School is almost out, the weather is getting hotter and Memorial Day is right around the corner. But none of these hold a candle to the month-long celebration of Better Hearing & Speech Month.
Created by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in 1927, this annual event was designed to help raise awareness of hearing loss and speech problems. In 1986, President Reagan issued a formal proclamation designating May as the official month to heighten public awareness about hearing loss and speech disorders.
More than 90 years later, the program is still going strong. In addition to educating the public, the goal of Better Hearing & Speech Month is to encourage people to take action if they believe there might be a problem with their hearing or speech.
How Your Thousand Oaks Audiologist is Helping
Nearly 48 million people in California and around the country have hearing loss but only 20 percent of those people actually seek treatment. In comes Better Hearing & Speech Month.
During the month of May, audiologists around the country take advantage of this opportunity to educate others. Some even offer free or discounted hearing screening as well as special pricing on hearing aids and assistive listening devices.
How You Can Help
Better Hearing & Speech Month is also the perfect time for you, the patient, to educate others.
One out of three adults over the age of 65 have some degree of hearing loss; by the age of 75 that number jumps to one out of two.
This means the chances of you knowing someone with undiagnosed hearing loss is pretty high. Talking to others about your experiences (and hopefully the success you have found) can help motivate them to take that first step and schedule an appointment with a Thousand Oaks audiologist.
Now that we have social media, sharing informational articles about hearing loss and speech disorders is easier than ever before.
If you are noticing problems with your hearing or suspect a loved one may be suffering from hearing loss, heed the message of Better Hearing & Speech Month and contact your Thousand Oaks audiologist today.