Search Results for 'Patricia Hassett'

Hearing loss can cause a wide range of problems, from an inability to hear words clearly to a lack of awareness of the surrounding environment, leading to social isolation and, in severe cases, depression. Hearing loss often develops slowly, so the individual with the loss adjusts to living life at reduced sound levels. Family members or friends often first notice the loss, and alert the individual to the problem. The signs of hearing loss include misunderstanding words, having to frequently ask others to repeat what they said, raising the volume of the television excessively, and difficulty hearing group conversations or hearing over background noise. Hearing loss can occur at any age, and it is becoming more prevalent in younger generations due to exposure to daily levels of excessive noise from work, music, concerts, and MP3 players. Hearing loss is a hidden disability and society in general can be unaware of the severe side effects of hearing loss. It is estimated that 17 per cent of Irish people suffer some form of hearing loss. The good news is that hearing loss can be helped by a few simple measures.