Wow, I can sure relate! I have also felt sometimes that people are thinking I'm feeble-minded, etc. when I don't hear them immediately or have to ask them to repeat what they've said. Being hearing impaired does not mean our minds are impaired! I have a young friend in his 30s who has been hearing impaired since birth, and he also encounters people that think he has a learning/mental disability because of his difficulty in hearing. So though hearing loss is more prevalent with us older folks, those that are younger with hearing impairment also face some of these same issues. There is a need for much better public awareness and education in how to communicate with respect and dignity to those with hearing disabilities.