Hearing loss affects 11 million people in the UK – about one in six people. It can occur at any age, however, its prevalence increases with age: 40% of over-50 year olds have some form of hearing loss, rising to more than 70% of 70 year olds. In addition to this a further 3.7 million people with hearing loss are of working age. There can often be a delay in people seeking help for their hearing loss, most often because individuals take longer to accept their hearing loss and seek help.
Research shows that family and friends have an influence over loved ones seeking help with their hearing loss. Often you will find that encouragement and guidance from you, in a sensitive manner, will be more positively received by your loved one. If you them struggling to hear, it is best to discuss this with them. It could be that they haven’t recognised it themselves, or they may be unaware of the easy steps to take to get a hearing loss diagnosed and treated.
How to recognise if family and friends have hearing loss
Hearing loss affects people in different ways. Before your loved one gets help with their hearing loss, they may:
- turn up the TV louder than others wants it
- find that others mumble
- struggle to hear well on the phone
- struggle to hear in restaurants and other noisy environments
- find keeping up conversations hard work and tiring
- become isolated and choose to miss social events because communication is too much of a strain
- experience loudness recruitment, which is when someone finds it difficult to cope with loud noises and sometimes complain that they can’t hear you, while at other times they might say that you’re shouting
- experience anger, anxiety, frustration and depression due to their hearing difficulties.