FRANKFORT, Ky. (3/15/13) – The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) is coming to six senior citizen centers in western Kentucky during April to present valuable information about hearing loss and communications accessibility.
 
For many of Kentucky’s senior citizens, the ability to socialize within their communities or enjoy visits with family is not limited by mobility, but by communication problems stemming from hearing loss.
 
With hearing loss comes the potential for isolation. As their hearing loss becomes more severe, senior citizens may retreat inside their home and stop going out with friends and family, all because of the perception that they cannot participate in social activity in the same way they used to.
 
“We hope seniors in western Kentucky will take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about our agency and the services we provide,” said Virginia Moore, KCDHH executive director. “Effective communication is a keystone issue for seniors, affecting everything from their medical care to their ability to socialize with friends or participate in church. If you feel isolated or know someone who feels isolated because of their hearing loss, see us when we are in your area and let us know what your needs are, or call us for more information.”
 
Approximately 36 million Americans report some degree of hearing loss, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. It is especially prevalent among the country’s senior citizens as there is a strong relationship between age and hearing loss: 18 percent of American adults 45-64 years old, 30 percent of adults 65-74 years old, and 47 percent of adults 75 years old or older have a hearing loss.
 
A KCDHH representative will be visiting six senior citizens centers in western Kentucky April 1-3. Senior citizens and their friends and family members are encouraged to come and pick up helpful information about hearing loss, including how to get an amplified, captioned or wireless phone at no cost through the KCDHH Telecommunications Access Program.

SurfKY News
Information provided by the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet
Photo provided by SurfKY Graphics

Copyright © 2012 SurfKY News Group, Inc. all rights reserved.  SurfKY.com is an eNewspaper providing local news FREE to Kentucky 24/7.  Read Statewide Kentucky News, Sports, Obituaries and more from the following Kentucky Counties:  Calloway, Christian, Daviess, Fayette (Lexington), Henderson, Hopkins, Logan, McCracken, Muhlenberg, Warren, and Webster Counties as well as the Kentucky Lakes Area.