Trips to the ER can cost you time off work, not to mention personal pain. What if you could reduce your risk of falls, accidents, anxiety, depression, and even dementia while also preventing trips to the ER.
Using your hearing aid can be the difference between having an engaged healthy life and taking lots of trips to the ER, according to some new research.
The Study
This University of Michigan study assembled participants that ranged from 65-85. Each had significant loss of hearing. But out of all of those who took part, only 45% of them wore their hearing aids regularly.
This is in agreement with similar studies which have revealed that only about 30% of people who have hearing aids actually use them.
Of the 585 people in the hearing aid group, 12 fewer people found themselves in the ER or non-elective hospital stay.
This may not seem like a very large number. But statistically, this is significant.
And that’s not all. They also discovered that one day fewer, on average, was spent in the hospital for those who used their hearing aids. Their time at the ER was probably decreased because they were more likely to keep their regular doctor’s appointments.
How Might Hearing Aids Minimize The Need For Emergency Care Visits?
First for the obvious one. You would be less likely to need emergency care if you were paying attention to your health.
Also, individuals who use their hearing aids remain more socially active. When a person is socially connected they are normally more motivated to keep their appointments and also have more support from friends and family getting to the doctor.
For those bringing themselves, it means that they will be able to drive more safely with less stress about what they’re not hearing.
In addition, a U.S. study revealed that individuals with hearing loss who don’t use their hearing aid are two times as likely to be depressed. Depression can lead to a lack of self-care, which can lead to health problems.
The danger of falling and dementia are, as outlined by numerous studies, also decreased by using your hearing aids. As a person starts to suffer from hearing impairment, the associated region of the brain starts to decline from disuse. With time, this can extend through the brain. The disorientation associated with falls and symptoms of dementia are often the result.
Falls are one of the major causes of death among individuals over 65, and the resulting hospital stays last two times as long.
Hearing aids decrease visits to the ER for these reasons amongst others.
Why do so Many Individuals Neglect Wearing Hearing Aids?
There’s truly no good reason.
Fear of looking old is one leading reason why some individuals don’t use their hearing aids. 25% of individuals over 65 and 50% of people above the age of 75 have hearing loss and yet this notion of looking old with hearing aids remains. Hearing impairment isn’t rare. It happens to many people. Additionally, hearing loss is on the rise even with 20-year-olds because of earbuds and the increase in noise pollution.
It’s ironic that when someone is always asking people what they said it actually makes them seem older.
Some people cite the price of hearing aids. However, financing is available for hearing aids and prices have come down in the last few years.
Some individuals don’t like how hearing aids sound. If this is a problem for you, your hearing specialist can help you recognize what settings work best in different circumstances. Hearing aids don’t always fit and sound perfect on the first fitting and sometimes need several tries.
Make an appointment with your hearing specialist so we can help you feel more secure wearing your hearing aids.