(BPT) - Hearing loss is much more common than most people realize. In fact, it is such a prevalent condition that only arthritis and hypertension affect more people. If left untreated, the consequences of hearing loss can be severe and greatly impact the quality of life and personal relationships of those affected. Worst of all, it can end up hurting you and the ones you love.
Whether you are a spouse, a caregiver or a friend of someone with hearing loss, coping with the condition can be difficult. Communication may become greatly hindered, causing you to speak and share less with your loved one. It can also lead to less involvement in social activities and increased feelings of depression or sadness.
kAm“q67@C6 >J 9FD32?5 7@F?5 E96 C:89E EC62E>6?E 7@C 9:D 962C:?8 =@DD[ H6 7@F?5 @FCD6=G6D =62G:?8 62C=J 7C@> D@4:2= 6G6?ED @C 564=:?:?8 E96> 2=E@86E96C[” D2JD $96CC66 {:DEH2 @7 96C C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 9FD32?5 w@H2C5 {:DEH2] “w62C:?8 2== 52J 2E H@C< 2?5 E96? 282:? @? E96 H66<6?5D 7@C D@4:2= 6G6?ED H2D E@@ E:C:?8 7@C w@H2C5] xE H2D 2 =:EE=6 56AC6DD:?8 7@C 3@E9 @7 FD 2D H6 925 E9C66 3FDJ D@?D 2?5 >2?J D@4:2= :?G:E2E:@?D]”k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 q6EE6C w62C:?8 x?DE:EFE6[ 2 =2C86 ?F>36C @7 A6@A=6 H2:E `d J62CD @C >@C6 7C@> E96 A@:?E H96? E96J 7:CDE C64@8?:K6 E96J 92G6 2 962C:?8 =@DD E@ H96? E96J AFC492D6 E96:C 7:CDE 962C:?8 2:5D] ~?46 E96J E2<6 E9:D DE6A[ :E >2J E2<6 2?@E96C D6G6C2= J62CD @7 36:?8 F?92AAJ H:E9 962C:?8 2:5D 7@C E96> E@ C62=:K6 E92E E96J 2C6 ?@E E96 @?=J @AE:@?] %96 8@@5 ?6HD :D E92E E96C6 :D 2?@E96C D@=FE:@? E92E 42? >65:42==J EC62E >@C6 DF3DE2?E:2= 568C66D @7 962C:?8 =@DD]k^Am
kAm“x? a__g[ 27E6C J62CD @7 FD:?8 E96 36DE 2?5 >@DE A@H6C7F= 962C:?8 2:5D[ w@H2C5’D 2F5:@=@8:DE 3682? E@ >6?E:@? E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 2 4@49=62C :>A=2?E[” D2JD {:DEH2] “w@H6G6C[ :E H2D?’E F?E:= a_`_ E92E w@H2C5 3642>6 D6C:@FD 23@FE =@@<:?8 :?E@ E96 E649?@=@8J] %96 3C62<:?8 A@:?E 42>6 H96? H6 @3D6CG65 D@>6@?6 H:E9 EH@ 4@49=62C :>A=2?ED :? 2 ?@:DJ C6DE2FC2?E[ E2=<:?8 2?5 6?;@J:?8 E96:C >62=] (6 <?6H E92E 52J E92E E96C6 H2D 96=A 2?5 9@A6]”k^Am
kAmp 4@49=62C :>A=2?E :D =:76\492?8:?8 E649?@=@8J AC@G6? E@ 96=A 25F=ED H:E9 D6G6C6 E@ AC@7@F?5 962C:?8 =@DD[ H9:49 :D 4@>>@?=J <?@H? 2D “?6CG6 5627?6DD]” &?=:<6 962C:?8 2:5D[ H9:49 >2<6 D@F?5D =@F56C[ 4@49=62C :>A=2?ED 3JA2DD 52>2865 A2CED @7 E96 :??6C 62C 2?5 5:C64E=J DE:>F=2E6 E96 962C:?8 ?6CG6 E@ AC@G:56 D@F?5 D:8?2=D E@ E96 3C2:?]k^Am
kAm“u@==@H:?8 w@H2C5’D 4@49=62C :>A=2?E :? s646>36C a_`_[ E96C6 H6C6 :>>65:2E6 492?86D :? 9:D 23:=:EJ E@ 962C 2?5 :? @FC 23:=:EJ E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? 6G6CJ52J E9:?8D E92E >@DE A6@A=6 E2<6 7@C 8C2?E65[” D2JD {:DEH2] “(6 ?@H 6?;@J D@4:2=:K:?8[ 8@:?8 E@ 4@?46CED 2?5 92G6 6G6? >256 D@>6 ?6H 7C:6?5D] w@H2C5 :D 2=D@ :?G@=G65 :? A=2J:?8 9:D 46==@ 282:? 2?5 :D 23=6 E@ C625 DE@C:6D E@ @FC 8C2?552F89E6C] w6 D2JD 96 92D ‘8@EE6? 9:D =:76 324<’ 2?5 E92E’D ECF6 7@C >6 2D H6==]”k^Am
kAm&?=:<6 962C:?8 2:5D[ 4@49=62C :>A=2?ED 2C6 4@G6C65 3J |65:42C6[ >@DE AC:G2E6 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 A=2?D[ 2?5 >2J 36 4@G6C65 3J |65:42:5] p55:E:@?2==J[ E96 4@49=62C :>A=2?E 6G2=F2E:@? :D EJA:42==J 4@G6C65 3J >@DE :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D]k^Am
kAm“w@H2C5 H:D96D E92E 96 925 =@@<65 :?E@ 2 4@49=62C :>A=2?E 62C=:6C D@ 96 4@F=5 92G6 6?;@J65 E96 D@4:2= =:76 96 ?@H C62=:K6D 96 H2D >:DD:?8] ~FC 25G:46 E@ 2?J@?6 H9@ :D 2 42?5:52E6 2?5 :D 23=6 E@ 92G6 E96 DFC86CJ :D E@ 8@ 7@C :E – J@F 92G6 6G6CJE9:?8 E@ 82:?P”k^Am
kAm%@ =62C? >@C6 2?5 E@ 7:?5 2 4@49=62C :>A=2?E 4=:?:4 ?62C J@F[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]4@49=62C]4@>^HAD^H4>^4@??64E^FD^9@>6^nFE>042>A2:8?l'2=6?E:?6Ds2J|2EE6U2>AjFE>0>65:F>l(63U2>AjFE>0D@FC46lqC2?5!@:?EQmHHH]r@49=62C]4@>^&$k^2m] x7 J@F H@F=5 =:<6 E@ DA62< E@ D@>6@?6 H9@ 92D 2 4@49=62C :>A=2?E 23@FE E96:C A6CD@?2= 6IA6C:6?46[ 42== `\g__\cgb\b`ab @C 6>2:= k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@ir@?4:6C86or@49=62C]4@>Qmr@?4:6C86or@49=62C]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lVk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`dgfgU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fQm9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`dgfgU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fk^2mV 3@C56ClV_V H:5E9lV`V 96:89ElV`V ^mk^Am
