Sound advice
Lifetime Partners to offer free seminar on hearing loss

Lifetime Partners is Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital's exclusive organization that is free to senior citizens 55 and older. Members can learn about good health, take advantage of exclusive members' benefits and savings, enjoy interesting activities, and interact with other Lifetime Partners. For more information on Lifetime Partners, call 424-2055. Click here for additional information on Lifetime Partners

Because of its slow, gradual progression, hearing loss is often difficult to diagnose. Many are not aware of the loss of hearing since they’ve learned to compensate by increasing the volume on the TV or by standing closer when they’re talking to others.

Hearing loss is often discussed in terms of where the loss occurs in the hearing pathway. Conductive hearing losses are caused by diseases or obstructions in the outer or middle ear (the conduction pathways for sound to reach the inner ear). Conductive hearing losses usually affect all frequencies of hearing evenly and do not result in severe losses. A person with a conductive hearing loss usually is able to use a hearing aid well or can be helped medically or surgically.

Sensorineural hearing losses result from damage to the delicate sensory hair cells of the inner ear or the nerves, which supply it. These hearing losses can range from mild to profound. They often affect the person's ability to hear certain frequencies more than others. Thus, even with amplification to increase the sound level, a person with a sensorineural hearing loss may perceive distorted sounds, sometimes making the successful use of a hearing aid impossible.

A mixed hearing loss refers to a combination of conductive and sensorineural loss and means that a problem occurs in both the outer or middle and the inner ear. A central hearing loss results from damage or impairment to the nerves or nuclei of the central nervous system, either in the pathways to the brain or in the brain itself.

To find out more about hearing loss, members of the community can attend the free seminar sponsored by Lifetime Partners. Conducted by Audiologist George Evans, the seminar will be held on Thursday, May 22 at 1:00 pm at CCMH’s Carsner Auditorium.

Those attending will be able to take advantage of a free hearing screening at a later date.

To register for the seminar and/or for more information, contact Lifetime Partners at 424-2055.

• One in every ten (28 million) Americans has hearing loss. As baby boomers reach retirement age starting in 2010, this number is expected to rapidly climb and nearly double by the year 2030.
• The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age, up to 1 in 3 over age 65. Most hearing losses develop over a period of 25 to 30 years.
• Among seniors, hearing loss is the third most prevalent, but treatable disabling condition, behind arthritis and hypertension.
• The vast majority of Americans (95%) with hearing loss have their hearing loss treated with hearing aids. Only 5% of hearing loss in adults can be improved through medical or surgical treatment

Hearing Loss and Solutions
Audiologist George Evans

Thursday, May 22
1:00 pm
L.D. Carsner Auditorium
Camden-Clark
Memorial Hospital