Top 4 Reasons Why We Don’t Get Hearing Aids
Hearing loss affects every aspect of our lives. The thing is most of us don’t know it.
We assume that we can just get along with hearing loss. The question is how well are you “getting along” when you’re missing bits of information here and there.
Hearing Loss facts aside
Forget about the fact that hearing loss in Canada is the second most common medical complaint after arthritis.
Forget about the fact that in most cases your ability to hear, in what’s considered a ‘normal’ range, will continue to decrease and will not return if you do have hearing loss.
Forget even about the fact that most people don’t include an annual hearing test as part of their physical.
What happens when you can’t hear your spouse sitting a few paces away or even closer from you? What if over time those cherished conversations start to fall by the wayside?
What happens when you’re missing words in meetings at work or in lectures in school?
Hearing health ignored
So, why do people get a hearing screening and then choose to live with what are clear signs of hearing loss? Why accept a lower quality of life and possibly some embarrassing misunderstandings?
Reasons why people don’t get hearing aids
1. “My hearing is fine”
Now for some people this is straight up denial. But there are other people who actually think their hearing is fine. A hearing test can reveal a different story.
In a lot of cases people tend to lose their hearing gradually as they get older, over a period of time. It can be gradual enough that for a while you don’t even notice it.
You may think everyone is mumbling or that you’re hearing words that start with the letter ‘s’ instead of an ‘f’ and vice-versa.
2. “They’ll make me look old”
So, we can all agree that most of us think wearing any type of assistive hearing device means we’re ‘getting old.’ What’s worse if anyone sees our hearing aids they’ll automatically think we’re old.
This is an unfortunate stigma. A stigma that one young woman – an actual beauty queen – has tried to dispel. Emma Rudin created the social media hashtag campaign #ShowYourAids.
The Texas native, who also holds the title of Miss San Antonio, led a social movement urging people to be proud of their hearing instruments and not to be shy about showing them off.
Today’s hearing aids are much smaller than they used to be. Some are even invisible. So, if you want, only you have to know you’re wearing them.
Oh, forgot to mention, Miss San Antonio was 19 years-old when she started said international social movement. You’re never too young or too old for hearing aids.
3. “They’re too expensive”
This is probably one of the most common reasons for not getting a hearing aid. One could argue that no matter what the cost of any type of medical device, the cost will present an obstacle for some.
Many financing options are often available and may work with even the tightest budget. For instance, Hearing Solutions offers financing options that can amount to hearing aids for less than $60 a month.
Depending on where you live, your respective regional government may offer a grant for medical devices. Ontarians receive $500 per hearing aid every three years.
Read more about how the level of technology is also reflected in the price of hearing aids
But at the end of the day, what does better hearing health mean to you?
Statistics show that people with hearing loss make less money and that it’s associated with a variety of mental and physical conditions.
What is the price of maintaining healthy relationships, a healthy lifestyle and keeping the door open to more economic opportunities?
4. “Hearing aids are a hassle”
The technology of hearing aids is constantly improving and evolving to accommodate our busy lifestyles.
Hearing aids today are waterproof/water resistant, Bluetooth-enabled, they minimize background noise, aid in Tinnitus treatment, and are even rechargeable.
For instance, some people still experience issues speaking on the phone with hearing instruments, but Bluetooth allows you to stream the audio directly through your hearing aids. If your television has Bluetooth, you can listen to your favourite programs right from your hearing aids.
Sometimes people need a little extra help using, maintaining and getting the most out of their hearing aids. Hearing Solutions offers as many counselling appointments as you need to feel comfortable with your new devices.
Decision time
So, if you’ve discovered you’ve got a hearing loss and you’re on the fence about new hearing instruments, it’s probably best to get off the fence. Think about the health benefits of better hearing and hearing loss treatment.
