Have you avoided the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally invest in a hearing aid? Do you think that right now you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not missing enough to warrant purchasing one?
If your hearing continues to worsen, it could cost you as much as $30,000 each year, even if you assume that it’s fine right now. Not only could you end up hurting yourself by dismissing your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by missing important medical or work information.
Lost opportunities and unemployment
If you do not hear everything you need to, it will eventually effect your work performance. You could lose out on 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. If you become socially isolated at work, you may be overlooked by people at all levels of the company. You might not be capable of reaching your full earning potential as these “small” things add up over time. People who are treating their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than individuals with neglected hearing loss according to a study done by the Better Hearing Institute.
Unemployment rates are also increased for people with untreated hearing loss, according to other research. An untreated severe hearing loss translates into a 15 percent higher chance of being unemployed. Not seeking treatment, consequently, might cost you a lot of money as the years go on.
Extra medical bills due to falls
Untreated hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to fall. The danger of falling is raised by 300% for people who have even minor neglected hearing loss as reported by one study. Additionally, for every 10 dB increase in hearing impairment, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers think there might be a connection between the level of hearing loss and how it affects that system. Or, it may also be possible that somebody with neglected hearing loss just gets disoriented in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And when you have a fall it often results in an expensive trip to the doctor.
Worse health outcomes
But there’s more to it than just that. If you can’t hear well, you could miss instructions from your doctor. If you miss information from your doctor, you could end up having worse outcomes in health matters, thus resulting in more costs and more problems. A major financial gap will be the consequence. Over time, substantially increased medical costs will result from neglected hearing loss according to numerous studies. In one study, it was revealed that these individuals will have a 40% higher risk of trips to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will shell out more than $20,000. More recent research from the University of South Carolina indicated that neglected hearing loss led to a 33% increase in healthcare expenses over an 18 month period.
Another study conducted by Johns Hopkins University suggested that people with neglected moderate to severe hearing loss had a substantially higher risk of death.
So, if you want to protect yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to have your hearing evaluated. You might need hearing aids depending on the results of that test. You will most likely get a pleasant surprise if you do. Hearing aids today are state-of-the-art, very comfortable to use, and sound clear. Take advantage of the available technology to make your life better in all aspects.
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References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time
