Can You Hear Me? If Not... Welcome To The Club!

When you go to a restaurant, do you have trouble hearing the waiter?

If you're a Boomer or older, the answer, much of the time, is probably "Yes."

If so, you're experiencing something called "presbycusis" - in more practical terms, "getting older." The technical definition of Presbycusis is gradual decline in ear function that occurs with aging. Your own definition, though, may well be, "I can't hear the %$##!!*! waiter!"

Statistics tell us that between 20% and 40% of people over 50 are experiencing some level of hearing loss. And the places in which we most often experience it are places with a lot of background noise...such as restaurants.

As we age, the sensory nerve endings in the ear undergo some structural damage. And this causes hearing loss...which is exacerbated by conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

But - especially if you're a boomer - hearing loss can result from other causes, as well. We're the generation that came of age in the 60's and 70's. We not only blasted our music all day long, but, often, we blasted it directly into our ears, with headphones. We went to rock concerts where the decibel-level was often the same as an airliner taking off. Our philosophy, as the Grass Roots sang, was to "live for today." We never thought about - or didn't care about - the potential damage that could result from abusing our ears.

If it's any consolation to fellow Boomers, though...scientists are telling us that, apparently, younger generations - who often seem biologically attached to their headphones - may end up with worse hearing than us.

At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we're Elder Law attorneys...which means we have to stay up-to-date on hundreds of not-necessarily-legal areas that might affect our clients.

Over the past 33 years, we've helped thousands of South Florida families with an ever-widening range of questions. And we've helped them, too, with comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, long-term care planning, asset-protection plans, and assistance with Medicaid and the VA.

We can answer your questions, too. And we're just a phone call away.