Wem residents encouraged to take online hearing test - Whitchurch Herald

RESIDENTS of Wem are being invited to take an online hearing check to mark November's Hearing Awareness Month.

A recent poll by eyesight and hearing specialists Scrivens found two-thirds of people said wearing face coverings had affected their ability to hear clearly or make themselves heard.

The poll of 2,000 adults revealed the average person was only prepared to ask someone to repeat what they said twice, and many found inventive ways to pretend they had heard.

Melanie Mort, manager of Scrivens's Wem branch, said residents should take the hearing check if difficulty hearing was becoming more common.

"Our research shows mishearing or not hearing something can make us feel uncomfortable," she said.

"As we don't like to cause offence or make others feel uneasy we'll frequently resort to going along with it to save face or put that person at ease.

"It's not surprising masks, face coverings and screens to help guard against the spread of coronavirus have made it more difficult to follow what is being said.

"But if you find yourself having to ask people to repeat themselves a lot, you shouldn't ignore it as it may indicate hearing loss.

"As a first step people can take our online Hearing Check Challenge at scrivens.com or get their hearing checked at a local branch, which remains open as an essential healthcare provider with Covid-secure measures in place."

Changes in hearing can be subtle and happen over time, and left ignored hearing loss can lead to social withdrawal and there is evidence of a link with dementia too.

Melanie added: "Regular hearing checks are so important and the earlier we can seek help the better."