By Mikayla van Loon
Having sound hearing health is vital for everyday functioning but very few Yarra Ranges residents regularly get their hearing tested.
New research by Specsavers Audiology has found that over the last two years only 38 per cent (20,453 people) of those aged 50 and over had a hearing check.
Audiology Professional Meena Venkat said as one of the five senses, a hearing impairment can cause major disruption to interaction with others and the ability to communicate properly.
“I have seen family members become frustrated if they have to repeat a few times or even the person themselves who has hearing loss, they find it isolating or they feel embarrassed to ask it again,” she said.
Ms Venkat said even the little things of being unable to hear a doorbell or a phone ring or perhaps struggling to hear when there is a lot of background noise can all be tell-tale signs that a person’s hearing may be depleting.
“You don’t have to have a significant hearing loss to come forward for a hearing test because sometimes it will be a gradual change.
“So do it sooner rather than leaving it later with regular hearing checks one every two years. It will identify it at the earliest stage so they can act accordingly.”
One in six Australians have some hearing loss but less than 40 per cent will take further action and get treatment.
A common misconception Ms Venkat said is that people often link hearing loss with age, only assuming elderly people are more likely to have a hearing problem.
“I have seen a lot of noise damage at a young age and they lose their hearing permanently. So there is a stigma that hearing loss is mainly for very elderly people.
“Everyday we are hearing the same comments from the customer saying, ‘Oh, I’m not that old’.”
It is recommended that people 50 and over get their hearing checked but Ms Venkat said it is important for young people, particularly trades people, to also have their hearing tested.
“When you monitor your hearing often, it’s easier for your audiology professional to pick up on any changes in your hearing, take the time to understand your hearing needs and lifestyle in order to find a solution that works best for you.
“At the moment, we see a gap of seven to ten years between when hearing loss is noticed by individuals to when they take action and we want to reduce that gap so that no one is hearing less.”
Some of the reasons Ms Venkat believes hearing loss is not treated as seriously as other conditions may be to do with the ability to fault someone else, as well as being embarrassed.
“In the beginning, people often say ‘Oh, you’re not speaking properly, you’re not looking at me, you’re mumbling’. It’s easy to say it’s not my hearing, it’s your fault,” she said.
Many things can cause hearing loss, with Ms Venkat saying something as simple as having music playing too loud in headphones, industrial noise or concerts can cause severe damage.
A 15 minute audiology assessment is all it takes to understand hearing health better, with a detailed report emailed to the customer to keep a record of their hearing test.
“In this time, you can ask some questions or you can clarify your doubts. The audiologist will be happy to guide or help even for family members.”
Specsavers Audiology has been providing free hearing screenings since November 2018. Appointments can be booked online here www.specsavers.com.au/hearing.
