If you’re living with untreated hearing loss, it could be costing you a lot more than you think. A recent study estimates that untreated hearing loss in the USA costs $133 billion each and every year! Of the millions of Americans living with untreated hearing loss, only one in three will treat their hearing loss with hearing aids, investing in hearing clearly, improving their quality of life, and saving their bank account.
Why Is Hearing Loss Costing Americans Money?
A recent meta-analysis by Hear-it AISBL, an international, non-commercial organization based in Brussels, Belgium, looked at data from a number of studies examining the costs associated with untreated hearing loss. They discovered that the average American living with untreated hearing loss spends roughly $9,100 per year in health care costs!
People with untreated hearing loss have a lower quality of life, struggle to communicate and maintain healthy relationships, and face social isolation, anxiety, and even depression. As well as dealing with mental health concerns, those with hearing loss often struggle at work, have difficulty concentrating on tasks, and mishear important information. Job performance is affected, and if you have hearing loss, you’ll feel stressed at work, you might be overlooked for that promotion you had your eye on, risk more jobsite accidents, or may even be fired. Those with hearing loss also experience rapid cognitive decline, and have a higher risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
“The scientific report clearly demonstrates that untreated hearing loss is a major health issue and that untreated hearing loss has a huge economic and social impact on our society. It also documents that checking your hearing and treating hearing loss pays, both for the individual and for society,” explains Kim Ruberg, Secretary General from hear-it AISBL.
How Hearing Aids Can Help
Treating your hearing loss with quality hearing aids reduces the health care costs associated with untreated hearing loss. You’ll have an improved quality of life, be an effective team player at work, and maintain your mental health. Hearing aids help you hear clearly, both in your personal and professional life, and you’ll be able to follow conversations, interact with loved ones, and concentrate on tasks at work, adding your expertise to group discussions and projects. You won’t have to face the embarrassment of not hearing someone clearly, or asking people to repeat themselves, and you will be happy to meet your friends.
Hearing aids also makes you more spatially aware, and you’ll be able to hear all the sounds around you, like a honking horn or an emergency siren. Those with untreated hearing loss have higher rates of trips, slips, and falls, are in more accidents, and are hospitalized more often than their hearing peers. Treating your hearing loss with hearing aids will help keep you safe, lead to fewer doctor’s visits, and lower your health care costs.
“If you think you might have a hearing loss” says Kim Ruberg, “my best advice is to get your hearing checked. You can start by checking your hearing using the WHO Check your hearing app, or test your hearing online at www.hear-it.org. But if you suspect that you have hearing problems my best advice is that you get a real hearing test carried out by a hearing professional.”
HearCare Rhode Island
Do you have hearing loss? Have you been struggling to hear at work, or around the dinner table? You might not want to invest in hearing aids, but getting quality hearing aids will save you thousands of dollars each year. Not only will you save money, you’ll enjoy improved quality of life, stronger relationships, and better job performance.
At HearCare Rhode Island, we’re dedicated to improving your hearing health, and after a comprehensive hearing test, we’ll recommend the perfect hearing aids that will help you hear in quiet and in noise. With advanced programs and features like directionality microphones, speech enhancement, and background noise reduction, you’ll hear clearly in any listening environment. Looking for the best in connectivity features, or need a discreet device? We have a wide selection of devices to suit every lifestyle, and we’ll find the right device for you. Don’t settle for the high costs of untreated hearing loss, but invest in your hearing health today.