Free hearing checks offered at Umina and Woy Woy
Free hearing checks will be offered at Woy Woy and Umina as part of Hearing Awareness Week.
They will be held in a bus at Umina Markets on August 21 and at a clinic in Woy Woy by two hearing businesses with outlets on the Peninsula: Australian Hearing and National Hearing Care.
Australian Hearing will offer the checks in a bus fitted out to offer free hearing checks and to encourage locals to prioritise their hearing health as part of the annual Big Aussie Hearing Check on August 21.
Last year, Australian Hearing carried out 5000 hearing checks over the course of the week and this year the plan is to make it even bigger and better.
Manager at Australian Hearing at Woy Woy, Mr Matthew Reid, said that the Big Aussie Hearing Check aimed to urge every Australian to get their hearing checked.
"Hearing is vital to everyday living, yet most Australians still wait on average eight years before taking action on their hearing loss.
"A hearing check is a quick and easy way to measure the sounds you can and can't hear.
"Our team will also be on hand to guide you through what next steps you may have to take in regard to your hearing," Mr Reid added.
Hearing loss is a prevalent issue in the community, with around 60 per cent of Australians over 60 suffering from some form of hearing loss.
However, according to Mr Reid not everyone who is experiencing problems hearing needs a hearing aid.
"Sometimes it's just hearing the TV at normal volumes, hearing your doorbell, or hearing your friends on the phone that's the problem," he concluded.
National Hearing Care managing director Mr Michael Smith, said: "The age old theory of use it or lose it applies to hearing as well,",
"An increasing number of studies show that individuals with hearing loss who identify and treat the issue early are more likely to adapt quickly to the increased sound they will hear with a hearing aid.
"The longer hearing loss is left untreated the harder it can be to retrain the brain to recognise sounds that become available with a hearing device," he said.
According to Mr Smith, people with untreated hearing loss can face serious consequences ranging from disadvantages at work, relationship problems and social isolation.
Reduced hearing has also been linked to depression, stress, withdrawal from social situations and even dementia.
"Despite the fact that hearing loss is a serious health issue, most Australians wait an average of seven years to act on their hearing loss, but a hearing check takes only 15 minutes and could make significant difference," he said.
Hearing checks are available free of charge at National Hearing Care Woy Woy.
Media release, 10 Aug 2016
Rae de Rooy, Australian Hearing \
Media release, 18 Aug 2016
Fiona McGill, Professional Public Relations