January 7, 2009

The bad hearing of relative a delicate subject 

If you find it difficult to broach the subject of the hearing loss of a relative or friend you are not alone. Almost half of the respondents in a new online survey conducted by hear-it said that they struggled with this issue when they tried to deal with it.

Forty-seven percent of those who had talked to a relative or friend about his or her hearing loss said they found broaching the subject difficult. Altogether, 85 percent of the respondents reported that they had brought up the subject with a relative or friend, according to the survey conducted by the non-commercial hear-it organisation.

- Pointing out problems in those close to us is never easy, and for hearing impaired individuals the recognition of this problem can be a big step. But talking about it is actually the best thing to do, stated Kim Ruberg, Secretary General, Hear-it.

Ruberg found it encouraging that the vast majority of the respondents did broach the subject in spite of the awkwardness they had to overcome.

The influence of relatives essential
An earlier study by the Forum Gutes Hören national German hearing organization found that the influence of relatives and friends often make the difference when something is to be done about hearing problems.

- Family and friends can offer important support when a hearing impaired individual is trying to make up his or her mind about seeking treatment. All studies show that treatment of hearing loss, typically with hearing aids, results in significant improvements in the quality of life of the treated individual, stated Ruberg.

- Improvements are found in close social relationships otherwise adversely affected by hearing loss. Hearing aids help the hearing impaired individual function better within the family, with his or her spouse or partner, on the job and in every other situation involving hearing.

Signs of hearing loss
Hearing loss may manifest itself in difficulty hearing in group settings or when there is background noise. Other signs of hearing loss include a tendency to turn up the volume on the TV or often asking people to repeat what they just said. Hearing impaired people often find social situations exhausting.

In Europe, one in six suffers from some level of hearing loss, according to an earlier hear-it survey. In the United States, hearing loss is the third most widespread chronic affliction, according to the Better Hearing Institute.

Source: www.hear-it.org

About the survey
120 hear-it users took part in the survey which was part of a series of surveys about life with hearing impairment.

About Hear-it AISBL
Hear-it AISBL is an international non-profit and non-commercial organisation. The objective of Hear-it AISBL is to collect, process and circulate relevant information pertaining to hearing impairments and their human and socio-economic consequences. Hear-it AISBL publishes www.hear-it.org – the world’s leading website on hearing loss.

For further information: Mr. Kim Ruberg, Secretary General, Hear-it; tel. +45 40 300 500, e-mail: hear-it@hear-it.org