September 3, 2026

Sarah Willard

Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioner with Hearing Life in Sorrento

Our guest speaker for September was Sarah Willard, who spoke to us about hearing loss and the effects it has on our lives.

Some stats:

• First to notice usually family, friends, co-workers, etc.  The person with the hearing loss is often the last to notice.

• 20% of all Canadians have a hearing loss

• 3rd most common health concern in Canada.  Most people wait 7-10 years before doing something about it.

• Important to do a hearing test to get a baseline.

• 80% of people 55-74 have hearing aids but don’t wear them!

Two kinds of hearing loss:

• Conductive hearing loss – something in middle ear, often medically treatable.

• Sensory-neural hearing loss – cochlea or nerves – not medically treatable.

Signs of hearing loss:

• I think people mumble; I can’t hear them if they’re walking away.

• I frequently ask people to repeat.

• “I hear fine but I can’t understand what people are saying.” (can be high frequency)

• I can’t hear with background noise; it’s too noisy in here.

• I can’t hear children’s or women’s voices (high frequency); less frequently men’s voices (mostly women).

• Women tend to lose the lower frequencies first; men tend to lose the higher frequencies first.

• TV watching – often turning volume up.  Louder is always better because you also get the background noise.

Effects of untreated hearing loss:

• Denial – “I hear fine; you need to speak up.”

• Anxiety

• Feeling of powerlessness; nothing I can do

• Emotional detachment; isolating; don’t see the sense in attending so quit going.

• Statistical higher level of emotional problems

• Greater the hearing loss, the more effect

• Feelings of frustration

• Lower self-esteem

Hearing Loss & the Brain: researchers found that hearing areas of the brain will hijack other parts of the brain for other cognitive processes; puts more strain on the brain.  There is a co-relation between hearing loss and dementia (not direct cause and effect).  Wearing hearing aids and doing all the support stuff can delay dementia.

EARLY DETECTION IS THE KEY!!  It’s free and you get a base line.

Prevention & treatment: 

• Wear ear plugs (free ones available).

• If you have hearing aids, WEAR THEM!  If they’re not working right, get them fixed.

• Hearing tests every 1-2 years. 

Benefits of improved hearing:

• Report significantly improved quality of life.

• 15% greater benefit reported by the spouse than the person wearing the hearing aids!

Communication Strategies:

• Don’t walk away before you’re finished talking.

• Facial expressions & body language important.

• If repeating, say it a different way.

• Speak clearly; enunciate (not louder)

• Slow down your speech.

• Move closer to the person, especially if other noise.

• Take turns speaking in a group.

• If conversation changes, let the person know.

• Advocate for yourself.  Don’t be afraid to let people know you have a hearing loss. Ask them to slow down and speak.