Trips to the ER cause you to miss work, and also personal pain. What if you could prevent ER visits and significantly reduce your chances of depression, anxiety, and even cognitive decline.
Emerging research makes the case that, for individuals with serious hearing loss, wearing their hearing aid could be the difference between staying connected and healthy and ending up spending many nights in the emergency room.
The Research
This University of Michigan research assembled participants ranging from 65-85. Each had severe hearing loss. But only 45% of the participants used their hearing aids regularly.
Other studies have also shown that hearing aids were used regularly by only 30% of people who had them.
12 fewer, of the 585 individuals who did use their hearing aid, had Er visits or unplanned hospitalizations.
This might seem like a moderate number. But it’s statistically substantial.
And there’s more. They also discovered that one day fewer, on average, was spent in the hospital for people who wore their hearing aids. Their time at the ER was probably decreased because they were more likely to show up for their regular doctor’s appointments.
How Can Emergency Care Visits be Reduced by Using Hearing Aids?
First for the obvious one. If a person is staying on top of their health, they’re more likely to stay out of ER.
Also, individuals who use their hearing aids remain more socially involved. This can result in both a greater drive to keep that doctor’s appointment and better access to services and assistance to get to appointments.
And driving is less dangerous when you can hear, so you will be more confident if you are bringing yourself to your appointment.
One study conducted in the U.S. found that depression is twice as likely in people who don’t use their hearing aid. Health concerns related to lack of self care is often an outcome of depression.
Risks of falling and dementia are, according to various studies, also decreased by using your hearing aids. As a person begins to suffer from hearing impairment, the corresponding part of the brain starts to decline from disuse. The rest of the brain is ultimately affected. As this happens, people commonly experience dementia symptoms as well as the disorientation and lack of balance associated with falls.
Long hospital stays often accompany falls and falling is a major cause of senior death.
These are only a few of the reasons that hearing aids help decrease trips to the ER.
Why do so Many Individuals Avoid Wearing Hearing Aids?
There’s really no good reason.
Some don’t wear them because they think that hearing aids make them appear older than they actually are. 25% of people over 65 and 50% of people over 75 have hearing loss and yet this perception of looking old with hearing aids remains. Hearing loss isn’t uncommon. It’s common. Additionally, hearing loss is on the rise even among 20-year-olds thanks to earbuds and the increase in noise pollution.
Ironically, frequently asking people to repeat what they said often makes a person look a lot older than they are.
Price is often mentioned as a worry. However, the price of hearing aids has come down in just the past few years, and there are ways to finance them.
Finally, some don’t enjoy the hearing experience with their hearing aid. If this is a problem for you, your hearing specialist can help you understand what settings work best in different situations. Hearing aids don’t always fit and sound perfect on the first fitting and sometimes need a number of attempts.
Make an appointment with your hearing specialist so we can help you feel more secure wearing your hearing aids.