CADENZA 18-District Programme promotes healthy hearing in Tai Po

16 August 2009

Many elderly people suffer from impaired hearing.  This is a deteriorating condition that leads to communication difficulties, poor social life and more seriously, mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.  With support from the Tai Po District Council, speakers and artistes joined hands to promote "Healthy Hearing" at the seventh CADENZA 18-District Programme in Tai Po Mega Mall today (16 August).

Professor Michael Tong from the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at The Chinese University of Hong Kong clarified that ageing and noise were the main reasons for impaired hearing, though impacted ear wax, infection or the influence of other medical diseases could also be causes.  Professor Tong, who is also a CADENZA Fellow, said that sufferers may not notice or complain about gradual hearing deterioration, but common signs of hearing loss included subconsciously speaking more loudly, asking others to repeat themselves, frequently turning up the volume of radio and television, experiencing humming noises in the ear, being unable to hear a ringing telephone, or not hearing properly on the telephone.  "Hearing loss not only affects one's daily communication and social life, but can also lead to serious mental problems such as anxiety and depression," he stressed.

Dr Lena Wong from the Division of Speech & Hearing Sciences of the Faculty of Education at The University of Hong Kong shared her views on the use of hearing aids.  Many elderly people were unwilling to use hearing aids, she said, because they saw them as non-essential devices or found they delivered intolerable feedback and noise annoyance.  "It is important to visit an audiologist for a thorough examination and seek professional advice before buying a hearing aid," Dr Wong emphasised, noting that recent developments in hearing device technology had greatly improved the problem of feedback and made the speech quality more intelligible.  The elderly could also make use of assistive listening devices such as amplified telephones or flashing doorbell lights, she added, to create a safer home environment.

Artistes Yu Mo-Lin, Louis Cheung, Elanne Kwong and Square joined two experts to spread the message of healthy hearing, demonstrating ways to take care of one's ears, such as turning down the volume and wearing suitable headphones when listening to an MP3 or playing portable games consoles, and using ear protectors in a noisy working environment.  The public should also be aware of the proper ways to clean ears, it was stressed.

Highlights of the programme will be broadcast on RTHK Radio 5's "Brilliant Life" at 4:00 pm on Wednesday 19 August.

As a further initiative under the CADENZA project, a "Jockey Club CADENZA Hub" will start service in September with the aim of promoting primary care and a healthy lifestyle in the community.  Located at Fu Shin Estate in Tai Po, the CADENZA Hub, an integrated project arranged by a multi-disciplinary team, will provide a range of healthcare services including day care, Chinese medicine consultation, acupuncture, physiotherapy and occupational therapy and various physical consultations, complemented by health promotion classes and activities.

CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors is a five-year project launched by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a donation of HK$380 million in 2006.  The project aims at nurturing academic leadership in social gerontology and changing the mindset and attitude of the general public through a range of training and public education programmes.  Cross-sectional collaboration between organisations and the implementation of innovative elderly services and programmes are also encouraged in order to bring about a new mode of elderly care services to prepare for a rapidly ageing society.  Details of CADENZA are available at www.cadenza.hk.

The CADENZA 18-District Programme is a city-wide public education initiative jointly organised by CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors and RTHK Radio 5.  It aims to promote positive ageing and equip the soon-to-be-old with knowledge that can help them continue to live an active and positive life.  A monthly programme of public interactive events and activities is being organised in each of Hong Kong's 18 districts in turn, starting from January 2009.  Details of the programme are available at: www.rthk.org.hk/special/cadenza.