Sound Advice For The Hard Of Hearing

By Jan Howard

 Do you keep asking people to repeat things they have said to you? Does your family say the television or radio volume is too loud? These are two signs that you may have a hearing problem.

Forty-two million Americans have some communication problem. Twenty-eight million Americans have some degree of hearing loss, according to Melissa Cornelis, MS, CCC-SP, senior speech and language pathologist of Danbury Hospital’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Ms Cornelis discussed “Hearing Problems in the Elderly” November 14 during a program sponsored by Ashlar of Newtown at Lockwood Lodge. The program was part of Ashlar’s Lunch and Learn free seminar series for mature adults about living and aging well.

“About one third of Americans 65 to 74 and one half of those 85 and older have some form of hearing loss,” she said. Many do not want to admit to having difficulty hearing.

But Ms Cornelis said if these symptoms are ignored or untreated, the hearing loss might only get worse.

“Anyone 45 and up should have an annual hearing examination,” Ms Cornelis said.

A hearing loss may be due to the aging process or an illness, she said. Exposure to loud noise can also cause hearing loss, she said.

A person with a hearing problem may hear certain sounds clearly, but be unable to hear high- pitched sounds, she said.

Some of the signs of a hearing problem are:

Shouting in conversation.

Keeping the volume on the radio or TV at a level that others say is too loud.

Continually asking people to repeat themselves.

Straining to hear.

Misunderstanding conversations.

Favoring one ear.

Understanding people better when you wear your glasses or look directly at their faces.

Losing your place in group conversations.

Withdrawing from social contact.

Ringing or pain in your ears.

People with hearing problems may withdraw from interaction with others. Because of the hearing loss, a person might be considered as senile or unresponsive, Ms Cornelis said.

Ninety to 95 percent of hearing problems are correctable through surgery, medicine, or hearing aids, she noted. It can be as simple as having your ears checked for a buildup of wax.

Ms Cornelis suggested that people suspecting a hearing problem should see a specialist that treats hearing loss, such as an ear-nose-throat doctor or audiologist, for an evaluation of their hearing. If there were a problem, a hearing rehabilitation program would be suggested.

A speech pathologist may become involved to determine strategy for use of a hearing aid or other device.

Hearing aids can improve the quality of life, Ms Cornelis said, adding that today’s hearing aids do a much better job of sending auditory signals to the brain than those designed years ago.

Other items to improve hearing include assistive listening devices that make certain sounds louder and eliminate background noise, telephone amplifying devices, and TV listening systems that eliminate interference from other sounds. Hearing aids make all sounds louder, she noted.

Ms Cornelis said movie theaters and others public buildings often have devices designed for people with a hearing loss. “Ask them if they have a sound system for the hearing impaired.”

A program to make better use of hearing should include the elimination of background noise, Ms Cornelis said. Always speak face to face with people with a hearing loss because they often lip read.

 “It can be used as a communication tool,” she said. “Facial expressions can tell us if they understood.”

To obtain a list of certified audiologists in this area or to obtain an assistive listening device packet, contact American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 10801 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852, 800/638-8255, e-mail actioncenter@asha.org.

To obtain information about obtaining hearing aids at no charge or to donate used hearing aids, contact Hear Now at 800/648-4327.

For general questions or concerns about hearing loss, contact Danbury Hospital’s Main Street Physical Rehabilitation Center, Speech Pathology Department, 203/730-5900.

To learn about upcoming Lunch and Learn programs, contact Hilda DeLucia at 203/364-3127.