Hearing Awareness Week – March 1-7, 2023
Hearing Awareness Week this year is from March 1 to 7. Held annually, it highlights the issues affecting Australians living with hearing loss. It is a vital part of the ongoing effort by the government of Australia and its N.G.O.s to improve the issues that people with hearing loss face.
Did you know 3.5 million Australians aged 15 and over, about 22% of its population, have mild to severe hearing issues? An average of one in six Australians has a hearing disability.
Hearing Awareness Week aims to spread awareness about the positive impact of looking after our hearing health – improved quality of life, social engagement, career, confidence, and communication.
How to Observe Hearing Awareness Week
1. Improve the workspace
As an employer, given the high number of Australians living with hearing loss, observe this awareness holiday by providing adequate equipment and support for affected employees to do their job effectively. When hosting a meeting, help those with hearing loss to sit in a way that provides them with clear sound and an unobstructed view of the speaker’s lips. Where appropriate, seek to provide better audio relay systems in your phone network or meeting rooms.
2. Reduce noise
Noise-induced hearing loss is especially common in the workplace. Noise creates stress and can be a safety hazard at work. It can be a distraction that makes warnings harder to hear. Reducing noise levels at the source is an effective way to protect the hearing of those who work in loud environments like construction sites, and is arguably one of the best ways to observe Hearing Awareness Week.
3. Spread awareness
Sensitizing people about the ways to better prepare the workplace for people with hearing loss is another way to observe Hearing Awareness Week. Follow discussions around the holiday by using the hashtag #HearingAwarenessWeek.
Information above courtesy of National Today. Read more about Hearing Awareness Week here https://nationaltoday.com/hearing-awareness-week/