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When you can't hear well, carrying on a simple conversation can be frustrating, embarrassing and discouraging. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are remarkable, quality-of-life-enhancing solutions. The Key is early detection and intervention. Did you know that hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults? When left untreated it can significantly impact your overall quality of life. As hearing declines, so does your ability to effectively communicate. This leads to feelings of frustration, discouragement and embarrassment. Persistent failure to understand what is being said may lead to a withdrawal from social activities rather than struggling to communicate. However, those who wear a hearing instrument report a significant improvement in quality of life, self-confidence, personal relationships & mental well being.
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How can I Help? |
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You may recognize the situation - during a family conversation a loved one smiles and nods, pretending to understand what is being said, but doesn't really have a clue because of a hearing loss. Then, when a professional consultation is recommended, this advice is often rebuffed with a remark like, “I don't really have hearing trouble; it's just that nobody speaks as clearly anymore ”.
Even if you aren't entirely sure that someone close to you is suffering from hearing loss, it is well worth finding out for sure. So how do you persuade someone with a hearing loss to make an appointment with a specialist or dispenser? Particularly if they refuse to admit experiencing problems?
Often, the problem is one of embarrassment.
First, it is important to understand why people are generally reluctant to seek help. Often, the problem is one of embarrassment – for some, hearing difficulties are a sign of approaching old age, or (particularly in the case of male sufferers) they may be afraid to show signs of “weakness”. |
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