Hearing Loss Information

Age-related hearing loss affects about two thirds of older adults. Untreated hearing loss can also lead to:

• A higher risk of developing dementia
• A higher risk for falls and hospitalization
• Social isolation and relationship problems with friends and family
• Loss of income or earning potential
• Anxiety and depression

Only 20 per cent of people who could benefit from hearing aids wear them. We recommend everyone older than 50 gets regular hearing tests to learn about any hearing loss as soon as possible. (If you suspect you have hearing loss, you should get tested before age 50.)

Learn more about how audiologists can help you (PDF)

Some early signs that you might have hearing loss include:

• Thinking that people mumble
• Difficulty hearing with background noise
• Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
• Difficulty understanding if someone is not looking directly at you
• Straining to hear
• Favouring one ear
• Turning the television or radio up louder than usual
• Difficulty hearing on the phone
• Avoiding certain social situations because you can’t participate
• Speaking louder than necessary in conversation
• Ringing or buzzing in one or both ears
• Appearing dull and disinterested, slow to respond, or just not quite “with it”

There are several strategies you can use when talking to someone with hearing loss. 

To make it easier for them to hear you: 

• Speak slowly and clearly 
• Speak slightly louder than normal, but do not shout 
• Use short and simple sentences 
• Repeat things using different words when needed 
• Try to eliminate or reduce background noise 
• In groups, have one person speak at a time 

Use visual cues to help with communication by: 

• Facing the person you are talking to 
• Making sure the room is well lit and your face is visible 
• Keeping your hands or other objects away from your face 
• Writing down key words, if needed 

Other strategies that can help include: 

• Attracting the person’s attention before you start talking 
• Providing context about the topic of the conversation 
• Asking for important information like appointment times or medication instructions to be repeated back 
• Asking how you can help them understand you better 

Hearing aids amplify sound in a variety of ways to help you hear better. 

Learn more about hearing aids.

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) are a group of devices that amplify sound to help people with hearing loss in specific listening situations. They can be used on their own or together with hearing aids. 

They can help you with: 

• Face-to-face communication 
• TV, radio or other entertainment 
• Phone conversations 
• Awareness of your surroundings 

Examples of ALDs include: 

• Personal sound amplifiers 
• Amplified phones  
• TV devices 
• Alarm clocks or door chimes 

Auditory rehabilitation teaches strategies to help with communication and hearing. People with or without hearing aids can benefit from auditory rehabilitation. It helps the listener sharpen their communication skills by focusing on:

• Visual cues such as facial expressions and gestures 
• Lip reading 
• Listening and comprehension skills 
• Auditory memory 
• Attention and focus 

Here are three places that offer auditory rehabilitation. 

The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association has an eight-lesson online course on lip reading. 

LACE is an online auditory training program to strengthen listening and comprehensions skills. To receive a LACE liscence and learn more about the program click here.

It is common to hear sounds such as ringing, buzzing or roaring. This perception of noise in the ears or head is called tinnitus. Tinnitus can be a symptom of hearing loss. It can also be related to other factors like stress, aging, noise exposure, certain drugs and health conditions. 

According to Statistics Canada, more than one in three Canadians have experienced tinnitus in their lifetime. Tinnitus may eventually fade away on its own, but it can be debilitating in some cases, leading to poor sleep and loss of concentration. 

If you are experiencing tinnitus, we recommend an assessment by an audiologist to learn more about possible underlying causes.  

There are several treatment options to manage tinnitus: 

Hearing aids to treat underlying hearing loss 

• Tinnitus maskers 
• Sound therapy 
• Apps like ReSound Relief
• White noise machine 
• Stress relief 
• Peer support groups 

Identifying underlying hearing loss and understanding tinnitus is often the first step in learning to coping with it.  

Learn more about tinnitus (PDF).