subject: When You Have Hearing Loss Problems [print this page] When You Have Hearing Loss Problems When You Have Hearing Loss Problems
Hearing loss affects more than 31.5 million Americans and two thirds of them are older than 55 and less than half ever seek treatment. In this case, impaired hearing can have a negative impact on your quality of life and so it is important that you be aware of hearing loss as you grow older. The people who usually withdraw, become depressed, and may even die before their time are those who are older and are suffering from hearing impairments.
Through the years, a hearing loss problem can develop and most people fail to see the extent of such a problem until family or friends bring it to their attention. In order to help your mom see where she stands, here is a simple test. Is she experiencing any trouble hearing over the telephone? In terms of asking others to repeat themselves, does she do this? Does she have difficulty understanding people in groups or in noisy situations? Does she experience difficulties in knowing where sounds are coming from? On cases when someone talks to her from another room, does she find it hard to understand? Because she cannot understand, have she avoided family meetings or social situations?
In this case, she has a hearing problem if she answered yes to three or more of these questions. She should see an otolaryngologist, a doctor who specializes in ear, nose and throat disorders or an audiologist for a hearing evaluation.
Here, she might also find hearing aids effective. Thanks to advances in design and technology, hearing aids have dramatically improved through the years. To find the most suitable kind, she should work with an audiologist.
Other things she could use are the assistive devices. When it comes to these, they work perfectly if you have less than perfect hearing. You will be using TV and radio listening systems, assistive listening devices, telephone amplifying devices, and alert products like flashing light doorbells and smoke detectors in this case.
There are times when the loss of hearing is severe and if so cochlear implant surgery can be done. For the millions of Americans who need hearing aids but can't afford them, there's also a great program that can help. When it comes to this, this is a new non-profit service that helps people purchase new hearing aids at greatly discounted prices.
In this case, you need to have an income that is no higher than 2 1/2 times the national poverty level. No asset test is required and financing plans are also available. Supposed you are eligible, you will receive an examination by a hearing health professional and you will also be fitted with new, digital behind the ear hearing aids.
You will be provided with routine follow up visits and you will get discounts that range between 30 percent and 75 percent. You will find a telecommunications equipment distribution program available in many states and they provide free telephone equipment to people with hearing problems. What you can do is visit their web site for information and check with your local phone company.
