A Frome meeting aims to bring people living with hearing problems together for advice, information and fellowship.
Health Connections Mendip, the organisation that helps individuals and groups get connected in order to help one another, is coming together with local hearing loss charities next month to encourage anyone experiencing hearing difficulties to come and share knowledge and advice about living with the condition.
The first of these free, informal meetings is taking place at the Frome Medical Practice, Enos Way, Frome BA11 2FH on Thursday 14th September from 9.30am until 11.30am. Tea will be provided.
It is estimated that almost 11 million people across the UK experience some form of hearing difficulty, including conditions like tinnitus, which cause a persistent buzzing, ringing, or hissing sounds in the ears.
Whilst a relatively small number of people experience deafness from birth, over 70% of adults will experience some form of hearing loss by the time they are 70 years old*.
Hearing loss not only makes holding a conversation difficult, it can also impacts on your health and wellbeing with social isolation, loneliness and depression all being a common symptom. Researchers say loneliness and social isolation alone can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes to day.
Jenny Hartnol, Health Connections Mendip service lead explained, “We want to encourage people with a hearing problem and their family members to come along to this free event and let us know if you think a regular group is a good idea. People can also benefit by sharing their own knowledge and information with each other and this could be tremendously beneficial as a way of bringing people together for mutual support.”
Councillor Nigel Taylor, portfolio holder for neighbourhood and community health services at Mendip District Council, which is supporting the ‘End Loneliness in Mendip’ campaign, said, “Social isolation and loneliness are key factors that impact upon your health and wellbeing, particular amongst older people. Conditions like hearing loss make the experience of loneliness even more difficult. That is why we welcome the idea of people with hearing loss meeting together and helping each other. This could be a very positive way to help some people overcome the isolation that hearing problems can cause.”
Hosting the first meeting at Frome Medical Centre on the 14th September will be a DeafPLUS who will be on hand to answer your questions and give information.
To find out more, please contact Health Connections Mendip on tel: 01373 468368 or email: mendip. healthconnections@ nhs.net. If you would like to find out about support services for people with hearing loss you can visit http://www.health connectionsmendip.org and go to the ‘Hearing Support’ part of the directory.
