We tend to take our hearing for granted; that is, until we begin having problems and may have to wear hearing aids. Hearing loss is not necessarily part of getting older. Many older people still retain good hearing. You may argue that you have seen many older men wearing hearing aids. For many of them, hearing loss came from having worked in jobs that exposed them to continuous noise levels. It wasn’t yet recognized that long-term exposure to noise causes irreversible hearing loss. In the past 20 years or so, things have improved. Workers have yearly hearing evaluations and companies are obliged to provide employees with proper hearing protection.

For those that have suffered hearing loss, not having hearing aids really lowers the quality of life. It can even endanger life! Imagine, for a moment, during your own life when hearing prevented an injury or accident. Recall the incident when a car, horn sounding loudly, sped through a yellow light, just missing you or the warning whistle of a train as it comes toward an intersection. Hearing is a sense that can affect our safety and hearing aids can literally be lifesavers.

Hearing aids also help those with hearing loss to communicate with loved ones. As annoying as it is for us to have to repeat ourselves when someone doesn’t hear us, think how isolating it must be for him or her. They may wonder why they should bother communicating, when it is so difficult. If you know someone who has difficulty hearing, be patient. They will appreciate it.