Healthy hearing
March 1, 2021
This Wednesday is World Hearing Day. At Anglicare, we know how important it is to support older Tasmanians to care for their hearing.
General Manager of Anglicare’s Home Care Services Connie Bruckard says team members are trained to spot the signs of hearing loss. They have also had training in hearing aid basic maintenance and can assist clients to fit their hearing aids and replace batteries.
Supporting people to access appropriate health care such as regularly hearing checks is another important part of our service.
“This was particularly important during the height of COVID-19 last year when it became more difficult for elderly people to access face-to-face medical services,” Connie said. “We were able to encourage and support our clients to keep up-to-date with health maintenance checks across a range of areas, including hearing.”
Myra Ng is a clinical audiologist based in Hobart and a board member of Audiology Australia. Writing an opinion piece for the Mercury newspaper earlier this year, she said that half of Australians between ages 61 and 70 have symptoms of hearing loss. Even pre-pandemic, hearing checks were often not seen as a priority, according to Myra.
She said a common misconception is that there is nothing to be done about age-related hearing loss. But hearing loss and related ear diseases can often be avoided through preventative actions, or addressed by appropriate care. ”Early detection gives us advantages in having more successful treatments,” she said.
Without treatment, hearing loss can affect a person’s ability to communicate which flows on to impact relationships: creating barriers and distance and a loss of spontaneity in conversations.
It is linked to a number of mental health impacts such as an increased risk of depression and anxiety, Myra said. There is also a growing body of research showing an association between hearing loss and dementia, in addition to already well-established links with cardiovascular issues and diabetes.
More information
The Audiology Australia website now includes an online search tool that makes it easy for you to find an accredited audiologist in your area.
World Hearing Day – look out for a special World Report on Hearing that will be released by the World Health Organisation
