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So, I’m in the years of adulthood and I’m having difficulty hearing parts of conversations and I need to ask people to repeat themselves. Don’t suggest a hearing test! I refuse to go to an audiologist to have myself assessed. I’m not old enough for hearing aids!
Listen up! Hearing loss can occur at any age. Have a “listen” to this.
The consequences of the damage that it may cause might surprise you. Here’s a story of one woman’s experience with a mother who was unable to deal with the psychological ramifications of her declining level of hearing.
“My mother loved chatting with her friends, doctors and other acquaintances until her hearing began to wane, as she got older. She refused to get a hearing aid because of the cost, she said. Her social circle began to shrink when she was only able to hear parts of a conversation and didn’t respond appropriately. She became increasingly isolated.
Next she started misunderstanding phone messages and when she was hospitalised for a non-hearing related illness, the experience was awful. If the doctors spoke to her and she could not hear them, she would look bewildered. She and failed to answer even the simplest questions. Consequently, there were times when a medical practitioner would dismiss her concerns because she appeared so confused. It was only when I repeated what had been said, slowly and loudly, in a quiet setting, that she finally understood.”
You might dismiss this story as a tale about a woman in her later years, but I wonder whether the symptoms didn’t begin many years earlier. Don’t let hearing loss cause you confusion and embarrassment, no matter what your age. Don’t let people assume you are less intelligent than you are. Don’t leave hearing loss untreated. There are no good excuses. If they’re necessary, hearing aids are an investment for life. Live your best life and contact your audiologist now. It’s a simple process.
