Hearing Loss Support Group in Portuguese: CLUBE SQO

Living with hearing loss can feel especially isolating when you are far from home. Medical appointments may happen in another language, family members may not fully understand what you are experiencing, and even simple conversations can become tiring. For Brazilians living in the United States or elsewhere abroad, finding a hearing loss support group that understands both the practical challenges of hearing loss and the emotional importance of speaking Portuguese can make a profound difference.

That is the purpose behind Paula Pfeifer’s work and the community she has built through Crônicas da Surdez and the Clube dos Surdos Que Ouvem: to help people with hearing loss feel informed, represented, connected, and less alone.

Paula Pfeifer’s work: information, connection, and lived experience

Paula Pfeifer is a Brazilian writer, communicator, and hearing loss advocate who has spent years transforming her own experience into useful information for others. Through Crônicas da Surdez, she talks honestly about the realities of hearing loss, hearing aids, cochlear implants, communication, accessibility, relationships, self-esteem, and the many decisions that can follow a diagnosis.

Her work begins with a simple but powerful idea: hearing loss is not only an audiogram or a medical appointment. It affects identity, family life, work, friendships, travel, and the way a person participates in the world. Reliable information matters, but so does finding someone who can say, “I understand what this feels like.”

What is the Clube dos Surdos Que Ouvem?

The Clube dos Surdos Que Ouvem – which can be understood in English as the “Deaf People Who Hear Club” – is a Portuguese-speaking community for people with hearing loss and those close to them. The name reflects the diverse reality of people who may identify as deaf or hard of hearing and who use hearing aids, cochlear implants, lipreading, captions, spoken language, or a combination of communication strategies.

The Clube creates a sense of belonging. Instead of having to explain every detail from the beginning, members meet people who already understand the frustration of missing words, the fatigue of trying to follow a group conversation, the anxiety of adjusting to a new device, or the relief of finally finding a solution that helps.

This Brazilian hearing loss community welcomes different stories and different stages of the journey. Some people are newly diagnosed. Others have lived with hearing loss for decades. Some are researching their first hearing aids, while others are experienced users of cochlear implants. Family members can also benefit by learning how to communicate more effectively and offer support without taking away the person’s independence.

Portuguese hearing loss support on WhatsApp

WhatsApp is often the most immediate way for Brazilians to stay connected, especially when they live in different cities, states, or countries. The Clube’s WhatsApp support groups bring Portuguese-speaking participants together for everyday conversation, mutual encouragement, and the exchange of practical experiences.

In a WhatsApp group, a member can ask whether others have faced a similar situation at work, during a flight, at a restaurant, or in a medical appointment. Someone adjusting to a hearing aid or cochlear implant can hear from people who remember that learning curve. A Brazilian living abroad can discuss the added challenge of navigating a new health system without losing the comfort of communicating in Portuguese.

The groups are not a substitute for an audiologist, ENT physician, therapist, or other qualified professional. Their value is peer support: real people sharing what helped them, what questions they learned to ask, and how they handled the emotional side of hearing loss. Any medical or technical decision should still be discussed with the appropriate professional.

A Facebook community for deeper conversations

Facebook support groups offer another valuable space for connection. Posts can remain available for members to read later, making it easier to follow longer discussions, share personal stories, and learn from earlier conversations. For someone who has just discovered the community, reading other members’ experiences can be reassuring: the problems that once seemed private or unusual are often shared by many people.

Why support in Portuguese matters when you live abroad

Living in another country can amplify the emotional weight of hearing loss. Even people who speak English well may struggle when a professional uses unfamiliar medical vocabulary, speaks quickly, wears a mask, or gives complex instructions. Accents and noisy environments can add another layer of difficulty. At the same time, friends and relatives in Brazil may not understand the local healthcare system or the daily realities of living overseas.

A Portuguese hearing loss support network bridges those worlds. It gives members a place to express fear, frustration, relief, and hope in the language that feels most natural. It also preserves the cultural references, humor, and warmth that help a community feel like home.

For Brazilians in the United States, this can be especially helpful while learning how to request captions, prepare for appointments, talk to an employer, participate in social situations, or compare experiences with hearing technology. For Brazilians in Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, or anywhere else, the same principle applies: geography should not prevent you from receiving encouragement in Portuguese.

What you can find in a hearing loss support group

A welcoming space to talk about hearing loss without embarrassment;
Practical experiences involving hearing aids, cochlear implants, captions, and communication strategies;
Encouragement during diagnosis, adaptation, and moments of uncertainty;
Connections with other Brazilians who understand life outside Brazil;
Ideas for communicating with family, friends, colleagues, and healthcare professionals;
A reminder that there is no single “right” way to live with hearing loss.

You do not have to navigate hearing loss alone

If you are Brazilian, live in the United States or another country, and have been searching for a hearing loss support group in Portuguese, the Clube dos Surdos Que Ouvem may be the community you need. You are welcome whether your hearing loss is recent or lifelong, mild or profound, and whether you use hearing technology or are still exploring your options.

Start by following Crônicas da Surdez and the official Clube dos Surdos Que Ouvem channels to learn about the available WhatsApp and Facebook groups. Introduce yourself when you feel comfortable, share only what you wish to share, and remember that every participant once arrived with questions of their own.

Distance from Brazil does not have to mean distance from understanding. Through Paula Pfeifer’s work and the Clube dos Surdos Que Ouvem, the Brazilian hearing loss community can travel with you, offering information, empathy, friendship, and the reassuring knowledge that you are not alone.

Hearing Loss Support Group in Portuguese: CLUBE Surdos Que Ouvem