Hearing Loss
If you have hearing loss, you’re not alone! Hearing loss is the third most common chronic health issue among seniors, following high blood pressure and arthritis. Approximately 40% of persons aged 60 years and 50% of persons aged 75 and older have hearing loss that significantly affects their quality of life. Don’t assume that hearing loss is only restricted to seniors- 60% of people with hearing loss are between 21 and 65 years old. More baby boomers aged 45-65 have hearing loss than people over the age of 65!
Effects of Untreated Hearing Loss
The consequences of untreated hearing loss are significant: A study conducted by the National Counsel on Aging revealed that older people with untreated hearing impairments report a higher incidence of:
- sadness and depression
- worry and anxiety
- paranoia
- decrease in social activity
- emotional turmoil and insecurity.
Effects of Treated Hearing Loss
Seniors who were properly fit with hearing aids reported the following benefits:
- better relationships with their families
- better feelings about themselves & improved mental health
- greater independence and security
Sergei Kochkin, PhD has published more than 50 papers on the hearing aid market and conducted customer satisfaction research on more than 25,000 hearing aid owners. Dr. Kochkin states:
“Close to 90-95% of people with hearing loss can be helped by hearing aids. There have been major breakthroughs in hearing aid technology in recent years, and we can now do a better job of matching technology with a candidate’s lifestyle and communication needs…The good news is that many of the problems with hearing aids have been solved, and wearers can now expect improved communication with hearing aids as the rule, not the exception.”