Lots of people know they need hearing aids but don’t get them.
- They worry about the cost. Medicare doesn’t cover hearing benefits, HealthTeam Advantage does.
- They don’t think hearing aids will work. This may have been true in the past but working with a hearing provider and getting properly diagnosed and fitted can make all the difference.
- And of course, they think admitting you need a hearing aid means admitting you’re getting old. Let’s face it, there are lots of 50- to 60-year-olds who don’t wear hearing aids who are “older” than many people over 65 who do wear hearing aids. Age is just a number.
The point of hearing aids is to help you hear better, of course, but really think about all the benefits that come with that:
- It’s easier to have conversations with your friends and family—especially when you’re in a noisy place or a group.
- A 25-year study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that people who need hearing aids and chose not to wear them have significant mental decline compared to people with normal hearing. And, people with hearing loss who wear hearing aids performed the same on cognitive tests as those without any hearing loss.
- A Texas A&M University study proved that hearing aids can improve memory and mental acuity. They tested a group of people with hearing loss to measure their memory, ability to focus, and how quickly they processed information. Then they gave the participants hearing aids. After only six weeks, participants saw improvements in all areas of cognitive function.
- People with hearing loss who wear hearing aids report lower levels of depression. A National Council on Aging survey discovered not only do people who wear hearing aids have lower levels of depression, but they also exhibit greater emotional stability and a more positive outlook compared to those with hearing loss who don’t wear hearing aids.
- Hearing aids also help those with hearing loss improve balance and reduce their risk of falling. The Washington University School of Medicine found people with hearing loss performed better on balance tests and were less likely to fall when they wore hearing aids.
Remember—wearing hearing aids won’t slow down hearing loss. They can reduce the negative effects on your auditory cortex (the part of your brain that processes sound) though. If hearing loss is left untreated for a long time you can lose some of your ability to process speech and other sounds—even if you get a hearing aid later.
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