Hearing aids and their importance. Mahendra Gonsalkorale

Hearing aids and their importance

Mahendra Gonsalkorale

This is an important topic that Srianee brought to our notice.  I wrote a new article that included the relevant material from her comment on the subject in the previous post.

The topic relates to these main areas.

1)   The importance of detecting hearing loss early.

2)  The cosmetic aspects of wearing hearing aids and how they relate to our concept of identity (how we wish to be seen and regarded).

3)   The good fortune to live at a time when there are excellent options to make hearing loss no longer a handicap.

4)   The rewards of persistence when faced with early problems but continuing to wear them.

On the first point, as Srianee has indicated, there is good evidence that if remedial aids are not worn, the hearing loss will continue with evidence of irreversible changes in the auditory cortex. (like turning the water flow (auditory stimulation) to feed a plant from a stream to a trickle). If aids are worn, this process is slowed down. The auditory loss has profound consequences for maintaining our intellect also as if uncorrected, the brain loses the advantages of communicating with others, keeping up to date with information and losing the rewards that auditory stimuli can provide. 

The take-home lessons are:-

Expect hearing loss as we age – especially after 70 yr. (Over half the population aged 55 or more have hearing loss. 80% of people over 70 will have hearing loss). These hearing loss population estimates are calculated using the most robust data available on the prevalence of hearing loss (average hearing levels of 20dB or worse in one or both ears) for adults aged 18 to 80, combined with population estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Source RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People).

Get your hearing tested by a competent audiologist. The services vary in different countries, but a simple hearing assessment won’t break your purse or threaten you with penury!

Choose from the wide range available as we all have different perceptions of what is suitable (cosmetic, comfort, power: disposable batteries or rechargeable) etc. Digital ones are by far the best and you can choose from a wide range from behind the ear, in-ear, hardly visible etc. Most providers give a 3-month trial period free of charge with no commitment to buy as they know from experience that the vast majority, although initially shocked at the cost, decide to keep them as the rewards are so great.

I would advise wearers to wear them all the time except when showering, bathing, etc and take them off at night.

At first, it may be slightly uncomfortable, but if you persist, you don’t even notice that you are wearing them.

I have worn different types for 20 years! Initially, I was very self-conscious and did not want others to know that I wore aids. It was as I realised with wisdom, a wrong belief which could only harm me.  I soon appreciated that it made a huge difference in my life, and I have no reservations about recommending them. Like Srianee, I would go for rechargeable batteries. If you feel self-conscious, this is natural, but very soon, you realise that to be seen wearing hearing aids is not a stain on your character. It does not reduce the esteem people have for you. I always announce to new people that I wear hearing aids as even with the best aids, your hearing cannot match normal hearing. People then appreciate that you are not stupid when they talk to you and become much more understanding and often modify the way they speak by more deliberate pronunciation and the use of visual cues. You must be prepared to meet the odd person who will shout at you and talk to you as if you are an imbecile, but these ignorant people are, fortunately, rare. You will be surprised how much visual cues play a role in communicating. Watching is as important as hearing, that's why people with impaired hearing often are worse when the lighting is poor.

I wear black in-ear aids as I found the behind the ear ones with a small pipe ending in an almost invisible ear plug (earphone) uncomfortable and messy to manage. I made the decision after trying both, and furthermore, rechargeable batteries were available only for the in-ear ones. I feel no shame in wearing them (like wearing specs if you have problems with sight), and it is understandable that some don’t like to wear them as they feel that they convey a wrong impression; that of an ageing, decrepit old person! (although even if so, being old and decrepit is not something to be ashamed of at all. (Being conceited, selfish, and lacking in empathy or patience are the bad ones! ).

I hope you find this useful. Please contact me directly or via the blog if you need more clarification or information.

Here are the comments in Srianee’s  Embracing Technology post.

Srianee

I would like to take a little detour now and write about another technical innovation that has improved my life. My hearing aids (plural). A few years ago my family (my daughters in particular) were complaining that I was making them repeat what they were saying. “Mom, you need to get your hearing checked!” My response was, “Oh you people mumble” or “You talk to me while walking away from me.” I’m sure that sounds very familiar to many of you. I finally relented and got my hearing checked out. The verdict was “mild hearing loss” and I was given the option of trying out a pair of hearing aids for 3 months. I was told that I could return them if I felt that they didn’t improve my hearing. I tried them out and I was converted! I certainly didn’t want to return them. 

I am now an ardent advocate for the use of hearing aids before the hearing loss becomes too severe. Unfortunately, hearing aids are expensive and not very user-friendly. But, It is easier to get accustomed to using them when you are seventy than when you are ninety. I would recommend getting the rechargeable types, because fiddling with the tiny batteries is not an easy task.

