An estimated 28 million Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss.

According to Andy Waits of Waits Hearing Aid Center, over 80 percent of those with hearing loss fail to take advantage of the new technologies available to them because of outdated stereotypes and stigmas associated with hearing loss.

“This is truly unfortunate because when hearing loss is detected and treated, people report significant improvements in many areas of their lives,” said Waits. “In the last decade we have seen remarkable advances in hearing aids. New state-of-the-art instruments can be programmed by hearing professionals to match the exact hearing profile of the user.”

Waits points out that many digital hearing aids, such as DigiFocus II, are small, sleek, `computers in the ear' that enable hard-of-hearing individuals to hear sound more clearly and distinctly in a wide range of surroundings.

“The clean, crisp sound that digital instruments produce can make a significant difference in the user's ability to participate fully in work, family and social situations,” said Waits.

Because hearing difficulties can occur at any age, Waits recommends periodic hearing evaluations, which are simple and painless, to access the degree of hearing loss. The signs of hearing loss include:

Asking people to repeat themselves frequently.

Missing key words in a conversation when talking in noisy surroundings.

Difficulty hearing when using the telephone.

Turning up the volume on the TV or radio often.

Feeling that people mumble when speaking.

Being frequently asked by family and friends to take a hearing test.

As part of his commitment to helping to eliminate negative stereotypes associated with hearing loss, Waits is one of thousands of hearing health professionals who support the 2000 Oticon Focus on People awards. This unique national awards program honors hard-of-hearing individuals who demonstrate through their accomplishments that hearing loss does not limit a person's ability to lead a full and productive life.

To obtain an entry form to nominate an outstanding hard-of-hearing individual for this year's Focus on People awards, contact Oticon at 800-526-3921 or visit www.oticonus.com.

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