Our patients typically seek hearing assistance to help them function more effectively socially (i.e. hearing friends and family, TV, in restaurants, etc), but what impact does untreated hearing loss have on individuals in the workplace?
A study by the Better Hearing Institute reveals that untreated hearing loss reduces the average household income an average of $12,000 a year. Proper treatment with appropriate hearing instruments and rehabilitation reduces that lost income by approximately one half.
The study shows that people with untreated hearing loss suffer higher rates of underemployment and unemployment, make more mistakes on the job, and in general, experience an overall reduction in quality of life (i.e. increased anxiety, depression, social isolation, social paranoia, decreased general health, emotional instability, decreased cognitive functioning, etc) which negatively impacts job performance.
Those who delay treatment for their hearing loss, particularly due to perceived expense, may be unaware of the financial and emotional costs of that decision. The price of hearing aids pales in comparison to the price of lost wages, lost promotions, lost opportunities and lower retirement income.