Most new hearing aids can be adjusted using the bluetooth function on a smart phone. Of course, the two devices need to be ‘paired.’ (The people who supplied the hearing aids did that for me.) 

I know that many people don’t want to wear them all the time. Why? If it is not part of your routine like brushing your teeth, you will forget to wear them daily. On most days I don’t have anyone else in my home conversing with me, but yet I wear my hearing aids, because every sound I hear, the chirping of the birds outside my window or the music I am listening to, is sending stimulating signals to my brain, and that is a very good thing.

 There is growing evidence that if hearing loss is not corrected in time, cognitive loss will occur. This is a very important reason for getting one’s hearing checked. If hearing aids are recommended, make the effort to learn how to use them effectively. Once you master the finer points, you will experience many wonderful things that you never knew you were missing!

Nihal

Thank you Srianee for bringing up an important topic. Hearing is vital for our well being at any age. At our age it is essential to maintain contact with friends and family and to keep our minds in gear.

Hearing aid seem like an important accessory for old age and a very useful one too. I listen to a lot of classical music often at great cost to myself, at the concert halls in London. When I found that I couldn’t hear the high notes of the violins I thought my hearing wasn’t good enough and got my hearing tested. The person who tested me was a pretty Afrikaans lady. Her accent was hard to decipher and I wasn’t sure if it was my hearing or her accent that was the problem. Anyhow we struggled through the test. I went for a basic behind the ear hearing aid (BTE) which changed my hearing and my life for the better.

There are a few issues with the contraption. At my age I do not mind its bulk and ‘unsightly’ appearance. There are occasional extraneous noises like squeaks specially while in a crowded noisy room. I have learnt to ignore them. It is a hindrance than a help speaking in a room with a large gathering. I remove them and manage ok.

The hearing aid is a foreign body hanging on to my ear. After a couple of hours it gets tiresome and I remove them. I tend to wear them every day but in short bursts when I’m listening to music. This seems like a good compromise.

My hearing aid requires batteries and I cope quite well changing them weekly.

Srianee

Nihal, thank you for sharing your experience with your hearing aids. The current designs with the microphones tucked behind the ear is not the most efficient. But, if there is a visible contraption in front of the ear, people will be even more reluctant to wear them. I saw something on TV recently, where the hearing aids are incorporated into spectacle frames. The microphones are in the front of the frames, and the sound is transmitted to the receivers that go into your ear invisibly through the spectacle frames. I'm not sure if such hearing aids are commercially available. The biggest hurdle for most people is the cost.

Embracing Technology for Better Ageing -Srianee Dias

Embracing Technology for Better Ageing

By Srianee Dias

I get a lot of forwarded WhatsApp messages these days with advice about what I should be doing to stay healthy as a senior citizen.  Frankly, I don’t like being constantly reminded of the fact that I am getting older, although I know it is true. I know, I know! I should exercise regularly, eat food that keeps my gut microbiome happy, keep my brain fine-tuned by playing word games, etc. and make an effort to be socially engaged.  All this is great, but none of these wise guys (I presume they are guys) advise me on how I should cope with the complicated technology that is a part of everything I touch. 

It is difficult to have an uninterrupted conversation with a friend now because even if you are sitting across the table at a coffee shop or restaurant with someone, their cell phone will ring, and they feel the urgent need to answer the call.  Is someone dying? Don’t they have voicemail? Don’t they know it is rude? 

Gone are the days when one could do the laundry by operating a washing machine with the simple turn of a dial.  Now, there are a myriad of choices to make on a touch screen (some completely unnecessary choices) before one can get the machine started.  And when the machine breaks down, sometimes soon after the warranty expires (as it happened to me once) you will discover that it costs much more to repair this electronic marvel, than to buy a new machine.  There are ovens that can be preheated with your smartphone while you are stuck in traffic.  Is that really necessary? Why can’t your family wait patiently, or make some sandwiches for themselves? 

Have you tried to get help from your phone company or internet/TV carrier lately? You have to listen to a long menu and push the appropriate button that will hopefully connect you with a human.  No such luck!  You will more than likely be directed to a “Chat Bot” who will spit out a list of possible choices on your computer screen for you to select.  None of them match the question for which you are seeking an answer.  Meanwhile, you have wasted over half an hour of your precious time.  (Hey, we are senior citizens, we don’t have a lot of time to waste…)

Sometimes if one says “Agent” or “Operator” one may get connected to a human in a call center.  My son-in-law discovered, while being on an endless loop on the phone with the German customs, that when he raised his voice and started swearing, a human being picked up the phone!

Dear Reader, this is my advice to you: arm yourself with some choice swear words before you attempt to solve a problem with a corporation on the phone.

