Why be thankful for hearing aids?

This is the time of the year when we count our blessings and think about what we are thankful for. For people with hearing impairment, having hearing aids certainly could top the list. It may come as a surprise to some, but there are even more reasons to be grateful for hearing aids beyond being able to turn down the volume on the TV.

Hearing loved ones is a great start

"Grandma, grandma! Guess what I did at school?" Children's voices are often the hardest to hear for people with senorineural hearing loss. With the help of technology, you'll be able to communicate better with the youngsters in your life. Many children are eager to share their stories with older relatives.

Addressing hearing loss can also lead to fewer misunderstandings around the dinner table or catching up on the phone. Today's devices can help you follow more than one conversation at a time and help you be more involved in group discussions. 

Five reasons to be grateful for hearing aids

People who delayed wearing hearing aids often tell our providers that they regret that they didn't address their hearing loss sooner. For those who have hearing aids, there are a multitude of reasons to feel grateful for the decisions to use them:

1. Cutting-edge hearing aid technology. The high-tech hearing aids of today allow you to reconnect to the world around you. Modern hearing aids are sophisticated pieces of technology. Often described as "minicomputers," they are professionally calibrated to address your individual hearing loss and some models are molded to fit your ears.

2. Better communication with loved ones. This is a benefit of hearing aids that people with hearing loss generally won’t realize until they begin hearing better again. During the holidays, what can be better than communicating better with your family and friends?

3. Increased earning potential. The Better Hearing Institute has done research on the correlation between hearing loss and earning potential. Their study shows that untreated hearing loss can reduce annual earnings by as much as $30,000. However, when hearing aids are implemented the risk of decreased earnings was reduced up to 90%.¹

4. Less tired feeling. People who suffer from hearing loss can experience listening fatigue. This is how hearing works: Since hearing is a process of the brain, when your ears do not hear well, your brain has to work harder to process and translate the sounds around you. This can lead to mental exhaustion, but hearing aids can help eliminate listening fatigue by relieving the strain on your brain.

5. Feeling more secure and independent. Once hearing aids are part of your life, you almost immediately realize how you can become independent again. You may experience feelings of confidence when you no longer need to look for your “translators” to help you understand what is being said all the time.

HearingLife is grateful for you!

We know you have many reasons to be grateful for your hearing. Everyone has favorite sounds, such has hearing laughter, birds, music and our favorite people's voices. What tops your list? 

The team at HearingLife is grateful every day for the opportunity to serve people with hearing loss. Our mission, to help more people hear better, is never more important than this time of year when we hear how much easier it is for families to communicate well and enjoy each others company. If you notice someone during the holidays who may benefit from hearing care, we hope you will encourage them to focus on their hearing. You can encourage them to make an appointment for a complimentary hearing assessment,^* and even join them. By taking part in the assessment, you may help provide more accurate results.  

¹ Kochkin, S. MarkeTrak VII: The Impact of Untreated Hearing Loss on Household Income. Better hearing Hearing Institute, Washington, D.C. (May 2007). https://www.hearing.org/hearingorg/document-server/?cfp=hearingorg/assets/File/public/marketrak/MarkeTrak_VII_The_Impact_of_Untreated_Hearing_Loss_on_Household_Income.pdf Accessed November 25, 2019.