Hearing loss can make it harder to enjoy spending time out and about and socializing with others. Thankfully, hearing aids can help!
Hearing Loss Becomes More Common with Age
If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing, you aren’t alone. Hearing loss is a common chronic condition and becomes more common with age. Research from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders found that “nearly 25% of those aged 65 to 74 and 50% of those who are 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.”
However, regardless of age, if you notice that sounds seem muffled or that you’re struggling to follow conversations, schedule an appointment for a hearing test. Your audiologist can interpret your results and, if hearing loss is discovered, work with you to find hearing aids that best meet your needs and allow you to continue to enjoy all the activities you love.
Four Things You Can Do While Wearing Hearing Aids
- Dining out at your favorite restaurant. Whether you’re in the mood for a family pizza night or meeting up with friends at Mohawk Seafood Tavern, dining out is a great way to spend an evening. Hearing aids can help suppress distracting background noise while amplifying the voices of your dining companions, making the whole evening a more enjoyable and relaxing experience.
- Going to the movies. Summer’s the perfect time to catch the latest blockbuster or family film. Many movie theaters offer things like captioned screenings or handheld captioning devices to make it easier to follow along. Additionally, if your hearing aids have a telecoil, and the movie theater uses a loop system, you can connect to it and stream audio from the film directly into your hearing aids.
- Live theater. If plays and musicals are more your cup of tea, you’re in luck! Theaters that seat more than 50 people are legally required to provide a form of hearing assistance, such as handheld captioning devices or hearing loop systems. If you’re taking in a performance at a smaller venue, call ahead to see what accommodations they offer.
- Sporting events. A night at the ballpark is a great way to spend a summer evening. Many sporting venues carry handheld captioning devices or have mounted caption displays. However, it’s important to know that sporting events can reach volumes that can be too loud and even cause further hearing loss. If you do attend a game, bring proper hearing protection, like earmuffs, and consider stepping away and taking breaks in a quieter area at regular intervals.
To learn more about how hearing aids can help enhance your life, call the specialists at Advanced Audiology & Hearing Aids today.
