Is having a hearing aid a disability?

[map]

Not thinking for any social security/benefits here, more general work/social stuff.

I've looked into it and need to get a better steer as opinion is mixed (not that'd be any different on here, meh!). Just thought someone may point me to an 'official' definition.

One view is that it's not. This is as it's sensory related (or cosmetic). So like wearing spectacles to correct vision the wearing of hearing aid to correct hearing isn't really a disability.

Other view is that it is a disability as you are using a mechanical device to restore hearing and that device may not be able to restore to the same range as natural hearing (unlike spectacles that should correct to 20/20 vision - whether that's true I'm not sure).

So opinions, views and any helpful links please.

Thanks
____________________
...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Tungtvann]

The hearing aid is not the disability, it's how hard of hearing a person is without one.

[map]

[daemonoid]

[Rogerborg]

Equality Act 2010 defines disability as "a physical or mental impairment [that] has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on [your] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities."

That's it. Action on Hearing Loss have some thoughts on it, thusly:

Several different issues may be relevant when deciding whether the effect is substantial.
If you have a hearing loss, the most important include:
* the time it takes you to carry out a task
* how you carry out the task
* the combined or cumulative effect of minor impairments, if you have more than one
* the effect of background noise – for example, it may be more difficult for you to hear if you’re
working in a noisy place rather than a quiet one.

Have a read, there's more there.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[metalangel]

Legally and medically, needing hearing aids is almost certainly going to count.

Socially... maybe, maybe not. My friends who have hearing loss wouldn't consider themselves disabled, but at the same time acknowledge that it sometimes causes them difficulties out in the world.
____________________
Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[MicraShed]

[J0Al1]

I've got near maximum conductive hearing loss in my left ear.

I've been given a hearing aid. I was cool about the idea, but when I got it . . . I felt disabled wearing it, or at least really odd.... Think it stayed on for 30 mins and went in the cupboard.

I'm not sure what the definition is, but would think you have to be very deaf in both ears for it to be considered a disability....

Plenty of people have poor hearing.

[-Matt-]

If the aid is deemed to of 'corrected' the prior problem you would have problems legally disputing you were disabled - but of course it would be hard to prove it had corrected it without your admission to that.

Similarly to glasses - unless for example you are deemed 'blind' to some extent without visual aids, you wouldn't be considered disabled for having slightly dodgy vision.

[Rogerborg]

I've posted links above which explicitly refute that.

If you've got both legs off, does having a wheelchair make you abled?
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[-Matt-]

A wheelchair doesn't restore you to your previous level of ability

[stinkwheel]

Point of order and something I recently found out about.

"A hearing aid" implies they have only given the person in question ONE.

This is a typical piece of NHS money saving fuckwittery and is all kinds of wrong. You should normally have two. Even if you have one good and one bad ear.

Because reasons.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Rogerborg]

[yen_powell]

My late grandad, who lived in Cyprus, came over a few years back to buy some decent hearing aids. He was over 80 and a bit senile.

When my aunt when into his room to wake him on the day he was due to fly back she found he had carefully put them in a glass of water the night before. They still worked after drying out though.
____________________
Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[orac]

its interesting to read about combined with other innablities. i have recently found that part of my dyslexia i have a certian amount of audio dismorphia (i think that what they called it anytway), it mean i struggle to hear the sutle tones involved with speach, altho i can pass a normal tonal heaing test.

that combined with some slight hearing loss mean i can really struggle to hear what people are syaing at times, it can even vary depening on how tired i am. hearing people on the phone is even trickyer as i tend to cope with not being able to "hear" what people are syaing by paying a huge amount of attention to body language and facial exressions, eye contact seem to be specially important to a conversation and being able to understand what is being said. noisy enviroments are very difficault for me to cope with.
____________________
Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[MicraShed]

[bostonshirede...]

[scorps]

As I am totally deaf in one ear how would wearing two help me?
____________________
Do not presume that I am male.

[map]

[stinkwheel]

[metalangel]

[bostonshirede...]

Called a CROS system, or BiCROS if you don't have normal hearing in the better ear. Some people go for BAHAs as well, they essentially do the same thing.

We will always recommend 2 hearing aids where possible / indicated, but sometimes it isn't possible. For example: If there's hearing in both ears, but one is much worse than the other, you can't aid conventionally and have to use CROS systems.
____________________
Eat well, Stay fit, Die anyway - By the time u make ends meet, they move the ends

[scorps]

Thanks to metal angel mentioning the BAHA system I have been looking it up on the net and almost feel excited about the possibilities. need to register with a doc soon as to enquire about this
____________________
Do not presume that I am male.

[kawakid]

I'd class you as disabled.
____________________
I've a twin and a 4.