionCall]It was absolutely amazing.” he says. “It connects me to everybody. It is amazing. It is stunning.”

For more information on this free service, visit www.CaptionCall.comOr call 877-863-1196.