2 Celebrating Allied Health Professionals
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2025
Imagera / Adobe Stock
Statistics from the Canadian Association of Retired Persons show that 38 per cent of Canadians are impacted by some form of hearing loss.
Hear, Hear HEARING LOSS IS SOMETHING MANY OLDER ADULTS MUST DEAL WITH
By Todd Lewys H earing is one of the most essential senses for human beings. When it’s working properly, it enables us to com- municate effectively with others and process what’s happening around us. However, when it isn’t functioning proper- ly – especially as we get older – it can cause a decline in cogni- tive abilities such as attention and memory. While it’s a fact that isn’t advertised, hearing loss is quite prev- alent in Canada. According to the Canadian Association of Re- tired Persons, 38 per cent of Canadian adults are impacted by hearing loss. Another 37 per cent of Canadian adults also struggle with tin- nitus, a ringing in the ears. Additionally, about 60 per cent of Canadians aged 19 to 79 have suffered from hearing-related health problems including tinnitus and hearing loss that was di- agnosed through audiometric testing. Most alarmingly, statistics show that many Canadians between the ages of 40 to 79 don’t know they are suffering from hearing loss. Those over the age of 70 are particularly susceptible. The reason for that is hearing loss is subtle, compounding bit by bit as we age. That’s something that Orlando Buduhan sees every day at Winnipeg’s West End Active Living Centre.
times be a barrier that prevents seniors from admitting they don’t hear as well as they used to. “I think many people are aware of it, but they don’t want to ad- mit to it,” Buduhan says. “When we ask them about their hearing, they usually say that they’ve been checked by their own doctor. It’s a tough topic to tackle.” And while many older seniors don’t want to acknowledge that their hearing has dropped off, many do – only to come face to face with financial reality. “Cost is another issue,” he notes. “Government rebates of about $2,000 only cover some of the cost for hearing aids. While some accept the fact that their hear- ing isn’t good, they say that they just can’t afford hearing aids, even with the rebate.” Even those who do get hearing aids encounter issues, Budu- han says. “Those that go get them use them to listen to TV, and that’s the only thing they use them for,” he explains. “When they come out for activities like dance or Tai Chi, they leave them in their room because they’re afraid of losing them. Some will use them, but they need to be very careful because the small hearing aids are easy to lose.” That situation can lead to some interesting dynamics. “When we have dance in the gym, we put the ones without hearing aids closer to the music and the ones with hearing aids further away – the ones with hearing aids complain the music is too loud if they’re up front.” In most instances, people simply learn to cope as best they can with hearing loss. “As long as they’re functioning and coming out for activities, we keep encouraging them, because getting out to be active is so important,” Buduhan says. “It’s challenging to help someone who has hearing issues. We want to help them hear better but also want to maintain their dignity.” Signs of hearing loss include asking others to repeat them- selves, having to turn up TV volume, struggling to hear in noisy environments, difficulty keeping up with conversations and problems hearing on the phone. If you notice that, bring it to your loved one’s attention and suggest getting help. That could include a visit with an audiol- ogist who can perform a comprehensive hearing assessment, select and fit an appropriate hearing aid or provide aural reha - bilitation services. Buduhan acknowledges that can sometimes be a challenge. “You can help those who want it but it’s difficult to help those that don’t want it. If people don’t let us know or don’t want help, we need to respect that.” ■
“Being with seniors every day, I would say most of them really don’t know they have hearing loss – it’s quite common,” says the cen- tre’s president. “In many cases, a person who used to listen well starts to decline. You need to re- peat what you said to them, something that you didn’t have to do a few years ago. We see it more between the ages of 80 and 90.” Buduhan says hearing is- sues – like it or not – are a part of aging. “Aging is like a car getting old- er. At a certain point, it starts to deteriorate. The same thing happens with hearing as you get older.” He notes that pride can some-
Aging is like a car getting older. At a certain point, it starts to deteriorate. The same thing happens with hearing as you get older.
Orlando Buduhan, president, West End Active Living Centre Supplied photo
— West End Active Living Centre president, Orlando Buduhan
HomeyCosy / Adobe Stock
Powered by FlippingBook