LWB Newsletter 20th June 2024
According to the RNID, there are now 18 million people living with hearing loss in the UK. The previous estimate was 12 million but there have been some changes in how this number is calculated.
Population data from the 2011 census was used, they are now using the 2021-2022 census.
People with single sided deafness weren’t included before
It now includes people with lower levels of hearing loss.
This means that in the UK 1 in 3 people have hearing loss.
It’s not so surprising then, that 62% of adults report having difficulty hearing conversations in noisy environments.
Research published in the Hearing Review states that 3 in 5 people struggle to hear conversation over background noise. Despite this, 43% said that they have never had a hearing test as an adult.
If people had their hearing checked as often as they had eye tests or went to the dentist, they would have the opportunity to protect their hearing and get support sooner.
With more education around hearing loss as well as positive stories of people in the public eye who where hearing aids, hopefully attitudes are changing.
Hearing loss can have many other side effects, one of the main ones, which can also cause depression and other health issues, is loneliness.
My latest blog post discusses what you can do if you’re starting to feel isolated.
TUE, JUN 18
A few years ago I became ill and lost my hearing completely. It was like I had an invisible bubble around me, separating me from everyone else. I could see them and knew they were speaking, but the