Tipperary people worried about their hearing can contact charity for free advice and support

To mark World Hearing Day on Thursday March 3, Chime, the national charity for deafness and hearing loss, wants to challenge the perceived stigma around hearing loss.

It is reminding Tipperary people worried about a deterioration in their hearing that they can contact the charity for free advice and support.

Its most recent survey revealed that 59% of respondents said that people who develop hearing difficulties delay getting a hearing aid because of the stigma associated with them. 

The survey was carried out amongst a sample of the Irish population aged 50 years and older, the age when hearing loss first begins for many people.

Brendan Lennon, head of advocacy, research and public affairs for Chime, said: “We are asking people in Tipperary to get a hearing test in the same way they’d get an eye test, or their blood pressure checked.  

"One of the biggest problems in trying to overcome the stigma around hearing loss is that people don’t talk about it enough. Due to worries about ageism and perceived social embarrassment,  people deny it, hide it, or ignore it. The truth is the reverse. If people take steps to tackle a deterioration in their hearing, their quality of life improves exponentially as a result.

"Research has shown that 80% of people who get hearing aids say they have improved their mental wellbeing and social relationships and wish they had got them earlier.“

Many successful people are known for wearing hearing aids, among them former US president Bill Clinton, actor Steve Martin, actresses Whoopi Goldberg and Jodie Foster, alongside singer Chris Martin from Coldplay and American singer and television personality Will.i.am.

For more information, visit ww.chime.ie

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