Have your friends, family, and co-workers been requesting that you get hearing aids but you’ve been stubbornly avoiding it? Do you think that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not losing enough to warrant getting one?
Even if you feel like you’re doing ok at the moment, your hearing loss could get a lot worse – and if it does, it might possibly cost you more than $30,000 a year. Not having part of your hearing means you might miss important work or medical details and opportunities, and you may end up hurting yourself physically, too.
Missed opportunities and unemployment
Your work performance will be effected if you aren’t hearing everything you need to. Your inability to hear coworkers could cause a breakdown in relationships and you could get passed over on opportunities for upcoming projects because you failed to follow instructions on past projects. You could end up going unnoticed by people at all levels if you become socially isolated at work. These “small” things compound over time and impact your ability to attain your full earning potential. People who treat their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than people with neglected hearing loss as reported by a study done by the Better Hearing Institute.
Unemployment rates are also higher for people with untreated hearing loss, according to another study. People who don’t address their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. So, as the years pass, neglected hearing loss may end up costing you lot’s of money.
Falls will cost you even more in medical bills
Untreated hearing loss can deal another financial blow by actually making you more likely to have a fall. The risk of falling is raised by 300% for people who have even slight neglected hearing loss as detailed by one study. In addition, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every additional 10 dB of hearing loss. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers believe there might be a connection between the degree of hearing loss and how it affects that system. Or, it might also be plausible that somebody with neglected hearing loss just gets disoriented in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And obviously, those falls result in more medical bills, and thus more cash out of your pocket.
Increased general health issues
But that’s not all. You might be missing some of the guidance from your doctor if you have neglected hearing loss. If you miss information from your doctor, you could wind up having worse outcomes in health matters, thus leading to more costs and more issues. All of these occurrences add up to a major financial gap. Several studies have linked untreated hearing loss to substantially higher medical costs over time. In one study, it was reported that these individuals will have a 40% higher chance of trips to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will pay out over $20,000. More recent research from the University of South Carolina indicated that untreated hearing loss led to a 33% increase in healthcare expenses over an 18 month period.
Another study conducted by Johns Hopkins University indicated that individuals with untreated moderate to severe hearing loss had a significantly higher chance of death.
So, if you want to protect yourself both financially and physically, it’s time to get your hearing tested. Depending on the results of that test, you might need to get hearing aids. You will most likely get a pleasant surprise if you do. Hearing aids today are state-of-the-art, really comfortable to use, and sound clear. Make your total life better by taking advantage of this wonderful technology.
References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time
https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2022/july-hearing-loss-and-falls
