Being healthy leads to a better quality of life and more productivity in the workplace. The ability to hear well contributes to overall physical and mental health as well as the capability to carry out tasks at work. And yet many are reluctant to get the help they need. Maybe they don’t think they need a hearing aid, maybe they want a hearing aid but feel they can’t afford one. Regardless of the reason, sometimes extra motivation is needed.
Approximately 11% of Americans report having tinnitus (ringing in the ears), 16% of American adults report hearing trouble, and 2 to 3 out of 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears, therefore a hearing benefit is essential to your organization’s health care plan. 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids, which is why access to hearing aids should be a component of your hearing health benefit.
Advantages of wearing hearing aids
The use of a hearing aid for individuals with hearing loss can have immediate to long term benefits.
Income
Wearing hearing aids can increase income. Treating hearing loss can reduce dips in income from 77% to 90% depending on the severity of hearing loss.
Tinnitus Correction
While tinnitus is incurable, wearing a hearing aid can reduce tinnitus symptoms. This is because many individuals with tinnitus also have hearing loss. There are also hearing aids that are designed specifically for those who have tinnitus.
Mental Health
Wearing hearing aids can improve your mental health and avoid depression. Research has shown a link between hearing loss and depression. Hearing loss also contributes to isolation. Hearing aids assist individuals with hearing and comprehension and enables people to get back to life.
Cognitive Health
Hearing loss increases the risk of developing dementia. This is because hearing loss can cause brain atrophy. Hearing aids slow the progression of hearing loss, which helps to keep the brain from deteriorating.
Why individuals don’t wear hearing aids
Despite these advantages of wearing a hearing aid, millions of workers, retirees, and their families struggle everyday with hearing loss. The main reason for this is because many people believe they can’t afford to purchase a hearing aid. Other reasons include:
- Too expensive
- Belief they can hear well enough
- Lack of hearing health insurance
- Other priorities
- Shame about wearing a hearing aid
- Can’t reconcile the need to purchase one
Justifications that can stimulate hearing aid purchases
The hesitations to purchase a hearing can are justifiable, but the reasons that can persuade an individual who needs a hearing aid to purchase one can be equally as powerful. The biggest motivation is hearing health coverage. Other motivations include:
- Having a hearing screening that reveals the need for hearing aids
- A recommendation from a hearing health specialist or other medical professional
- A recommendation from a trusted hearing provider
- Proof that hearing aid technology is substantially better
The annoyance of tinnitus diminished, boosted earning power, better state of mind, and more independence – hearing aids can really help improve your life in profound ways. A good hearing health partner will assist you in getting you access to programs, hearing products (like hearing aids) and services and provide exceptional customer service, so motivations like the ones listed above will be a boost, not a validation.