Unless you have experienced diminished hearing personally, or you live with someone whose hearing is weaker…I bet you take your ability to enjoy every voice, every note and every sound, for granted.
Afterall, most of us didn’t grow up with regular trips to the audiologist, the way we visited dentists or optometrists. Yet, according to Soundwave Hearing Care, approximately 60 per cent of Canadian adults have hearing health problems. 60 per cent!
This is especially concerning given that most of us experience hearing loss, gradually a little bit at a time, until we find ourselves isolated. Many times, being “hard of hearing” gets chalked up to “just another problem of getting old” – or worse, people choose to live with hearing loss rather than “advertise my age by wearing hearing aids” – or they simply claim that everyone mumbles these days – nobody speaks clearly anymore.
Firstly, it is downright dangerous to let hearing loss overtake one’s life while growing old. We know that hearing loss leads to isolation which leads to an increased probability of cognitive challenges. It is truly a question of A+B=C – for people who have lived their entire lives hearing – until they are old.
Secondly, many devices are very discreet and are barely noticeable. Of course, it means another piece of equipment to be managed but most of us over 40 carry at least 1 pair of glasses with us at all times. This is the exact same thing for another sense that is crucial to the ultimate healthy living habit: human connection.
Plus, gone are the days when one must fumble with batteries the size of lentils every other day. Most hearing aids are like ear pods. The ever-evolving technology can even allow users to focus on conversation while minimizing background noise. It seems like a no-brainer.
We talked to our friend John Wong who is a Hearing Instrument Specialist with Meta Hearing and this is what he had to say about the importance of recognizing hearing loss:
“It is important to recognize the early signs of hearing loss. Some of them would include difficulty hearing in groups, misunderstanding words in a conversation, having to raise the volume on TV/phone and much more. We encourage everyone to do a baseline hearing test for future comparison. Leaving hearing loss untreated will increase chances of dementia and affect your cognitive ability in the long run. It will also take a toll on your relationships with your loved ones.”
As we have always said – ageing is not something that happens to you, it is something you do. Do it the best way you can. Take care of your hearing.
Thank you to John Wong from Meta Hearing, for his contribution.
Meta Hearing, 647-812-9166, www.meta-hearing.com