In the old days (sigh) it was possible to dial a number and be connected to a real person who would listen to your complaint and direct you to someone who would attempt to solve the problem for you.  There are a few rare companies that still employ people who can do this.  But, they are so few in my experience.  I hope they don’t disappear altogether! 

Now we have Apps for everything and QR codes!  All this means is that we won’t be able to function efficiently without a smartphone!

Is it any wonder that old folks want to shut themselves up in their homes and not venture out?  But, that is not the answer!  We have to “Bite the Bullet” and forge ahead.  Bribe anyone you know, who is under 40, and have them teach you how to use the smartphone effectively.  A smartphone can be used for a lot more tasks than simply passing on messages that are received on WhatsApp! 

Time for true confessions now. Even though I know I should embrace all this technology to gain control of my universe, I am still reluctant to rely on a digital boarding pass when I travel.  I like having a printed hard copy with me at all times!  I don’t trust digital technology 100%.  I’m not sure that I ever will. I guess I am an analogue person at heart!

Note from Mahendra. Srianee did not object to my addition of the funny cartoons.

More paintings by Nihal D Amarasekera

More paintings by Nihal D Amarasekera

The Kingdom of Yapahuwa

Yapahuwa was the capital of our country in the mid part of the 13^th century, ruled by King Buvanekabahu I. Yapahuwa then was his palace and fortress. He kept the Sacred Tooth Relic in Yapahuwa. Before all that, it was a Buddhist monastery. The Yapahuwa Rajamaha Vihara was built later during the Kandyan period.

During my internship in Kurunegala, I made many trips to Yapahuwa and enjoyed the lovely views from the top of the rock. Peace, calm and serenity of the surrounding wilderness attracts many tourists and pilgrims. The sculptures at Yapahuwa of people and lions are so beautifully done. Writing this short note brings back many happy memories of times past.

Cape Horn, steep rocky headland on Hornos Island, Tierra del Fuego Archipelago, southern Chile. Cape Horn indeed is a place of outstanding natural beauty. Its charm and allure hides the dangers of the waters surrounding the rocks and islands of the area. 

The closest I have been to was on a trip to Chile when we visited Torres Del Pine and Punta Arenas to see the icebergs. Cape Horn is the southern most point in South America. Over the centuries, sailors have known of the treacherous waters, strong winds and icebergs around Cape Horn, calling it the sailor’s graveyard.  Thankfully, after the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914 ships could avoid the treacherous waters and the inherent dangers of Cape Horn.

Cape of Good Hope is considered as the southern most point of South Africa. Hence It enjoys the benefits of tourism, but in reality it is Cape Agulhas the southern most point where the currents of the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. 

I visited Cape of Good Hope many years ago on a trip to Cape Town. The area is inhabited by gangs of baboons that are a menace to the tourists stealing bags and entering cars in the park.

The waters around the Cape are well known to sailors as being treacherous and a serious danger to ships. After the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 ships avoided the long journey around the Cape and its dangers.

Horton Plains is a grassland and forest not far from Nuwara Eliya, now made into a National Park. The area is named after  Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton, the British governor of Ceylon from 1831 to 1837. 

There is a famous tourist trail which takes one to “Worlds End”, a sheer drop with outstanding views once the mist has cleared. The journey takes one to the Baker’s Falls, a stunning view of cascading water. Horton plains is a place of outstanding natural beauty never to be missed on a journey to the Central Hills of Sri Lanka.

Dunhinda falls is one of the most enchanting falls in the central hills of Sri Lanka. It is 5 km from Badulla and is 64 metres high. This cascading water is from a river called the Badulu oya that originates from the Namunukula range. 

The falls lie in an area inhabited by the indigenous people of our country, the Veddahs.  During the reign of King Rajasinghe a cluster of ferns blocked the water at the top of the falls which resulted in catastrophic flooding of Badulla. The king delegated a man called Ranhavadidaraya to clear the obstruction. He took 3 months to complete this task which resulted in the same cluster of ferns blocking the river further downstream in Pussellawa.

Locals believe that King Kumarasinghe’s treasure is buried in the pool at the bottom of the falls and every year the pool takes a human sacrifice.

Dunhinda is popular with tourists. The water at the bottom of the falls is very deep. Together with the dense spray, clouds of mist and strong currents the water is rather treacherous for swimming. Tourists are dissuaded from jumping in for a swim.

Scotland - Two paintings

Wales - Two paintings

JUST FOR MORE VARIETY "Too Young"- a Nat King Cole song sung by Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale

JUST FOR MORE VARIETY- "Too Young"- a Nat King Cole song 

sung by Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale

This is one of my favourite Nat King Cole songs. I used the online Karaoke platform Smule to record it and then produced this video, which I uploaded to YouTube. I hope you enjoy watching and listening to it.

