Dealing with the Stigma of Hearing Impairment
One in six Australians has hearing loss, and the projection is that one in four will have it by 2050, as our population ages (Australian Network on Disability, n.d.). Thus, even if you never have a profoundly deaf client come to your rooms, you are likely to see someone at some stage who is hearing-impaired. If not the client, it may be that the person coming is frustrated because of having to deal with the hearing loss of a loved one. The abundance of hearing aids and other assistive listening devices these days would seem to mean that it’s a “no-brainer” to improve someone’s hearing: just get fitted with an appropriate device, and watch their quality of life take off, right? »
