Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Can You Hear Me Now (Hearing Impaired Telephones Become Popular as Boomers Reach 50 & 60)

Can You Hear Me Now (Hearing Impaired Telephones Become Popular as Boomers Reach 50 & 60)

New studies show that half of all Baby Boomers report experiencing hearing loss. If you ask a Baby Boomer why they feel they are having this problem, is due to exposure to excessive noise. They were the first generation to be raised on rock-n-roll and they are now facing a bigger problem with hearing loss then their parents did. Admitting there is a problem is the first step to fixing it, but it is not enough. Those same studies also show that most Baby Boomers have either a parent that has hearing loss or know another Boomer with hearing loss.

It is this fact that is driving up the popularity of telephones for the hearing impaired. President Clinton was 46 when he took office. Clinton was the second youngest president in U.S. history. It was just a mere five years later that he was sporting hearing aids in both of his ears occasionally. Especially when mingling in large groups, making communication easier by allowing him to hear discriminately what was being said to him.

Although most people see hearing loss as a problem that only effects seniors, the fact is that more and more Americans are experiencing hearing loss at earlier ages. Perhaps the most noticeable of these younger Americans is the segment of the population that is currently in their 40s and 50s, the Baby Boomers. Starting in 1971 to the year 1990 the National Health Interview Survey reported that there was a 26% jump in hearing problems amongst people that ranged in age from 45 to 64. This was accompanied by a 17% jump with people between the ages of 18 to 44. It is because these people were the first to be raised on rock music, gas powered lawn mowers, traffic gridlocks and other everyday threats to our hearing. According to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) regular exposure to sound levels above 70 decibels can damage hearing. So what is 70 decibels? That would be a hair dryer, vacuum cleaner or a gas lawn mower?

Hearing loss is not limited to the inability to sense sound. There is impaired pitch which means the ear isn’t able to sort out complex sounds in speech. This is why some people say that they can hear you but can’t understand what you are saying. The first tones to be affected are usually the high tones which just so happen to include many of the most common sounds that are spoke in the English language. These are sounds that are created by the lips and teeth.

Mid tones are which are created by the tongue and base of the throat typically are the next to fall. This loss is why some people say that they can’t hear you and then when you repeat the same sentence with an increase in volume the person with the hearing loss is now accusing you of yelling at them.

This can be incredibly frustrating when trying to carry on a conversation on the phone. With the varied degrees of hearing loss that are possible it is important to find a product that is going to meet your needs. There are many sites on the net that specialize in these products.

Amplified phones are designed for people that are dealing with partial hearing loss. These phones not only have volume control but they also enhance the volume of the high frequency sounds that allow people with the partial hearing loss to differentiate between words that sound very similar, for example “chair” and “stair”. Amplified phones also clarify high pitch voices like those of women and children.

There are also patented volume boost phones that are designed with features to help the hearing impaired baby boomers with high-frequency hearing loss. They can be found in more sleek designs then those phones of years passed. After all baby boomers do still have a very chic impression to portray.

To stay current with all the latest technology there are also amplifying agents that can be added to your cell phones to make communicating on the go. These little headsets can be connected to your mobile phone, cordless phone; any phone really that you would like to use that has a 2.5mm jack. This head set provides variable amplification up to 25 dB.

The cost of these products is no more expensive the regular phones and accessories for cell phones. These products will help the Baby Boomer be able to communicate with ease and less frustration and be able to hear and understand the other half of the conversation.

Mark Allen is a frequent contributing writer to www.simplyusedphones.com. More FREE articles can be found http://www.simplyusedphones.com/whatsnew.html

1 comment:

pleasedconsumer said...

Hi,

You have great blog. right on the subject.
I found your blog as I was looking for hearing aids and specific information on ampliear.

I have also found more articles on hearing aids.

I wpould like to hear your opinion on these reviews. Are they for real?

Regards,