Hello everyone,
As incredible as it sounds, May is already here! May is a month filled with celebration and appreciation in my world. It is also marked by two significant occasions, Speech & Hearing Month and Mother’s Day. As we honour the vital role mother figures play in our lives, we also shine a spotlight on the importance of communication and auditory health.
Taking care of your communication health
As you are likely aware, speech and hearing are incredibly important aspects of human interaction. They’re the very foundation of how we connect and understand one another. When we advocate for good communication health, we’re also helping to safeguard against potential cognitive issues, such as dementia, which are more prevalent in those with hearing loss.
There are many meaningful ways to celebrate Speech & Hearing Month. One approach is to focus on improving your communication skills. Whether it’s working on public speaking, active listening or expressing yourself more clearly, there’s always room for growth. Getting a hearing test from an audiologist is another proactive step toward ensuring your overall communication health, even if you believe your hearing is fine. Be sure to register for this month’s Understanding Hearing Loss session on May 15 and get your free test that very day!
Lend an ear
Beyond personal improvement, it’s important to reach out and support those in your community with communication challenges. Spending time with people who have hearing impairments or language disorders not only provides them with much-needed companionship but also helps break down communication barriers. Your willingness to listen and understand can make a world of difference in their lives, fostering inclusion and a sense of belonging. To learn more about some of these communication barriers, don’t miss our upcoming Understanding Age-related Speech Changes session on May 22.
A special thought for mother figures
Before signing off, I wanted to highlight Mother’s Day, as it’s a special year for my family and me. Last December, we lost the incredible mother figure that was my grandmother. Widowed at a very young age, she raised her five children alone while mourning the love of her life. As we lay her to rest on Mother’s Day, I would like to pay tribute to the love, dedication and patience she showed her children and grandchildren. I would also like to mark this difficult day for my aunt and father, who were her dedicated primary caregivers over the past years, and who have lost their mother, friend and confidant.
I’m bouncing off this idea by sending love to those who may find Mother’s Day difficult, including those who have lost their mother, those who are estranged from their mother and those who are caregivers to their mother.
Wishing you all a warm and peaceful month of May,
Anaïs
