Lunchtime Meeting - 12.45pm - Speaker Shirley Vaughan

Our speaker today was Shirley Vaughan from Shropshire Deaf and Hard of Hearing Forum.  Hearing-impaired herself (wearing 2 aids), Shirley joined the Forum for support and then decided to raise awareness by giving talks.  She began by pointing out that EVERYONE knows someone who is deaf or hard of hearing; it is a very common albeit invisible condition.  In fact 1 in 6 of the population of the UK has some degree of hearing loss, that is around 10 million people!  There are some 51,000 in Shropshire and 29,000 in Telford & Wrekin, although not all will need a hearing-aid, of which only 2-300 are profoundly deaf, usually since birth.  There are an estimated 2 million wearers of hearing aids in the UK but 3 times that number would benefit if only they had them.  There seems to be a stigma attached to admitting hearing loss, but is it so different from requiring spectacles for declining eyesight?

Shirley drew our attention to the most difficult situations for a person with hearing loss: meetings, crowded places, parties, church, the theatre, banks, railway stations, shops, telephone conversations, groups, the cinema, watching TV, hospitals and airports.  The problem is not so much the volume as lack of clarity, which in a hospital setting could be critical!  We should become 'deaf aware'  -  even loop systems in banks for example will only work if properly installed and SWITCHED ON!!  There is a danger that if people with hearing difficulties are not encouraged to join in then they may step back and disengage; they will often find it difficult in group settings to 'get' jokes, understand the arguments leading to a vote etc etc.  It can be very isolating to be cringing inside and close to tears, certainly not conducive to feeling a part of the group.  Many simply withdraw and become depressed and lonely, no longer able to enjoy pursuits they once loved.

Shirley made us smile when she told us to avoid 'the nodding dog' but actually there is a serious side - when someone has said "what?" or "pardon?" about 3 times and still not heard, embarrassment often causes them to simply nod as if they have heard.  It could be that the person hasn't admitted even to themself that they have a problem, preventing them from getting the help they really need.  Shirley told us about a telephone service operated by Action on Hearing Loss which lets you check your hearing for free quite impersonally;  you just push a button when you hear a sound which decreases in volume and the service works out whether your hearing is within the normal range - or not.

The number: 0844 800 3838

Ears are complicated and quite delicate; the cochlea is where the problem usually lies as the 20,000 or so hair-like structures necessary for hearing get damaged over the years and although we can lose quite a few before it becomes a problem loud noises can kill these vital structures causing hearing loss.  Factories have to provide ear defenders if the background noise is over 85 decibels and yet we are exposed to jet engines, fireworks, rock concerts, football games, lawn mowers, motor bikes often without any kind of protection.  As awareness is raised, so future generations should be better at protecting their hearing.

The facts are stark - 50% of over 50s have some hearing loss and 70% of over 70s; the higher frequencies are lost first, often speech is hard to hear while loud noises are easier.  Hearing is categorised as normal, or mild/moderate/severe or profound loss. People used to be called 'deaf and dumb' if profoundly deaf since they never learnt to speak.  There are many highly visible celebrities with varying degrees of hearing loss who Shirley wishes would let it be known as that might help destigmatise deafness and also warn the young about the dangers of loud music and its effects (since musicians are over represented in the group!) The prevalence among the young of the in-ear head-phones turned up very loud is a great threat to their hearing and might lead to rates of loss in their 40s and 50s previously seen in people in their 70s and 80s.

Cilla Black, Bill Clinton, Cher, Ozzie Osbourne, Phil Collins, Jack Niklaus, Eric Clapton, Stephanie Beecham, Sting, Rula Lenska, Tony Blackburn, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Oddie, Jimmy Carter, Bono and Pete Townshend all have hearing loss to varying degrees.

For those with severe or profound loss British Sign Language and Finger spelling can be a huge help: www.british-sign.co.uk

So how best to help someone who has hearing loss?  Shirley says:

*Face me when you talk to me
*Get my attention before you start to speak
*Try to reduce background noise
*Reword what you said if necessary
*If there is a loop system use it

As to support in Shropshire, the Audiology Department offers an Effective Hearing Programme, free lip-reading classes, technical support workers and volunteers who will go into the home to offer support.  There are Deaf and Hard of Hearing clubs in Telford and Shropshire including The Hub drop-in centre as well as the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Forum of which Shirley is a member.

Shirley then read out a poem called Never Mind (download here) which sums up her feelings about other people's reactions to her hearing loss.

President Mike presented her with a cheque from Oswestry Rotary Club for £50 for the Shropshire Deaf and Hard of Hearing Forum

Jayne Middleton