Nathaniel Adams Coles inhabited Planet Earth from March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965. Popularly known as Nat "King" Cole, he was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. I remember admiring his songs as a young doctor in Sri Lanka. It was much later that I reestablished my musical contact with him after hearing such wonderful songs as Unforgettable, Mona Lisa, Autumn Leaves and When I Fall in Love, just to mention a few. Like many black musicians of his era, he met with racism. He had the indignity of being assaulted during a concert on April 10, 1956, in Birmingham, Alabama. Until his death in 1965, Cole was an active and visible participant in the Civil Rights Movement. He was a heavy cigarette smoker and died of lung cancer.

A Blast from the Past. Nihal D Amerasekera

A Blast from the Past

Nihal D Amerasekera

1962 seems like a long time ago. My life changed forever as I entered the Faculty and much of what happened then remains a haze. There are a few memories that still remain. Life then was a dream. It was hard to handle the adulation and keep my feet on the ground. I developed a sinister arrogance and an assured sense of entitlement. I dreamed of living happily ever after. Life always has ways to bring us back to reality!! The rest, as they say, is history. 

Those were our formative years and we were all in it together. The hard toil and the trauma of those five years brought us closer. Our batch of 150+ students showed tremendous unity and loyalty to the batch. Most of what I remember now are the good times. I still recall with nostalgia the booze, baila and the bawdy songs at those MSU parties in the Common Room.

As I snuggle up in my rocking chair by the heater, I can hear the wind howling outside. It’s a bitterly cold -1C.  In the warmth of my chair, many memories of the past flash through my mind. One that stands out this foggy morning is our very first evening booze-up in the common room, perhaps to iron out, forgive and forget the indiscretions of the rag just completed. The Common room was common only to the men in those distant days. The booze flowed freely the singing became louder and the dancing became more vigorous as the evening wore on. We were then raw green freshers enjoying the event when a final year student R.L Tambyraja walked in through a dark corridor. He was smart, charismatic and eloquent. He ushered in a group of us into the corner by the billiard table and started to singing “Come and see the wild west show, Elephant and the kangaroo, never mind the weather as long as we are together, come and see the wild west show.”  And he went on and on with his beautiful singing voice.

This is an episode I have remembered since those halcyon days 63 years ago. I have always wondered what happened to RL Tambyraja and how life panned out
for him. Life was hectic with marriage and bringing up children and pandering to my new career in radiology. When finally I was relieved of my onerous duties, I managed to find out more about RL Tambyraja. He was a fine product of that school by the sea, St Thomas’ College Mt Lavinia. During an illustrious school career, he was appointed as the Head Prefect of the school. After a fine academic career at the Faculty of Medicine  Colombo, he proceeded to the UK and qualified as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist.  After some years in Sri Lanka, he emigrated to Singapore, where he worked as a Consultant.  He became a greatly respected Obstetrician who contributed enormously to the maternity services in Singapore.  He made many erudite contributions to the academic journals. Dr R.L Tambyraja became Professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Singapore. He was better known as Ranjithan Tambyraja. He passed away aged 70 years in 2008. 

Photo from The 2nd AGM of the Perinatal Society of Singapore, Executive Board Members 1990/1991, held on 24 Feb 1990

GEMS FROM THE PAST- 40th Anniversary Reunion Souvenir

GEMS FROM THE PAST- 2007 Reunion Souvenir

Suri referred to the 40th Anniversary Reunion of the Graduating Class of 1967 souvenir, a treasure trove. I am fortunate enough to have a copy and I am publishing some pages from it. It is 65 pages long, and I had to be selective, and just give you a flavour. We owe a lot to "Con" Bala for masterminding the production of the souvenir.

The Reunion was held at the Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana.

I have shown the cover,  message from the Organising committee ( Priya, Pram, Suri, Sriani, Punsiri, Ganesh, HN and Swyrie- sadly five of them have since departed), and a few selected pages.

The rogues gallery is a special feature, thanks to Sanath Lama. I have shown one page. Each page has four photos.

RITA SILVA (Alwis) passes away

RITA SILVA (Alwis) passes away

Just received the sad news of another Batchmate passing away from Suri. 

Rita apparently passed away in November 2024. She has not kept in touch with many people, and I am trying to get more details. If anybody has more information, please send it to me so I can update this post. I think she was a Paediatrician.

The photograph is from the sig book collection. 

She was a quiet but bright girl and did very well in the 3rd MBBS and the Final, where I think she topped the batch.

Rita was married to Sam de Alwis, a Manager at the People's Bank. He died some years ago. They had no children.

Rita was a Paediatrician, and her last Station was Gampaha.

She was very involved in Social Service. Her passion was breeding Dogs. She had Dobermans and Labradors. She was a keen member of the Kennel Club and has won several gold medals at their annual Dog shows.

May she Rest in Peace.

The passed away toll is now 61.