1 in 3 over-50s unaware they have hearing loss

AS I recently noted, supporters of Lib Dem leadership contender Layla Moran feared the worst when it emerged the party’s oddball ex-MP Lembit Opik, pictured, was publicly backing her for the job.

The support of the one-time Cheeky Girl consort has long been deemed a jinx in Westminster circles. Suffice to say, Layla’s defeat to rival Sir Ed Davey was confirmed yesterday.The “Curse of Opik” strikes again!

MEANWHILE, following Davey’s triumph, near-namesake and former Tory MP Ed Vaizey points out: “Thanks to Ed Davey, I was once trade minister for half an hour.”

Background: in the days of the Tory-Lib Dem coalition, culture minister Vaizey was surprised to learn he was also apparently getting a job in the trade department.

As Vaizey contemplated juggling his hefty workload while advised on the new post by a Whitehall official, Davey eagerly appeared at the door. Suddenly realising the mix-up, the red-faced civil servant confessed to Vaizey: “I’m so sorry, I’ve been briefing the wrong minister.”

STILL that young boy from the Home Alone movies in the minds of many, US star Macaulay Culkin mischievously tweets: “Wanna feel old? I’m 40.You’re welcome.”

MILLIONS of people who need hearing aids do not believe they have a problem.

Researchers believe that as many as one in three aged over 50 may be missing out on treatment which could also cut their risk of dementia.

PhD researcher Dalia Tsimpida and her colleagues at the University of Manchester analysed data from more than 8,500 people aged 50-89 years old who took part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

They were asked to fill in questionnaires and then had their hearing tested by a nurse using a screening device.

Of the 2,266 participants found to suffer from hearing loss severe enough to benefit from a risk of dementia, while severe hearing loss could increase risk five-fold.

Action on Hearing Loss estimates that the issue affects over 12 million people in the UK and costs the economy around £25billion a year in lost productivity and unemployment.

That figure is expected to grow to 15 million – a fifth of the population – by 2035.

Hearing loss in older age is usually caused by wear and tear to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear.

Around 40 per cent of people over 50 in the UK have some form of hearing loss, according to Age UK.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found women and those living in more deprived areas were at higher risk of not recognising hearing loss.