What do men and women over the age of 55 have in common? Probably a lot, in terms of a lifetime’s worth of experiences. But one thing many “Boomers” have in common is that they have come to realize that their hearing is not what it used to be.
According to a survey conducted by the Prince Market Research Company, nearly 50% of the 75 million Boomers in the United States are experiencing some degree of hearing loss.
The survey also indicates they’re losing their hearing at a much more rapid pace than previous generations. Earlier estimates, from previous surveys conducted by the National Institute of Health, indicated that perhaps only 20% of Boomers were suffering from hearing loss, compared to the now 50% reported.
It appears from these two surveys that the pace of hearing loss among the Post-World War II generation has dramatically increased over the years. More troubling still, was the report in the Prince study showing that, while half of the participants admitted to having difficulty hearing, only one in three had gotten their hearing tested. Of those who were found to have hearing loss, more than half attributed the loss to noise exposure, confirming we live in a much noisier world than past generations.
Baby Boomers are the first generation exposed to Rock n’ Roll and other modern forms of noise pollution. And now, years later, it appears that in terms of hearing, that noise exposure comes at a price – the cost of being able to hear clearly and understand normal speech.
There is no better time than the present to make an appointment for a comprehensive hearing examination. The examination is performed by using a series of beep tones and speech testing to evaluate your hearing. If a hearing loss is found to exist, this simple test can be your first step towards better hearing. Call us today.