Homecare News | 8 November 2022

Deaf Awareness Week 2021- know the signs of hearing loss so you can help a loved one

Deaf Awareness Week 2021- know the signs of hearing loss so you can help a loved one

Deaf Awareness Week 2021- know the signs of hearing loss so you can help a loved one

One in six people (12 million) in the UK are deaf or hard of hearing according to the UK Council on Deafness. This Deaf Awareness Week (3rd to 9th May 2021) the theme is about ‘Coming through it together.’

The week aims to raise awareness, promote inclusion and help highlight the organisations that support those who are deaf and hard of hearing and their friends and families. This Deaf Awareness Week 2021 we are raising awareness of the condition and what signs and symptoms to look out for in your loved ones, so that they can get the best treatment. Many symptoms are subtle at first, so it is good to bear them in mind.

Signs and symptoms of hearing loss will be different for each person, but in general the NHS and RNID states that people may experience:

You can get more information from the NHS website here and from the RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) here. Your loved one’s GP will be able to do an investigation and will be able to suggest a course of action depending on the type, and severity, of the hearing loss.

Treatments can include hearing aids, ear cleaning (in the case of ear wax build up) hearing implants, assistive listening devices and sign language and lip reading courses.