Bachelor frontman Osher Günsberg has opened up about living with hearing loss.
[jwplayer cYRrlbK0]
Osher, an ambassador for Oticon Australia, talked about his condition in a video for the hearing device company.
The 44-year-old revealed he first noticed he had a problem with his hearing between the ages of 17 and 18.
“In my late 20s is when I noticed that I couldn’t hear the difference between an F and an S,” Osher explained. “But I waited about another 10 years before I finally saw an audiologist and now I wear hearing aids.”
The reality TV host, who believes wearing hearing aids is no different to wearing a pair of reading glasses, is now using his platform to encourage those who may be reluctant to talk about their hearing loss to reach out.
“When you first notice that you’re constantly saying: ‘What? Huh? Pardon?’ You’re degrading your ability to communicate and connect with the people around you.
“You might not realise it but it’s starting to act like a sandpaper on the interactions that you have with the people around you.”
When Osher’s hearing first worsened, he started to avoid going out but didn’t realise he was rejecting invites because of his hearing.
“I didn’t know why I was saying: ‘No, I don’t want to go out to dinner with anything more than four people.’ I didn’t realise it, it just felt that I didn’t want to do it.
“Why was I sitting alone? Because I can’t hear anybody. There’s no need for you to go through life like that because then the people who love you are like: ‘Why are you sitting in the corner and not talking?’”
Since wearing Oticon Opn hearing aids, Osher says he’s been able to better connect with the people around him.
“Think of it [hearing aids] less of a way for you to hear better and more of a way for you to connect with people who love you better.”
Learn more about Oticon Australia and the work they do, HERE.
You can watch the full video, below.
A little while ago, I talked to @Oticonaus about my experience with hearing loss and how I’m finding life with my new hearing aids. You can watch the video here. Please share if you or someone close to you has experienced any form of hearing loss. pic.twitter.com/7zEEcz7W6G
— Osher Günsberg (@oshergunsberg) November 19, 2018
