Hearing loss can make family gatherings frustrating and anxiety provoking for all people involved. Misunderstandings can occur such as mistaking “Can you please pass the potatoes?” for “Can you please pass the tomatoes?” or not being able to fully participate in a conversation because the kids are being so loud in the next room over. Situations like these can cause people with hearing loss to sit in a corner by themselves or skip these gatherings altogether in order to avoid embarrassment.
This type of behavior can eventually result in social withdrawal. And while presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is potentially inevitable, noise-induced hearing loss is completely preventable with proper use of hearing protection both at work and at home. So as we live our lives from day-to-day, it’s important to consider the significance of hearing loss and how it can potentially affect some of the most treasured memories created around the holidays.
For more information regarding hearing conservation, please contact Brooke Gordon, AuD at (919) 459-5224 or [email protected].
