Deaf Awareness Week – 2-8 May 2016

From 2-8 May 2016 Deaf Awareness Week will celebrate collaborative work that has made a difference for people who are deaf or have a hearing loss.

Promoted by the UK Council on Deafness, Deaf Awareness Week is an opportunity to raise awareness that there are over 11 million people in the UK with some form of hearing loss – that’s 1 in 6 of the population. By 2035, this figure is estimated to rise to nearly 16 million.

Many think that hearing loss only happens well into retirement age but, according to Action on Hearing Loss*, 40% of us have some kind of hearing loss by the time we pass 50. It is important to realise that, for the vast majority, hearing aids offer the only likely improvement and are usually more successful the earlier they are worn.

So how would you know if you might be losing your hearing? The signs can be subtle and could include things like:

• having difficulty following conversations involving more than 2 people or when not face to face.
• finding it difficult to hear in noisy places like restaurants, pubs or shopping malls.
• having to turn up the TV or radio to a high volume.
• feeling stressed or fatigued from straining to hear what others are saying.
• feeling nervous about trying to hear and understand.
• withdrawing from social situations that you once enjoyed.
• having trouble understanding what children are saying.

If you think you may have hearing loss, why not find out for sure? A hearing test is painless and usually free.

Left untreated hearing loss can:

• increase the risk of cognitive decline
• contribute to depression and social isolation
• increase the possibility of developing dementia

Hearing loss can also be an early warning sign of other health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Mary Hare has been helping people with hearing difficulties for well over a hundred years. It has been based in Newbury since 1949 and provides a comprehensive hearing care service. Improving your hearing could have huge benefits for your quality of life, so why not book a free initial assessment with one of our hearing experts today? Call us on 01635 523343, email us on newburycentre@maryhare.org.uk or go to www.maryharehearingcentres.co.uk

*Formerly known as the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID)