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Do you ever find yourself in a crowded room struggling to hear a conversation when there are lots of people around you? I know I do. I have no trouble hearing folks when chatting one-to-one or listening to the TV or radio, but as soon as there is a loud ambient room noise, I really struggle.
Our ability to hear plays a vital role in how we interact with not only the people around us, but the whole world in general. It enables us to form friendships and relationships, it allows us to hear the birds singing or a child giggling. Hearing is one of our most important senses and it affects our confidence and general wellbeing. Not being able to hear can make us feel very lonely and can increase our risk of suffering from dementia. More of that later in Mary's piece.
Sadly, as we age, our ability to hear may become compromised, and it doesn’t just happen to humans as we see it with dogs and cats too. Our black Labrador, BB, went deaf just over a year ago. Thankfully, we have created a form of sign language that she appears to understand as I wave my hands and make encouraging gestures, accompanied by an expression that gives her a clue as to whether the command is happy – like dinner time or going for a walk. A flat hand extended to her with some force means ‘stay’ and when I use two hands crossed in front of me with a serious face, she knows that means ‘no more’ and she goes and lies down. And it all works well.
I first noticed a reduction in my own hearing about two years ago when I could no longer hear the washing machine (in another room) bleeping when it had finished its cycle. I also find it difficult to hear someone speaking with a strong accent or dialect, whether face-to-face or on TV. To make matters worse, I also have tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears) which is no doubt caused by exercising to loud music for 50 years.
With all this evidence that my hearing isn't what it used to be, I decided that I ought to have a hearing test and I plucked up the courage and booked myself in at our local Hearing Centre. I have no idea why I was nervous, but I suppose it’s because I was accepting yet another admission that there was a new bit of my body that wasn’t working as well as it used to.
So, after having a plug of wax removed from one ear, I sat in the sound-proof cubicle, concentrating really hard to hear the bleeps in my headphones, particularly as they became more faint. I was relieved when the test was over. Back in her consulting room, Clare, the audiologist, explained the results. She confirmed all the challenging areas and circumstances that I had experienced were very much part of the natural ageing process. The graph showed that one ear was slightly better than the other with a score of 20 whilst the other was 21. She went on to explain that at the point of reaching a score of 25, that will be the time when I will need a hearing aid, probably in a year or two, but for now I am OK.
I was encouraged that my ears weren’t as bad as I thought. Before I left, Clare showed me the designs of various hearing aids that would be available and reminded me that, of course, they are developing all the time. One of the styles she showed me was like a small plug you literally put into your ear, with a tiny, almost invisible ‘tail’ attached so that you can remove it at bedtime. Because it is inside the ear it is invisible to the outside world. These are available on private prescription, of course.
But don’t think you must go privately to get a decent hearing aid. My hubby Mike’s Auntie Pauline, aged 94, (with a brain as sharp as a 30-year-old), swears by her NHS hearing aids. She can hear perfectly with them and is very happy that she can have free batteries.
Now onto the subject of tinnitus. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this nuisance condition but there are exercises that can be done to help take our mind off it. When mine first made its unwelcome presence heard in both my ears, I considered what to do for the best. I realised how powerful the brain was so I consciously decided to ignore it. I realise that might sound ridiculous, but that is what I did. And as I am typing this, I can hear my tinnitus in the background but I have taught myself to keep it right at the back of my mind. By doing this, many times during the day I forget I have it and often it is only when I go to bed that I realise it is the noisiest thing in the bedroom!
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Serves 2
Per serving: 244 calories, 1% fat
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 - 40 mins
300g sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 large leeks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
750ml - 1 litre vegetable stock (add a Vegetable Stock Pot if possible)
200ml semi-skimmed milk
fresh chives, to garnish (optional)
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Method using a Soup Maker
- In a non-stick saucepan or frying pan sprayed with rapeseed oil, dry-fry the leeks and crushed garlic for 1-2 minutes until soft then place in the soup-maker.
- Add the chopped sweet potato and 750ml of the stock and cook on high for 25 minutes, seasoning well with freshly ground black pepper.
- Liquidise for 30 seconds, allow to rest before pulsing again for 60 seconds to ensure it is smooth. If too thick, add more stock.
- Just before serving, add the milk and bring back up to near boiling, if necessary. Sprinkle with chives and serve in warm bowls.
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Method using a Pan
- In a non-stick saucepan or frying pan sprayed with rapeseed oil, dry-fry the leeks and crushed garlic for 1-2 minutes until soft.
- Add the sweet potato and the stock and bring to a gentle simmer and season well. Cook until the potato is soft.
- Allow to cool slightly then place in a liquidiser and whizz until smooth, adding more stock if the soup is too thick.
- Just before serving, add the milk and bring back up to near boiling, if necessary. Sprinkle with chives and serve in warm bowls.
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Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
Rosemary's concern about her hearing is experienced by so many of us in the more mature age group. Partners begin to accuse you of 'selective' hearing when in fact you really cannot hear them and therefore much repetition of the same sentence is the result! Also trying to hear in a room full of people gradually becomes more difficult, leaning us towards more lip reading in those busy social situations. Sometimes it is simply a need to clear the ears of wax but it may be that you are in need of hearing aids.
I remember about 30 years ago my father-in-law needed hearing aids. From quite an early age he suffered hearing loss as a pilot in the war, and it meant he was not able to fulfil his dream of becoming a commercial pilot later. Quite often, particularly at meal times, we used to be subjected to a piercing whistling sound from his hearing aids and he was constantly readjusting them to try to get them to work effectively. The aids were so bad in those days that often he would not wear them, which resulted in him missing out on so much at events with family and friends. What that taught me was how important our ability to hear is, or we can become socially quite isolated. It is good to know that the quality of hearing aids has improved so dramatically, as Rosemary explained.
It was totally inspiring to read an article recently about Rose Ayling-Ellis, the lovely actress who won Strictly and who has made such a difference in our understanding of deaf people. What fascinated me the most was her ability to dance to music she could not hear! I understand that she can pick up vibrations through her hearing aids and so can keep time with the music – incredible.
Research has found that those with hearing loss are not likely to be as fit as those with normal hearing. It is associated with balance problems and lower levels of energy, so their endurance capability is not good and, overall, they have a decreased fitness and a lower sense of wellbeing. Exercise, of course, can help all of these things and it is hoped that Rose is leading the way to get more deaf people physically fit, particularly the younger generation.
Sound is measured in decibels and I remember being familiar with the word when I owned a health club in a built-up area. We had the 'sound man’ visit from the local council to check we did not exceed a certain number of decibels and annoy our neighbours. The dance studio was the 'danger zone' and it was important that the teachers adhered to the prescribed sound level. I am happy to report that in 30 years there was only one complaint in those early days, and we addressed the problem immediately. There’s nothing worse than angry neighbours!
Normal hearing can discern sounds at 25 decibels which is less than a faint whisper but hearing loss is diagnosed when you experience a loss of 40 decibels and there is a growing concern for young people who may be heading for a future of poor hearing. They are the generation most likely to attend loud concerts, festivals and nightclubs. They are often seen, too, using headphones and personal ear pods to listen to loud music. Experts recommend that when attending concerts, they wear disposable earplugs!
There are sensory cells in our ears (called hair cells) responsible for sending hearing signals to our brain. Repeated noise exposure will eventually affect the function of these hair cells and lead to a diminished ability to hear.
Hearing Loss and Dementia
An article in The Lancet, published as recently as April 2023, concluded that people with hearing loss who don't wear hearing aids had an increased risk of dementia. This is a rather alarming result and pretty conclusive as it involved over 400,000 participants in the study. Clearly wearing hearing aids can reduce the risk, so if you have any hint of hearing loss it is really important that you get tested. It has certainly prompted me, and I have started putting olive oil in both ears to soften any wax in preparation! I will let you know how I get on.
Common Causes of Hearing Loss:
- Our genes can cause us to inherit poor hearing
- Birth Complications
- Ear infections
- Excessive noise
- Ageing
You will not be surprised by the last one on the list so it is important to get your hearing tested as Rosemary has done. The considerable advancement in hearing aids will mean you can get it sorted. If you think it is just a question of too much wax then there are now several local outlets that provide the necessary cleaning service. The NHS no longer do this so you do need to shop around for the best deal, as prices do vary.
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This Week's Fitness Challenge
- Here’s a challenge for you! Try to select a route for your daily 30+ minute walk this week and set your stopwatch on your phone to see how long it takes you on the first day. Then do the same walk every day but aim to beat your time by walking a bit faster each time, even if it is only a few seconds. The benefits to your fitness will be important.
- Go to the Balance Exercises video on the website and check you are still good at balancing. Short of time? Stand on one leg for 30 seconds every time you put the kettle on this week!
- Bored with your usual Strength Programme? Make a change this week to a brand-new programme you haven’t tried before or one you have enjoyed previously. Just go to Strength & Toning, Ballet or Pilates.
- Like Rose Ayling-Ellis, let's get dancing this week! If you already attend a dance class then make sure you get there this week. If not, get dancing around the kitchen to your favourite music – not too loud though!
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Did you know... 
A hearing aid is a device designed to improve hearing by making sound audible to a person with hearing loss.
Early devices, such as ear trumpets were just passive amplification cones designed to gather sound energy and direct it into the ear canal. Modern devices are computerised electroacoustic systems that utilize sophisticated digital signal processing to improve speech intelligibility and comfort for the user. Such signal processing includes feedback management, wide dynamic range compression, directionality, frequency lowering, and noise reduction.
Modern hearing aids require configuration to match the particular pattern of hearing loss as well as the physical features and lifestyle of the user. The hearing aid is programmed according to the results of the latest hearing test showing the sound frequencies and pitch that the user finds most difficult to pick up. This "fitting" process is usually performed by an audiologist or a Hearing Instrument Specialist. The amount of benefit a hearing aid delivers depends in large part on the quality of its "fitting".
These days, it's all a bit more sophisticated than rolling up a cardboard tube, sticking it in your ear, and asking everyone to speak up a bit!
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And finally...
Being able to maximise our ability to stay as ‘able and normal’ as possible is really important as we grow older and anything we can do to help us to achieve that should, in my opinion, be embraced. Whether it’s a hearing aid, glasses or a walking cane, if it enables us to live life to the full, let’s do it.
Have a great week and enjoy your life to the full.
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
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LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
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