A new tool for those living with acquired hearing loss

September 12, 2012 in Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

A new tool for those living with acquired hearing loss

Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tbisaacs/3911558890/

A new free online program which aims to provide an alternative to hearing aids for people living with acquired hearing loss has been developed from research at The Australian National University.

Dr Anthony Hogan, from the School of Sociology in the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, has created the Easier Listening program in association with Hearservice, a division of the Victorian Deaf Society.  Dr Hogan said that Easier Listening is a way of helping people manage their by providing them with easy lifestyle alternatives.

"Everyone thinks that equals , but it doesn't have to," he said.

"If you had , before you started taking medication, you'd start doing some behavioural and . Why should hearing loss be any different?"

Dr Hogan's program involves logging on to the Easier Listening website and working through a number of problem based exercises to learn some basic strategies to implement in everyday life.

"We want to get people more aware of how hearing loss affects them on a day-to-day basis and then give them some really practical strategies on how they might manage those everyday problems," said Dr Hogan.

This video is not supported by your browser at this time.

Dr Hogan talks more about Easier Listening

"Our big enemies with hearing loss are things like background noise, so if you're going to cafes and restaurants, pick places that are quieter – places that have carpet or soft furnishings. Also when you're sitting somewhere, don't be looking at the light. You probably don't think you can lip read, but you'd be surprised how much you can pick up when you can actually see people's faces."

For more information about Dr Hogan's Easier Listening program visit: www.hearservice.co… rlistening 

Provided by Australian National University search and more info website

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ArtflDgr
Sep 12, 2012

Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
being half deaf since childhood, i have hundreds of such adaptations. but note. most researchers dont care to listen to others, they want to figure it out themselves (but dont want to become half deaf to do so - so its imagination not actual)

here is ONE freebie for them...
if your hearing problem (like mine) is asymetric. ie. i am deaf on one side. its easy to learn how to move or behave in such a way that forces others to be on your 'good side'. its pretty easy, but it does awaken you to the fact you can herd people around without them knowing it through simple things.

in my case, i would walk with a wall or a curb, or set of obsticals on the bad side... skimming them. this forces the crowd to stay to my left. if not, they have to navigate the obstructions, fall back, speed up, and otherwise be distracted from talking or doing what they want while not paying attention. so they move to a more comfortable place, and i get to hear them.

Tausch
Sep 12, 2012

Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
First prophylactic behavioral and lifestyle change measure:
Noise cancellation units.
Take them off during aquatic activities!
Available since the 1950's.
Worn continuously everywhere since the 1980's.

I have seen (heard) the enemy - background noise.
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high cholesterol, hearing aids, lifestyle changes, hearing problems, hearing loss, background noise, everyday life, sociological, cholesterol, exercise
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