Hearing A “Problem For One In 20”

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30958, 14 January 1966, Page 12

Hearing A “Problem For One In 20”

One in every 20 New Zealander has a hearing P™,. lem, according to “Health, the magazine of the Department of Health. Onlv one in 30 of these is actively trying to improve the quality of his understanding of speech, the article says. In New Zealand the deaf and the hard of hearing number about 120,000. 75,000 of whom are embarrassed socially and in business by their affliction. “Those who have never been forced into the silent world of the deaf or the speech-garbled world of the hard of hearing cannot imagine the strains and stresses lack of ready communications with others brings,” the article says “What could be trivial matters to the hearing can sometimes build into mountains of mental turmoil to the deaf.

“Even those who have adjusted to their handicap often find a series of small things mount up far out of proportion to their importance, yet impossible to shrug off as trivial. “Chain Reaction” “Consequently there is a chain reaction beginning with a loss of hearing which, through difficulties of exchanging thoughts, moves towards the far more serious change of personality. “The hard of hearing feel they are nuisances. They are reminded of that only too frequently, but throughout history have been among the last to seek help. “Unfortunately this is still true.” The article says that the 33-year-old New Zealand League for the Hard of Hearing exists to help those with a hearing loss to overcome it. The main purpose is to help to restore communication.

Education In the wearing of hearing aids and the value of lipreading is the league's main work and its services are available in more than 40 centres in New Zealand. It co-operates with the Department of Health, the Department of Education, and the Department of Labour and has close ties with many other organisations which may influence social acceptance of the hard of hearing and deaf. The article says the league needs a strong membership of normally hearing people to help rehabilitation of the hard of hearing. At present there are 1053 students enrolled in lip reading classes throughout New Zealand. In most centres, the numbers in these classes could be doubled overnight, the article says, but if all who would benefit from lip reading became students, the number would be closer to 30.000.