Realizing that every person you meet might possibly be disabled in some way

BY STEVEN KASZAB

In Canada 38% of the population aged 20-79 have some form of hearing loss, with 37% having tinnitus. 1 in 57 billion people in the world today have hearing loss. The World Health Organization estimates that over 5% of the global population are hearing loss disabled, that is over 700 million people. Over a billion young people are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due mostly to unsafe hearing practices. The W.H.O. recommends an annual investment of as little as $1.44 per person to scale up ear and hearing care services. If the US did this over a ten-year period, a promised return of $16.00 per person could be achieved.

Why the statistics? Two to three years ago I found out I had an ongoing condition where my ear canals were sealing, the skin growing quickly and sealing the passage. Two surgeries later, I also have a condition where my ears fill with moisture and wax, making it difficult to hear at times. Both conditions are ongoing, so this is a life process. I am aged, and have many friends who suffer from hearing loss, some need only to acquire hearing aids, while others have implanted devices, surgery or medication. Many face a future of silence.

When I found out about my condition, the fear of hearing loss affected me in many ways:

• I began to enjoy more music, walks, conversations with others
• Fear of losing the gift of hearing my family and friends was frightening
• I’d go to a nearby pond and listen to the birds sing.
• I engaged at a senior’s home, helping the best I could and searching out this condition among the clients
• Lots of research. Don’t Google hearing loss, as you will fall into an information hole that does not help you

I spent a great deal of time conversing with my partner and friend. To lose her voice in my life seemed unbearable. Fear filled my being. I feared loss of my ability to: communicate as a sales manager in my career, communicating clearly to anyone at home, the grocery, business. I began to teach myself sign language just in case.

While a minister, I ministered to many seniors and young people alike. The elderly often became depressed, fatalistic and sometimes violent when they could not properly communicate with others, or others simply ignored them because of their condition. Young people with such conditions isolate themselves, withdrawing into themselves, often suffering depression and a lack of worth in a society that craves ability and achievement.

There were benefits that came with this condition and how I related to it. My partner cannot hear from her right ear, so I placed myself on the appropriate side of her to hear her. I began to look at people in the face, recognize and value them, listening to hear every word they said. Respect for others became my motto in life. Realizing that every person I met was possibly disabled some way, to recognize the disability, respect the individual no matter what.

We live in a society where disabled people live among us, trying to be as “normal” as they can be. Realizing that we are all the same, trying to get by on: what we have achieved, need and require, while some of us have a greater difficulty doing so. A helping hand, acknowledgment and kind word is often welcomed.

If you notice a change in your physical, mental, visual, or audible condition please go to a professional, a doctor with the tools and knowledge to assist you. Some people are born with disabilities, others become disabled because of an accident, or event. Most of us lose some of our abilities over time. Medical knowhow and technology are there to help and guide you in your journey. All you need to do is realize you need help and then seek it.

Have a great day!