Lifelines

Now hear this:One in three people over 60 suffers from hearing loss and many take years to seek help. This week has been designated Hearing Awareness Week by audiologists and the Irish Deaf Society.

Check out the Have You Heard? leaflet for a self test on noise levels which can damage your hearing. See www.hearingawarenessweek.ie or tel: 1800 882884 for free hearing tests through Hidden Hearing clinics this week.

A hearty talk:Message from the Heart, a public talk on heart health, will take place on Thursday at 7pm in the National Gallery of Ireland (Clare Street entrance), Dublin.

Speakers include Dr Martin Quinn, consultant cardiologist at St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin and nutritionist Paula Mee. The talk is the first in a series of free public talks. See www.heart.ie for more details of dates and venues throughout the country.

Food for thought:Food and Mood - uplifting healthy eating tips is the theme of a public talk by dietician and nutritionist Aveen Bannon tonight at 6.30pm in the Fitzwilliam Hotel, St Stephen's Green, Dublin.

Bannon will explain how skipping meals, eating nutritionally unbalanced meals and craving for sweets aggravate mood swings. Admission is free.

Meeting of minds:Depression Dialogues and Psychosis Dialogues, the monthly public meetings facilitated by psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr Michael Corry start again next week.

According to Dr Corry, these meetings offer sufferers of depression and psychosis "a public forum in which to air their concerns, learn new things and ask questions".

The next meeting of Psychosis Dialogues goes ahead on Wednesday, February 6th at 7.30pm. The next meeting of Depression Dialogues goes ahead on Thursday, February 7th at 7.30pm.

Both will be held in the Institute of Psychosocial Medicine, 2 Eden Park, Glasthule, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Tel: 01-2800084. See also www.depressiondialogues.ie