The Silent Majority
About 30 million Americans have some difficulty hearing. One in ten of your friends, neighbors, and those you see everyday have to struggle with their hearing loss.
The majority of those who have trouble hearing the people in their lives are under the age of sixty! Increased assault on one's ears from prolonged exposure to high levels of music, along with recreational activities (motor bikes, ATV's, hunting, auto racing, etc.), occupational hazards and even road noise has increased the prevalence of hearing loss in all age groups. It is not unusual for thirty- of forty-year-olds to report having some difficulty understanding conversation in complex listening environments.
The listening requirements of today's adults are far more varied and demanding than previous generations. Having a conversation in the office with the background music, or with co-workers talking in the hall or in the cubical next door, and with the forced air ventilation system operating is especially complicated. Hearing and understanding speech from the hands-free speakerphone in the car with surrounding road noise is a challenge even if you have a mild or high frequency hearing loss.