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Y
our life is changing because of hearing loss and
you may not even realize it. You turn up the TV or you
ask people to repeat what they say, especially in the
presence of background noise or when listening from a
distance.
By the year 2030, 21 million Americans age 65 and older
are expected to have a hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss
is most often associated with the aging process. It
usually occurs in both ears and is irreversible medically
or surgically. This condition involves difficulty
understanding speech, especially in noisy environments,
and gets worse over time. A person's ability to hear high
frequency sounds diminish with old age. For example,
"s" may sound like "sh" and
"f" may sound like "th."
Almost every older person will experience normal aging
changes in the auditory system; however, exposure to
noise
over a lifetime is now believed to be a major contributor
to hearing loss in old age. Hearing health can be
protected through preventive measures such as:
- wearing earplugs
- turning down the volume on stereos or headsets
- limiting periods of exposure to noise while at concerts
Because communication with an older person can often be
challenging due to physical, psychological and social
changes during the aging process, take extra time and be
patient. For example,
- begin conversations with casual topics
- be an active listener
- look for hints from eye gaze and gestures
- reduce background noises that may be distracting
- allow extra time for a response
- keep sentences and questions short
If you suspect that you or a family member has a
hearing loss, consult an ASHA-certified audiologist, the
hearing care professional who can evaluate your hearing
and suggest treatment methods.
For more information on hearing loss and aging,
including a free brochure, or for a referral to an
ASHA-certified audiologist, consumers may call ASHA's
Action Center at 1-800-638-TALK (8255) or visit ASHA's
web site at
www.asha.org
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Communication disorders affect
approximately 46 million Americans. Of these, 28 million
have a hearing loss, 14 million have a speech or language
disorder, and 4 million have a balance disorder, or
suffer from smell and taste disorders.
Audiologists are
hearing health care professionals who specialize in
preventing, identifying and assessing hearing disorders
as well as providing audiologic treatment including
hearing aids and other assistive listening devices.
Speech-language pathologists are
the professionals who identify, assess, and treat speech
and language problems including swallowing disorders.
ASHA is
the national professional, scientific, and credentialing
association for more than 120,000 audiologists,
speech-language pathologists and speech, language, and
hearing scientists.
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