May is Better Hearing and Speech Month.
The annual event is designed to raise awareness and promote treatment of communications disorders. These disorders include hearing loss, Tinnitus (ringing in the ears), difficulty with swallowing or balance, stuttering, delayed language, or voice problems.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association sponsors Better Hearing and Speech Month.
Although many boomers have serious hearing problems, they're reluctant to take action.
Half of the U.S.'s 76 million boomers are experiencing some degree of hearing loss, a study by The EAR Foundation and Clarity® shows.
The survey reports that hearing loss is significantly impacting boomers' lives at work, at home, and while traveling. More men (62 percent) are being affected than women (38 percent).
Some of the key findings from the report:
- Almost one-fourth (23 percent) of those surveyed said their hearing loss is impacting their success in the workplace, while 25 percent said hearing loss is affecting their earning potential. Areas of work most impacted are hearing and understanding phone calls and conversations with co-workers.
- Forty percent of people who reported having a hearing loss said that it has affected their home life in many ways, including having conversations with loved ones. Sixty-five percent said they have trouble hearing television. Watching TV with others and social gatherings are the areas that boomers with hearing loss avoid most.
- More than half (57 percent) of those with a hearing loss said they often have difficulty hearing on a cell phone.
See the Clarity Web site to obtain information on the study, which has 2004 and 2006 phases.
Clarity®, a Division of Plantronics Inc., is a supplier of amplified telephones, notification systems, assistive listening devices, and other communications devices for the hard of hearing and deaf.
The Ear Foundation, founded in 1971, is an organization that educates the public and the medical profession about hearing loss and ear diseases. It sponsors research into hearing and balance disorders. EAR stands for education and auditory research.
My next post on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide will discuss the need to "Find Qualified Provider for Testing, Fitting Before You Buy a Hearing Aid."
Well, not only for boomers but also for everyone. We always have to take care of our hearing.
Posted by: hearing loss treatment | December 28, 2010 at 07:18 PM