May is National Better Hearing and Speech Month, and Dr. Ann Wietsma and Kim Stout, audiologists at The Audiology Offices, are using the occasion to encourage residents to have their hearing tested—and take action if they have hearing loss.

“Hearing loss is one of the most common, chronic conditions that Americans experience,” Wietsma said. “Yet many people wait years or even decades to take any action on their hearing loss—if they ever do. This is true even as we have so many intervention and treatment options that help people to communicate more effectively. During May, we want to inform the public how and where they can connect with help for hearing and related conditions—and why it’s important that they do so.”

Although many people know that you can be born deaf and/or hard of hearing—and that hearing loss is relatively common in older adults—it’s important to understand that hearing loss can occur at any point across the lifespan. Roughly 15 percent of school-aged children ...