Now hear this! Get a hearing test during Better Speech and Hearing Month (May)

In celebration of Better Speech and Hearing Month (May), here's a quick reminder to get your hearing tested.

It's key to note that Baby Boomers are leading the most active - and most noisy - lifestyle of any generation so far. And there seems to be a clear indication that Boomers suffer from a significantly higher degree of hearing loss than their parents. Check out these statistics:

--From 1971 to 1990, hearing problems among those between the ages 45 and 64 jumped 26 percent, according to a National Health Interview Survey.
--There was also a 17 percent increase in the 18 to 44 age group.
--In California, where researchers surveyed 5,000 people, the rate of impairment jumped 150 percent between 1965 and 1994 among those in their 50s.
--Paired with the fact that the Baby Boomers will live longer than any generation before them, hearing impairment in people over 55 is expected to reach new levels in severity and prevalence in the coming decades (Hear-it AISBL, 2005).

Phonak, a leading hearing aid manufacturer, has a quick test on its Web site to help determine if you have a hearing loss and helps refer folks to hearing professionals in their local areas (http://www.hear-the-world.com/hoeren_und_hoerverlust/hoerverlust_erkennen.htm).