​Health leaders throughout the world have made hearing an international priority at a meeting of the World Health Assembly in Geneva.    Australia was among the many member nations that endorsed a strategy to tackle the massive social and economic costs of hearing loss and ear disorders.
360 million people live with disabling hearing loss including 32 million children.  Hearing loss prevalence is increasing globally due to the growth in populations of older adults, one third of whom have hearing loss; the continued high prevalence of chronic ear diseases; and the increasing practice of listening at high volume to unsafe levels of sound for prolonged periods, putting the hearing of over one billion young people aged 12-35 years at risk.
In Australia, an estimated 3.5 million people – one in six of the population – live with hearing loss.    Australia and other members of the World Health Organisation are urged to make a priority of integrating strategies for ear and hearing care within the framework of their primary health care systems.
People who have hearing loss can benefit greatly from timely and appropriate interventions.  This includes the use of hearing devices, captioning and sign language, and other forms of educational and social support.  Despite this, those in need are often unable to access such services.
Australia’s government is undertaking in inquiry into the Hearing Health and Wellbeing of Australians.  We hope that the results of that inquiry will:

1. Fund  essential audiological services  including counselling, therapy and environmental adjustments  for all Australian who D/deaf or hard of hearing.
2. Recognise audiologists as members of the primary healthcare team.
3. Regulate audiology to ensure a separation of the profession from the hearing device industry, fostering healthy relationshis between the two but ensuring independent advice is available to all.

​Hands are so beautiful, when i was in Japan, i watched a man make a little animal out of bean paste with his hands. That in itself wasnt remarkable, but his hands, his movements as he squished and moulded this little beast into a form was breathtakingly beautiful. Im loving this video because it reminds me to look at hands and marvel at all the wondrous things they do, feel, communicate, touch..............our hands actually facilitate a sense?!! Crazy eh!! .................just like our ears! Ill leave you with that one.

The fast paced edgy current affairs show Checkout on the ABC featured the ACCC's report on the hearing industry. Their story is looking at who is affiliated with certain hearing aid brands and why.  As we have posted previously, this is NOT how Jervis Bay Hearing Centre does business!  We are 100% independent and this means that we are not owned by a hearing aid manufacturer or a doctor (Ear Nose and Throat).   Our staff are NOT paid commissions and we abide by a code of ethics under Independent Audiologists Australia http://www.aaapp.org.au/about-us/

Watch the video to see the hilarious way The Checkout addresses this serious issue!

​How often have you met a vibrant person whom you cant possibly place in terms of age?  It happens to me all the time, people come into the hearing centre and we sit chatting away about their iives.  Im revelling in the joy, fun and energy around the tales of chasing golf balls, bloopers at a family do and watching their grandkids or children deal with their next challenge or new learning.   I think oh yeah, 60 years then glance at their file only to find they were born in the 1920s and have just celebrated their 90 - something birthday!!  It also happens that people in their 60s look and sound over 100.  I cant help it but i love people that smash stereotypes.  

Im not a big TV watcher but who doesnt love the ABC series You Can’t Ask That, a program that allows viewers to put to different groups in society the awkward and inappropriate questions that they have been too afraid to ask. A group of Australian Centenarians line up to answer the tough questions.
 
One of the Centenarians is Eileen Kramer, born in 1914, Eileen was a self-dubbed ‘later bloomer’ into the world of dance. Performing with the Bodenwieser Ballet, Australia’s first modern dance company, Eileen travelled the world building her remarkable career as a writer, dancer, painter, costume designer and choreographer.
 
Today, despite the ways in which some may assume a 103 year old spends her days, Eileen’s long creative career is continuing, with multiple projects underway.
 
Eileen is an ambassador for the Arts Health Institute, at 103 she is savvy, smart, an award winning and a globe-trotting dancer.   She is slamming stereotypes by answering questions such as ‘why aren’t you dead yet?’ and ‘when did you last have sex?’
 
You can catch it on ABC's IVIEW or to read more about Eileen’s incredible life and career when you visit this link.