Have you avoided the calls from family, friends, and co-workers to finally get a hearing aid? Do you think that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not losing enough to justify getting one?
Even if you believe you’re doing fine right now, your hearing loss could get a lot worse – and if that happens, it could potentially cost you upwards of $30,000 a year. Going without a portion of your hearing means you may miss significant work or medical information and opportunities, and you may end up injuring yourself physically, as well.
Lost opportunities and unemployment
If you can’t hear everything you need to, it will ultimately impact your performance at work. You could get passed up for future projects because you couldn’t follow instructions on past work, or your interaction with co-workers may have deteriorated because you couldn’t hear them. You could wind up being overlooked by people at all levels if you become socially secluded at work. These “small” things add up over time and affect your ability to reach your full earning potential. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute found that individuals who have untreated hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than people who treated their loss of hearing.
Unemployment rates are also higher for individuals with neglected hearing loss, according to another study. An untreated profound hearing loss translates into a 15 percent higher risk of being unemployed. Not getting treatment, consequently, could cost you a lot of money as the years go on.
Added medical bills from falls
You’ll have a higher likelihood of falling if you’re dealing with neglected hearing loss which can deal you another financial setback. One study revealed that even individuals with mild untreated hearing loss raise their risk of falling by 300%. In addition, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every added 10 dB of hearing loss. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers believe there may be a connection between the amount of hearing loss and how it affects that system. Or, it might also be possible that somebody with neglected hearing loss just gets disoriented in their environment because they’re overcompensating with their other senses. And when you have a fall it frequently results in an expensive trip to the doctor.
Worse health outcomes
But there’s more to it than only that. If you are unable to hear well, you could miss instructions from your doctor. If you miss information from your doctor, you might wind up having worse outcomes in health matters, thus resulting in more costs and more problems. All of these occurrences add up to a significant financial gap. Over time, significantly increased medical expenses will result from untreated hearing loss according to several studies. In one study, it was reported that these individuals will have a 40% increased risk of trips to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will pay out more than $20,000. The University of South Carolina released a study that indicated a 33% increase in healthcare costs for people with neglected hearing loss over an 18 month period.
Moderate to severe neglected hearing loss can result in a significantly increased risk of death according to a study published by Johns Hopkins University.
So it’s time for a hearing assessment if you want to protect yourself financially and physically. You may need hearing aids depending on the test results. If you do, you’ll likely be fairly surprised. Contemporary hearing aids are incredibly 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
https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2022/july-hearing-loss-and-falls