Have your family, friends, and co-workers been requesting that you get hearing aids but you’ve been stubbornly avoiding it? Do you think that right now you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not losing enough to warrant purchasing one?
Even if you believe you’re doing just fine at the moment, your hearing loss might catch up with you – and if it does, it might potentially cost you upwards of $30,000 per year. Not having a portion of your hearing means you might miss important work or medical information and opportunities, and you could end up injuring yourself physically, as well.
Lost opportunities and unemployment
If you can’t hear everything you’re supposed to, it will ultimately impact your performance at work. You could get passed up for future projects because you couldn’t hear instructions on previous work, or your relationship with co-workers could have deteriorated due to your being unable to hear them. You could end up going unnoticed by people at every level if you become socially isolated at work. These ”little” things add up over time and affect your ability to reach your full earning potential. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute found that people with untreated hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than people who treated their hearing loss.
Unemployment rates are also higher for people with untreated hearing loss, according to another study. People who don’t treat their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not getting treatment, consequently, might cost you a lot of money as time goes by.
Extra medical bills from falls
Untreated hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to have a fall. The risk of falling is raised by 300% for individuals who have even mild untreated hearing loss as detailed by one study. And, for every 10 dB increase in hearing impairment, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The researchers conjectured that there might be a link between the level of hearing loss and effects on the vestibular system, which deals with balance, or that individuals with more profound impairment simply became more caught up in compensating for the loss than paying attention to particular physical hazards. And of course, those falls result in more medical bills, and consequently more money out of your pocket.
Increased general health problems
But there’s more to it than just that. You may be missing some of the advice from your doctor if you have neglected hearing loss. When it involves your health, you could have negative outcomes if you miss information and that can lead to increased health costs. A major financial gap will be the result. Over time, considerably higher medical costs will result from neglected hearing loss according to several studies. In one study, it was reported that these people will have a 40% increased risk 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 neglected hearing loss led to a 33% increase in healthcare costs over an 18 month time period.
Another study from Johns Hopkins University indicated that people with untreated moderate to profound hearing loss had a substantially higher risk of death.
So it’s time for a hearing assessment if you want to protect yourself financially and physically. Depending on the results of that test, you might have to invest in hearing aids. You will most likely get a pleasant surprise if you do. Modern hearing aids are extremely clear and comfortable. Take advantage of the available technology to make your life better in all respects.
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References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time