Believe it or not, many people with mild to moderate hearing loss may not even know it. Hearing loss is an invisible disability. But people suffering from this problem may find themselves ridiculed, ignored or in a constant battle with friends and family who assume they have normal hearing. Hearing loss is one of the most chronic conditions among people over the age of 65. In fact, age is the most significant factor involved with hearing loss More than 60 percent of Americans 65 years and older have some degree of hearing impairment.
Many seniors make the mistake of accepting hearing loss as part of getting older.
They don't mention it to their physician, and consequently don't get their hearing tested. What many don't realize is that the cause of the hearing difficulty may be as simple as a buildup of earwax in the ear canal, which can be easily removed. Sadly, some elderly people are thought to have a form of dementia because they have trouble following directions or remembering what was said in conversations, when in fact the real problem was that they were not hearing what was said. There are clues to hearing loss. We cannot always rely on the common ones such as the need to turn up the volume on the television or radio, or the need to repeat what you've said.