How To Overcome the Effects of Hearing Loss
Besides a singer’s voice, what could be more important to a
musician than his or her ears? At age 64, singer Huey Lewis is
recognized as one of the leading musicians from the ‘80s. He
suffers from hearing loss and wears hearing aids in both ears.
But it’s not just famous musicians who have dealt with
hearing loss. Actress Whoopi Goldberg has to wear hearing
aids, as does President Bill Clinton, who began wearing
hearing aids in both ears in 1997. These luminaries have
defined their own remarkable destinies, and have refused to
let hearing loss define them.
The social and psychological effects of hearing loss for
anyone, especially seniors, can be devastating. Research shows
that most people wait as long as seven years before even get a
hearing test to determine if there is a problem.
According to Statistics Canada, more than one million
adults across the country reported having a hearing-related
disability, a figure more than 50 per cent greater than the
number of people reporting problems with their eyesight.
At age 65, one out of three people have some form of hearing
loss. A big reason for this is noise-induced hearing loss may
happen slowly over time. Being exposed to everyday noises,
– By MJ DeSousa
such as listening to very loud music, being in a noisy work
environment, or using a lawn mower, can lead to hearing loss.
Hearing loss can be scary, but getting help doesn’t have to
be. According to the Canadian Hearing Society, “When you
get your hearing tested, a trained audiologist will ask you
to listen to a variety of sounds at different frequencies and
volumes through earphones or a similar earpiece and will
record the results on an audiogram. If you have a hearing
loss that needs correction, or if you need a hearing aid, the
audiologist can prescribe the correct hearing aid based on
your hearing profile.”
According to Health Canada, “Canadians are enjoying longer
life spans and better health than ever before. The proportion of
seniors in the Canadian population is expected to double by
2025.” People are generally taking better care of themselves,
are aware of their health, and as a result are living longer.
Another important factor has been a better understanding
of treatments for hearing health, better communication, and
improved support through information portals.
MJ DeSousa, an audiologist and Director of Professional Practice
at Connect Hearing, leads a team of hearing professionals acr