A couple of times this past weekend, my mom asked me “What?” while I was in mid-sentence. The second time it happened, I asked her if she was having a tough time hearing me to which I received a quick "no." Ahhh, yeah...we’ve had this exchange before.

I’ve suspected for a couple of years now that her hearing is beginning to suffer a bit. If I had to guess I’d say she's in the “to be expected” range of someone in their late 70s, but I'd still like to be sure so that she can enjoy the highest quality of life possible. Ironically, I had to go get my own hearing checked recently and I came across a ListenUP! Canada brochure. It begins by asking readers, “Did you know a hearing loss is more noticeable to others than a hearing aid?” I’ve never thought of it that way, but it’s so true. The brochure includes ten other questions such as:

• Do you feel tired or irritable after a long conversation?
• When you're in a group with other people, does background noise bother you?
• Has someone close to you mentioned that you might have a problem with hearing?

I’m thinking she may be more open to the idea of getting her hearing tested if she has a chance to answer these questions without any prodding from me. Stay tuned.