QUARTER OF UNDER-35S HAVE EARLY SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS, STUDY REVEALS

Laurence Grigorov is director of a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company specialises in modern, luxury apartments, cluster units and bespoke homes.

Laurence Grigorov enjoys training at the gym and listening to music in his spare time as a way to relax and reduce the stress associated with a high-pressure work environment. Laurence Grigorov firmly believes that a healthy body and well-rested mind are crucial in order to maintain a high level of work focus.

A new study has revealed that a quarter of under-35-year-olds have early signs of hearing loss.

The new findings are from a study by the audiology hearing app Eargym, who analysed the hearing of over 1000 people for over four months.

Of those ages between 16 and 35 who completed what is called a “speech-in-noise” check, 24% were found to have hearing loss with 19% of the age group having possible signs of hearing loss.

The data adds that 47% of 16-35 year-olds have an older hearing age than their biological age, with an average difference of 13 years.

Half of those in the study said that their hearing is impacting their quality of life.

According to the World Health Organisation, 1.1 billion young people are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices when enjoying recreational sounds such as music.

Eargym was founded in 2020 by former NHS CEO Amanda Philpott and DJ Andy Shank as they were both diagnosed with hearing loss.

The Eargym app is used to create realistic hearing challenges and help improve the ability to hear in difficult situations.

Amanda Philpott tells Music Tech: “Hearing loss is an emerging crisis for young people. The majority of us will experience some form of hearing loss in our lifetimes, but it’s particularly concerning to see an unexpected number of young people worried about their hearing and showing signs of hearing difficulties.

“The good news is: that hearing loss is preventable, and we can take proactive steps to look after and improve our hearing at any age. Research shows that whilst the ear itself cannot be directly improved without hardware, the brain can learn and respond to specific auditory stimuli through regular training.”

She later adds, “The only way to understand what’s going on with our hearing is to test it regularly, so we notice when it changes. Safe listening practices, such as the use of ear defenders, gig-plugs and noise-cancelling headphones, can make the world of difference when it comes to protecting our hearing health long into our futures.”

Textand image courtesy of www.mixmag.net

A third of UK musicians are considering ‘abandoning’ their music career due to the pandemic

As director of a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov is involved in all aspects of the development process, including land acquisition, rezoning applications, architectural design as well as the finance and legal components of these complex projects.

Laurence Grigorov enjoys listening to music in his downtime with a particular preference for electronic music.

A new survey conducted by Musicians’ Union reveals the toll the coronavirus pandemic has taken on UK artists, with one-third “considering abandoning their career in music.”

The poll of about 2,000 of the union’s members, as reported in the Guardian, found that 87 percent of musicians will earn less than £20,000 in 2020—the average annual UK income is £29,600. The same percentage of artists said they will face financial hardship if the UK government does not extend its furlough and income support schemes after October.

The survey also found that nearly half of musicians have been “forced” to look for work outside of music. 70 percent of artists have been unable to secure “more than a quarter of their usual work,” while 36 percent “do not have any work at all.”

88 percent of respondents believe that the UK government hasn’t done “enough” to provide support for musicians and the arts. In July, the government announced a £1.57 billion relief package for the arts and cultural sectors, though it wasn’t until the #LetUsDance campaign by the nightlife industry and community that it was clear that clubs and festivals would be eligible for grants. Aside from independent funds and grants and the furlough and self-employed income support schemes, there’s not been much else in the way of direct aid for musicians and artists from the government.

The Musicians’ Union is encouraging UK citizens to write to their MP asking them to provide more support for artists and music industry.