Hearing Awareness Week

The focus of 2006 Hearing Awareness Week, 20-26 August, is to raise awareness of the dangers of over exposure to loud noise, including loud music, so that people can enjoy the sounds they love for longer.

Activities during Hearing Awareness Week, including hearing screenings, will encourage people to be more aware of the danger of exposure to loud noise. Hearing Awareness Week also provides an opportunity for the one in six Australians who have a hearing loss, to share their experience and knowledge and help to create a greater understanding of their needs and aspirations.

Minister for Human Services, the Hon Joe Hockey MP, has urged Australians to heed the message to preserve, conserve and protect their hearing.

“Too often in everyday life people are unwittingly exposed to noise levels that can cause hearing loss,” he said.

“People shouldn’t imagine for a moment that it is only workplace noise that has an effect on your hearing. The ear cannot distinguish between noise produced by work activities and noise produced by leisure activities, even though leisure noise may bring a lot of pleasure.

“Everyday activities like mowing the lawn, blowing the leaves off the path, going to concerts, motor races or fireworks displays can impact on our hearing.”

“While there may be few early signs that you are being exposed to harmful levels of noise, once you damage your hearing it won’t come back. Therefore measures that preserve and conserve hearing are vital.”

“Australian Hearing is perfectly positioned to help educate people about the potential dangers to their hearing and assist those who may already have hearing difficulties,” Minister Hockey said.

An Australian Government agency, Australian Hearing provides subsidised hearing care to most veterans and pensioner concession cardholders.

Australian Hearing centres are located in all states and territories of Australia. For more information on the nearest centre visit www.hearing.com.au or call 131 797 to make an appointment.