24-01-2010, 07:54 PM
1
Hearing, The Truth
Hearing loss is common - it affects around 1 in 7 people in the UK; mostly the same group of people for whom reading glasses also become an essential part of life. Why then, do we view it as something different to the perfectly normal visual aids bought in their thousands and often with high fashion designer labels on them?It is certainly fair to say that this could be driven by a puzzling social stigma attached to hearing aids of yesteryear and a falsely assigned label of user disability rather than simply viewed as a natural part of ageing for the majority of those with hearing loss.
I can't help but wonder, however whether the following doesn't fuel the fire of disassociation and denial:
A hearing aid costs around $40 to make and most people pay around £1,100 to buy one. Is that right, is it fair or is it simply profiteering. Many High Street retailers, ostensibly committed to lowering prices (I note with interest some of the views on Specsavers; who are now doing hearing aids), seem not to do so when it comes to hearing aids.
I have worked in the hearing aid industry for several years and have often felt that this unreasonable profiteering does nothing to help public opinion regarding hearing loss and does not endear those inclined to seek out a solution.
It is with some comfort, lest I say delight that I have recently come across a website www.hearingdirect.com - finally a company I think I can believe in and whose philosophy I fully support.
25-01-2010, 03:37 AM
3
Re: Hearing, The Truth
You are right there is a different feeling in wearing a hearing aid rather than glasses when each are needed and I have no idea why that should be....never thought of it til now.Many people that I know that get them have background noise and do not wear them because of that even after all the money they have put into them.
I hope that site helps people.
25-01-2010, 02:15 PM
7
Re: Hearing, The Truth
Originally Posted by Old git
->
I suppose most of us notice when we need glasses-reading gets harder etc.But, like many, my hearing is still perfect--it`s others who seem to mumble
27-01-2010, 09:25 PM
8
Re: Hearing, The Truth
I find it very interesting reading others views on this - it does seem (and I include myself here) that we view someone with a hearing aid as deaf and yet someone with glasses we don't consider blind! I'm sure that's why I am still assuring my wife that she seems to mumble and that the actors on TV don't seem to be able to speak clearly any more rather than admit (what I know realy to be true!) that I'm a bit mutton! I don't seem to have any problem buying a pair of glasses to help me read though......
28-01-2010, 08:41 PM
10
Re: Hearing, The Truth
Originally Posted by Old git
->
I suppose most of us notice when we need glasses-reading gets harder etc.But, like many, my hearing is still perfect--it`s others who seem to mumble
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