What Did You Say? – Canadian Hearing Loss Statistics
The good news is that, according to a new study, 40% of Canadian adults are free of hearing health problems. The bad news: approximately three in five adults (60%) have hearing loss (23%), tinnitus (22%), or both conditions (14%). Overall, 60% of Canadians aged 19 to 79 have a hearing health problem. Many Canadians aged 40 to 79 years are unaware that they have hearing loss. Hearing loss is more common at older ages. It often grows gradually as part of the aging process but may also be caused by loud noise (emphasis added), trauma, medications, and disease (Statistics Canada Website, October 20, 2021).
As park wardens our work environment had us working in a variety of noisy settings including but not limited to operating snowmobiles, quads, chainsaws, fire pumps, outboard motors, jet boats, and generators; flying in fixed and rotary winged aircraft; and participating in yearly firearms training or avalanche control duties. While hearing protection is more common today, it wasn’t in the 70s, 80s and 90s, the era in which many of us were working. These activities may have contributed to work related hearing loss, the result of which are the hearing challenges you might be dealing with today.
Tom Elliot with input from George Mercer and Todd Golumbia, has prepared an article containing a variety information for any of you dealing with hearing loss challenges. It includes new hearing technology, devices, courses, books, and websites available to help you live better with hearing loss. It also includes information on the process for pursuing a work-related hearing loss claim through WCB. The full article can be found here on the Park Warden Alumni site.