Huh? "Hard of Hearing" Not Defined

December 18, 2011

Pleased to report all is well.  No pain, playing golf (won $107 Friday)—just kind of quiet.

The onset of loss of hearing was late in my career.  In 1995, speaking to a group of 180 police chiefs and attorneys at the Boston Marriott, I could not hear the questions from the rear and recognized a problem.  In my classes at Northwestern and University of North Florida, I became Phil Donahue, rushing up the aisle to listen to and address the question.  At City Council, Civil Service hearings, and Zoning meetings, the FM speaker system was a blessing as an earpiece brought the sound in loud and clear.  Most of my court work was motions and arguments so I could manage there. One day in Federal Court, a big room with a very high ceiling, I was arguing a point and the Judge apparently had instructed me to stop—only when the Marshall approached at the direction of the Judge did I realize the problem.  I obtained my first hearing aids shortly after that, around 1997

“Hard of Hearing” is a phrase that identifies those with varying levels of hearing loss.  “Deaf” is arguably the total loss of hearing but many at profound levels of loss refer to themselves as “deaf”.  I have no expertise on the appropriate scientific language and find little formal levels of description in audiology journals.

Our state board for assistance is entitled “Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing” so I guess there is no specific word for those who have moderate to severe loss of hearing other than “hard of hearing”.  One would think the audiology community would have more defined descriptors.  In reading about the use of the terms, I have found that one’s use of "deaf" or "hard of hearing" is a sociological choice, whether to identify with the deaf community or not.

You have all seen the ads in the health sections of the newspapers with a range of day to day activity that could be signs of hearing loss.  All of this to sell a product that simply amplifies sound—of all kinds—and drills them into your ear.  Works fine for this severe loss guy in one on ones but as the number of persons rise or the room reflects sound, “fagetabadit.”.  The hope with the Envoy Esteem is that the natural ear with increased stapes vibration but not amplified sound will separate the distant from close and discriminate and locate sound sources.  Our spouses know not to talk if the dishwasher, vacuum, disposal or even the TV is on—just can’t break down the sound—and the background sounds are loud!

One of the fears of hearing loss for me is social isolation which is a common downside to those with hearing loss. I try to challenge this and not permit it to happen.  At work, social conversations were difficult to follow; restaurants and cocktail parties, a given failure; meetings—I must situate myself at an optimum point; theaters, tough, but more on this in the next post.  Many avoid social situations, I will not—I just don’t ask as many questions because I may not hear the answer.  My “Type A” is now “Type A-“.  Perhaps it is this battle that caused me to invest in the Envoy Esteem.  Still in my 60’s, I figure at least 20 more good years and I want the best quality of life.  For the price of a Chevy, less than a Volt :), I have pursued that opportunity.