Trips to the ER can cost you time off work, and also personal pain. What if you could lessen your chances of accidents, falls, depression, anxiety, and even dementia while also eliminating visits to the ER.
Using your hearing aid can be the difference between having an active healthy life and taking lots of trips to the ER, according to some new studies.
The Study
This University of Michigan study gathered participants that ranged from 65-85. Each had severe loss of hearing. But out of all of those who participated, only 45% of them wore their hearing aids on a regular basis.
Other researchers have also demonstrated that hearing aids were used regularly by only 30% of people who had them.
12 fewer, of the 585 people who did wear their hearing aid, had Er visits or unplanned hospitalizations.
This may not seem like a very big number. But it’s statistically significant.
And there’s more. They also determined that those who used their hearing aids spend, on average, one day fewer in the hospital. They were more likely to keep regular appointments with their doctors, which most likely decreased their time in ER.
How Can ER Visits be Decreased by Using Hearing Aids?
The first one is obvious. If an individual is keeping up with their health, they’re more likely to stay out of ER.
Other research has revealed that when people with hearing loss use their hearing aids, they stay more connected to family, friends, and the community. This can bring about both a stronger drive to show up for that doctor’s appointment and better access to services and help to get to appointments.
For those bringing themselves, it means that they can drive more safely with less anxiety about what they’re not hearing.
One study conducted in the U.S. found that depression is twice as likely in individuals who don’t use their hearing aid. Depression can bring about a lack of self-care, which can lead to health concerns.
Thirdly, various studies have revealed that using your hearing aid can minimize fall risk and dementia. As a person starts to suffer from hearing impairment, the corresponding region of the brain starts to decline from lack of use. With time, this can spread through the brain. The disorientation associated with falls and symptoms of dementia are often the outcome.
Falls are one of the major causes of death among those over 65, and the consequent hospital stays last two times as long.
These are just a few of the reasons that hearing aids help decrease ER visits.
So Why is Wearing Hearing Aids Something That so Many Individuals Neglect?
There’s truly no good reason.
Fear of appearing old is one leading reason why some people don’t wear their hearing aids. This perception persists despite the fact that nearly 25% of individuals over 65 have substantial hearing loss, and 50% of those 75 and older have it. Hearing loss isn’t uncommon. It’s common. And thanks to the rise in noise pollution and earbud usage, hearing loss is on the rise with people in their twenties.
Ironically, frequently asking people to repeat what they said often makes a person look a lot older than they are.
Some individuals cite the costs of hearing aids. However, financing is available for hearing aids and prices have come down in the last few years.
Some people don’t like how hearing aids sound. If this is a problem for you, your hearing specialist can help you understand what settings work best in different circumstances. Hearing aids don’t always fit and sound perfect on the first fitting and sometimes need several attempts.
Make an appointment with your hearing specialist so we can help you feel more secure wearing your hearing aids.