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CHANGES WITH AGING: HEARING PROBLEMS
My minor hearing problem used to really affect my life. At restaurants I would be reduced to silence - ashamed to ask friends to repeat themselves, afraid to risk sounding like a fool by talking when I had not really heard. It became an effort to see people. I was getting isolated and depressed. Then I hit on a simple idea: “Don\'t give up on people, give up on restaurants.” So now even if I have to carry in cold cuts, I invite the people I want to see to my house!
If your home is noisy, you don\'t need to raise the ceiling or knock out walls. Consider investing in wall-to-wall carpeting. Not only does carpeting eliminate glare on bare floors and so help your vision, it also absorbs extraneous noise. To minimize the danger of another age-related problem, falling, select a low-pile rug.
Increasing the lighting in your house will also help your hearing. If you clearly see the people you are talking to, you can read lips to help make out words you do not quite hear. And because it enhances the chance of using this extra visual cue, an act as simple as always wearing your glasses may help too. Making this minor change alone can have a measurable effect.
*12/159/5*
GENERAL HEALTH
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