​I feel like Goldilocks. I spend my entire life saying: The venue is too loud, can you turn it down?
This speaker is too soft, can you turn it up?  I rarely get the – Ah, this is just right!
 
I am lucky enough to be able to programme my own hearing aids, but as I am getting older It seems I need to make more changes.  Part of it is the changes in my brain. The brain is the biggest part of hearing.  The ear provides the raw data, but the brain needs to make sense of it all.  Add in bits that are missing take out bits that should not belong there, and make sure everything is in the right order.

​All hearing aids, even the ones 10 years old, have the ability to make billions of changes to sounds.  Soft sounds can be made louder, speech can be made clearer, and loud sounds reduced.  There are billions of changes that can be made on hearing aids and unless there is a list of specific hearing issues that need to be addressed it is hard to know which change is right for you.
 
Our hearing is as individual as our fingerprints.  Everyone likes to hear differently. Some people are Classical, some are Country and Western, some are Rap and some are Techno, the list goes on. Hearing aids are designed to self-adjust hundreds of times a second based on what they have been programmed to do, and it can take several visits to an audiologist to get the programming right.  
 
Sometimes it isn’t easy even getting to the audiologist’s office, as COVID has demonstrated.  But fortunately the majority of hearing aids are less than six years old and have the ability to remote programme and there is an app for that, which is great news!  It does take some    technical skill to do but it is reasonably easy to learn.  It is something the tech-savvy generations can do easily.  
 
What hearing aids cannot do is take hearing back to what it once was.  Hearing loss is typically caused by damage to the nerves in the ear.  The greater the damage, the less the hearing aids can restore hearing.  Everyone, regardless of hearing capabilities, misses things and needs to ask for repetition or clarification. If your hearing is good, you can usually understand the second time, and it takes very little effort.  Perhaps this is the underlying reason why some people with good hearing get so frustrated with those who don’t. They think we are not trying hard enough, not paying enough attention.  They do not realise the amount of effort that needs to be put into even a simple conversation.  Hearing aids are great, but they aren’t a panacea for hearing loss, they are an aid.               
 
Perhaps we can blame the hearing aid marketing campaigns.  All those smiling people running around laughing and hearing effortlessly.  I even remember one Siemens hearing aid campaign from about 15 years ago that promised their aid could make you hear like you were 18 again. Well,  possibly they can because to be fair, I cannot remember what I could hear when I was 18.  Although, I do remember that I was invincible and knew everything.

​Getting your hearing aids working just right for your individual hearing can be complicated and may take several visits, but it’s worth it.  So while hearing aids can’t return your hearing to its previous levels, and we need to ask for music to be turned down – ALL THE TIME!  We can get best out of our hearing aids by going back to your audiologist with a list – the more information on what your personal listening needs and preferences are.  This way your hearing aids will work better for you and be much more comfortable for you to use.
 
Your audiologist would appreciate the opportunity to get your hearing aids programmed into that Goldilocks zone for you, where it is – Ah just right, and many of you have already prepaid for the visits in the cost of hearing aids.
 
Hearing NZ is New Zealand’s longest serving organisation for the Hard of Hearing and we’d love to hear from you.
 
To have conversations with others in the New Zealand Hard of Hearing Community follow this link to join us on:  www.facebook.com/groups/1760516034138598
 
Reference:     
 
Article written by Dr Lisa Seerup, President of Hearing New Zealand, audiologist, and a hearing aid wearer.   Aged Care New Zealand Issue 02 2022

However, many illnesses and impairments that may affect driving capability tend to increase with age, such as dementia or impaired vision.  There is a demand for balance between maintaining the quality of life for seniors and ensuring their safety and the safety of others on the road.  Fortunately, there are many other options available to get out and about.

​Retaining a driver’s licence
 
For those seniors who can drive, retaining a driver’s licence can be a crucial way to maintain independence and avoid feeling lonely.  A survey conducted by the New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) revealed that 34 per cent of members over 75 would feel frustrated if they could no longer drive and 28 per cent said they would feel lonely.  For seniors living in rural areas where public transport is not widely accessible, maintaining a driver’s licence is particularly important to avoid isolation.
 
Coping without a car
 
Having personal freedom and mobility is important to everyone and having to surrender a driver’s licence could be extremely difficult for some.  Fortunately, there are many other options available to reserve these freedoms without a car.
 
Public transport offers many advantages that can be a positive outlook when faced with surrendering a licence.  Often using public transport is cheaper than running a vehicle and allows time for other activities while travelling such as reading or writing.  Public transport also takes the stress out of driving and can even be social, especially if travelling with friends.  It can also improve a person’s health if they must walk to the bus stop and will contribute to improving the environment by reducing pollution.
 
Types of public transport for seniors
 
Free off-peak public transport is available to all seniors 65 and over with a SuperGold card.  Many taxi companies will also offer a discount.
 
There are also options available for taxi, companion driving services, or share ride services.  It is worth investigating which services are provided in the local area.  If a senior is not able to use public transport easily or has mobility impairments, they can apply for a Total Mobility card which offers discounted transport fares.  An assessment facilitator will have to assess whether an application is eligible.  

​Community transport services are another transport option which provide a service specifically for seniors and charge by time not distance.  This service also offers assistance in areas like help unloading shopping or help with wheelchairs.  Many also offer companion services such as taking seniors on scenic routes or spending time with them out and about.
 
Having personal freedom and mobility can be a crucial factor to support wellbeing as we age.  It is important that our senior population maintain their independence whether that is through retaining their driver’s licence or becoming familiar with the many public transport options available to them.
 
 
 
Ref: Aged Care New Zealand Issue 02 2022