Image: Marc O’Sullivan
– National Health Roadshow to run from 6th – 10th March offering free health checks –
RTÉ presenter Mary Kennedy yesterday launched the 10th annual Hearing Awareness Week, a major national health campaign that highlights the issue of hearing loss, and how it is a key part of overall health and wellness.
2017 marks the 10th year of Hearing Awareness Week, with free hearing tests being offered throughout the country from 6th – 10th March.
In Ireland, hearing loss affects one in six people (approximately 700,000 people), and this climbs to one in three people aged over 60 years. Sadly, Irish people wait on average 10 years to address their hearing loss, which impacts significantly on their general health and wellbeing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that up to one third of hearing loss in the world’s population is preventable – so boosting awareness about preventative hearing health is hugely important to Hidden Hearing and a key objective of Hearing Awareness Week in Ireland.
Sponsored and run by Hidden Hearing in partnership with Active Retirement Ireland, Hearing Awareness Week offers a range of free vital health checks including blood pressure, blood sugar, ear wax removal, foot examinations and hearing tests.
Nationwide Event Details:
Events will run in five counties over five days from Monday, 6th March – Friday 10th March between 10am – 4pm:
Monday, 6th March: Radisson Blu Hotel, Letterkenny, Donegal
Tuesday, 7th March: Armagh City Hotel, Armagh
Wednesday, 8th March: Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny
Thursday, 9th March: Dooley’s Hotel, Waterford City
Friday, 10th March: The Strand Hotel, Limerick City
Speaking at the launch of Hearing Awareness Week 2017, Stephen Leddy, Managing Director of Hidden Hearing said a fundamental objective of the campaign is to encourage people to give the same respect and consideration to their hearing health as they do their eye-sight and general health.
“When people start to suspect issues with their eye-sight, they immediately go to their GP or optician to get tested. Unfortunately, when they suspect they’ve an issue with their hearing, they’re slower to come forward to investigate the cause or establish a fix. With Hearing Awareness Week we want to educate people on the signs of hearing loss, as well as other fundamental health indicators and give people the reassurance and advice they need to protect their hearing and achieve good health.
“All five events are free to attend and provide a fun and friendly space for people to meet while having their health checked. At our 75 Hidden Hearing clinics nationwide, we are also providing free walk-in hearing tests and screenings on Wednesday 8th March, so we welcome and encourage everyone to come in and participate in this great initiative”
Leddy added.
RTÉ’s Mary Kennedy is proudly supporting this year’s Hearing Awareness Week and as a busy TV presenter in her early 60s, she says she gets her hearing checked annually to ensure she is in good hearing health shape.
“I’m thrilled to lend my support to this landmark 10th anniversary year of Hearing Awareness Week. It’s such an important health initiative, and can be life changing for many. I have the lucky job of travelling the country to interview people from all walks of life, so my hearing health is vitally important to me. When I turned 60 a couple of years ago, I made an active decision to have my hearing checked every year and I’ve found the advice from my audiologist at Hidden Hearing so reassuring and helpful.
“I urge everyone who can make it to the Hearing Awareness Roadshow from 6th-10th March to go along and find out how they can protect their hearing health like me.”
Mai Quaid, President of Active Retirement Ireland commented:
“This is a wonderful opportunity for those who want to stay active and healthy to get expert advice on their hearing health as well as other vital health checks like blood pressure and diabetes. We hope that health checks and hearing checks become an annual priority for our members, and we congratulate Hidden Hearing on the 10th year of this brilliant health initiative.”
To find out more about Hearing Awareness Week, Hidden Hearing, or their services and products, please visit www.hiddenhearing.ie or Freephone 1800 370000.
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