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7 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,M arch 5,2020 insidehalton.com Help the University of Guelph improve hearing healthcare across Canada..adanas Csorce arachtleag hnireah Connect Hearing and Professor Mark Fenske at the University of Guelph are seeking participants who are over 50 years of age, have never worn hearing aids and have not had a hearing test in the last 24 months, for a hearing study that investigates factors that can influence better hearing. Study Parameters The researchers will examine listening in a range of situations, from one-on-one, to group conversations, watching TV and wider social contexts like supermarkets and other noisy environments, and how it effects connection and socialization. Why Participate? It is estimated that 46% of people aged 45 to 87 have some degree of hearing loss, but most do not seek a solution right away. In this study you'll be playing an important part in determining the key factors around identifying hearing loss and what influences the decision to seek treatment. Participants will be significantly adding to growing knowledge surrounding hearing loss. *Wingfield, A., Tun, P. A., & McCoy, S. L. (2005). Hearing Loss in Older Adulthood: What It Is and How It Interacts With Cognitive Performance. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(3), 144-148. † Study participants must be over 50 years of age and have never worn hearing aids. No fees and no purchase necessary. 1. Cruickshanks, K. L., Wiley, T. L., Tweed, T. S., Klein, B. E. K., Klein, R, Mares-Perlman, J. A., & Nondahl, D. M. (1998). Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Older Adults in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin: The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 148 (9), 879-886. 2. National Institutes of Health. (2010). You can register to be part of this groundbreaking new hearing study by calling 1.888.242.4892 or visiting connecthearing.ca/hearing-study "It's always darkest before the dawn" ... do sayings like these ev- er truly help when you're feeling down, worried, or stressed? Most likely not, and yet, many of us -- meaning well -- have probably said these same things to others. When people share personal struggles, we probably want to help but may not know what to say. So, we pull out one of these fa- miliar reassurances and hope it does the job. Our hearts may be in the right place, but this kind of glib statement can actually back- fire and be interpreted as us not wanting to listen or not caring about others' feelings. Chances are, nobody sets out to be dismissive or critical. But, think about the possible unin- tended messages behind these commonly used sayings and piec- es of advice: • "Every cloud has a silver lin- ing." While we often look back at difficult experiences and see what we've learned, this comes after the fact rather than in the middle of the struggles. We need to talk about and work through the tough stuff before we can think about what may make things better. It's not always easy, but listening to others' feelings without judgment is the best way to help them do that. • "Just don't think about it." Easier said than done. Feeling like we can't talk about what's on our minds can make us think about it more. Talking about what we're feeling and thinking can bring some perspective and relief, so it's better to ask some- thing like "What do you think would help?" or just listen and let go of the desire to fix the problem. • "I understand how you feel." On the surface, this may sound like a good way to connect, but it can instead come across as dis- missive and presumptuous. We can hear what others are saying and try to understand, but we can't fully grasp someone else's unique feelings and experiences, and saying that we do can shut down a conversation. Something like "I hear you" or "You're feeling overwhelmed" is a better way to go. • "It could be worse," often fol- lowed by an example of someone who has it worse. Sure, it could be, but knowing that doesn't nec- essarily make a present situation feel less difficult or unpleasant.feel less difficult or unpleasant.f It may actually shut down con- versation by suggesting we are judging others' feelings as inap- propriate and not worthy of dis- cussion. Try to hear their per- spective on their situation -- which is always valid -- rather than comparing it to other possi- bilities. While it may indeed be dark- est before the dawn, talking about and not dismissing the dark will help work toward the dawn. Melanie McGregor is the com- munications and advancement specialist at the Canadian Men- tal Health Association Halton Region Branch, which provides mental health/addiction commu- nity support and education. Visit www.halton.cmha.ca for more information and follow @cmha- halton on Twitter. TRY AVOIDING THESE PLATITUDES OPINION WHILE NOT MEANT TO, FREQUENTLY USED SAYINGS CAN END UP DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD, WRITES MELANIE MCGREGOR MELANIE MCGREGOR Column ANIMAL TALES Seagulls hang out at the Tannery Park Observation Deck. Got a great local photo you'd like to share? Send it to sleblanc@metroland.com, along with a brief description. Monica Dingle photo