It’s said that, “Old age isn’t for sissies,” and getting older certainly brings challenges. Failing hearing is one common problem that affects many older people.
The loss of hearing arises from wear and tear of the inner ear – the cochlea – over time. Regular exposure to loud noise may also result in additional damage to the cochlea.
“When one’s hearing starts going, one’s daily life and the activities we regard as normal also fail us,” says Lisa Shand, an Audiologist at Cape Hearing Aids. “This may result in social isolation and ultimately in mental decline due to a lack of stimulation. It’s important to maintain a similar quality of life to avoid the negative impact on daily life.”
There are practical things you can do to enhance your ability to hear – for instance:
• Tell people to look at you when they are speaking so that you can pick up what they are saying through the movement of their lips and because of the direction of the sound of their words.
• Arrange the furniture in your lounge so that people will be visible when you are communicating: a U-shape or semi-circle arrangement allows everyone to see one another, and that makes communication more effective. Communication is enhanced when seeing both a speaker’s mouth and their body language.
• Ensure that your lounge is well lit so that you can see all your visitors properly.
• In a restaurant setting, try to sit with your back to a wall, to avoid background noise interfering with front-facing speakers.
In addition, a hearing aid can assist to improve the quality of your life if you struggle to hear. “A wide range of devices is available,” says Lisa. “Which one you select depends on your individual needs.”
Lisa raises these considerations when selecting a suitable hearing aid:
• The extent of the hearing loss determines how powerful the hearing aid should be.
• The person’s hearing needs determine the level of technology required, ranging from basic to more advanced options, e.g. the more complex your listening environment (restaurants, music, theatre), the more your hearing aid should be able to automatically adapt to enhance speech in different settings.
• Your lifestyle may influence the choice of device, e.g. someone who is regularly outdoors may need to take into account the
effect of wind on their hearing.
• The ease and convenience of using a particular device, including the amount of understanding of the technology involved, e.g hearing aids are available in rechargeable and disposable battery-operated options.
• The cost of the device is depenent on the above factors and which technology level would be best suited to your specific hearing loss, listening and lifestyle needs, device style preferences, as well as finances. Your Audiologist will consult your medical aid to ascertain whether hearing aid benefits are available. One can also apply for a tax credit from SARS, which is part of one’s medical expenses claim and
is regarded as a tax credit for a disability.
• Other factors to consider: the after service and care of the hearing aid in terms of the warranty period; whether devices are repaired or replaced during the service warranty; and overall maintenance of the device. Most hearing aids have an IP rating of 68, and so they are probably water resistant. Some devices are more durable than others, depending on the manufacturer – the Audiologist will know which manufacturers to recommend.
Ultimately, loss of hearing need not result in the complete loss of social activity or a reduction in one’s quality of life. Don’t allow hearing loss to limit you. Solutions are at hand.
• Published in the April 2024 issue – Click here to start reading.
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