18 million adults in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus - that's 1 in 3 of us. Of those, an estimated 1.2 million adults have hearing loss severe enough to not be able to hear most conversational speech.

As part of Deaf Awareness Week, we've been thinking about how we can all adapt to be better colleagues, friends and family members to those who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. 

Our long-term volunteer and valued trustee, Ian Jenkins, has contributed to a huge number of our outreach events, exhibition materials, visual stories and oral histories, and was appointed as Chair of the Finance Committee last year. 

He has kindly agreed to share a little about his own experience of hearing loss. Here are a few things he had to say:

 

1. It's hard to admit you have a problem  

There's lots of evidence (RNID, NHS) that on average, it takes about 10 years for someone to seek help after becoming aware of hearing loss. This delay is a significant issue, because early intervention can lead to better outcomes. 

In my case, it took several years (and much encouragement from family, friends and colleagues) before I finally plucked up the courage to book a free hearing test. I was still genuinely shocked when I was told I needed hearing aids in my 40s – to the extent that I immediately booked a free test somewhere else to get a second opinion! The outcome was identical. My hearing loss resulted from a virus several years earlier, and it had crept up on me over time – that's a very common experience. 

 

2. It's often a hidden disability  

Even after seeking help, and if necessary getting hearing aids, people with hearing loss and tinnitus can find it hard to talk about and draw attention to the fact that they have a hearing problem that they are dealing with. 

In my case, it's taken some time for me to become confident and open about my hearing loss, especially with new people. Avoidance is often so much easier –  e.g. not going to busy events and loud environments – than seeking help and support in dealing with tricky situations. These days I'm always impressed and touched by people's understanding. Often it's small things that make the biggest difference, such as just someone speaking clearly and facing you when they are talking. 

3. Be realistic about the technology 

Modern hearing aids are amazing pieces of technology – whether you have them on the NHS, or privately through providers like Specsavers or Boots. But they are hearing aids, not hearing cures – they can't give you perfect hearing, in the way that new glasses can often give you near-perfect vision.  

In my case, I've learned to adapt, and to assess new environments for the best experience – e.g. sitting with my back to a wall or window in a noisy restaurant helps to reduce the noise direction and can make a huge difference to how effectively I can join in a conversation. 

 

4. It's tiring 

Like so many disabilities, there's extra effort involved in dealing day-to-day with hearing loss and tinnitus. Sometimes it's difficult to keep track of a conversation and to figure out what you might have missed or misunderstood, and often there are challenges with sensory overload as you try to separate important details from background noise. 

In my case, I try to plan in advance when I'm aware a situation could be especially tiring, and I aim to plan for breaks before or afterwards to give myself a chance to recharge and reset. Even just a few minutes in a quiet environment can do wonders!  

 

5. Lots of help is available 

There is a huge amount of support and assistive technology, alongside hearing aids, available for those with hearing loss and tinnitus, especially from the NHS and organisations like the RNID.  

In my case, TV subtitles are a huge benefit, and I sometimes use tools like live captioning during online meetings. Also for meetings I use a desktop speaker/microphone instead of a headset – although that does need a quiet environment so as not to disturb other people.  I'm not yet at the stage where I need sign language (BSL) - but that's something to think about for the future.

If you would like to learn more, or are looking for support with your own deafness, hearing loss or tinnitus, please visit https://rnid.org.uk/