If you’re around age 85 and reading this fact, you might be nodding, “Yep, I hear that.” And indeed, the fact makes sense, given that the likelihood of hearing loss increases as we age, according to the National Institute on Aging.
But with the good news that U.S. residents aged 80-plus are expected to double over the coming years, also comes the silver lining that hearing technology continues to advance right along with them.
Today’s Genesis AI hearing aids are a perfect example of hearing innovation that can help you hear better and simplify your life through a ton of added features. So, hearing loss is no longer something we simply have accept as a “part of life” and move on with.
And why would you want to? When you stop to think about it, hearing is a huge part of experiencing and enjoying life to the fullest. Imagine your world without everyday sounds like birds chirping or leaves scattering in the wind. Or meaningful sounds like your grandchild’s first words or that melodic album that always cheers you up when you need it. And of course, you can’t put a price on the ability to hear and maintain conversations with the people around you.
The potential effects of untreated hearing loss run even deeper than you may think. Let’s explore some of them.
Possible risks of untreated age-related hearing loss
Leaving your hearing loss untreated as you age can impact your:
- Vocabulary — Various sounds and letters may become more difficult to hear and understand as frequencies are lost.
- Voice — Hearing your own voice at a softer volume may cause you to speak more loudly to others—even shout—to compensate.
- Enjoyment of music and movies — The need to increase the volume on your TV or stereo may make it difficult to enjoy entertainment with others (who would prefer a normal volume), while putting everyone at risk for noise-induced hearing loss.
- Conversations in noise — Background noise in restaurants or group outings can become overwhelming, making it increasingly difficult to focus on speech and hold conversations.
- Work performance — Communicating and understanding may become challenging during mandatory meetings or calls, co-worker interactions, and important announcements.
- Relationships — Struggling to maintain important conversations with your spouse or to understand what is being said during social events can cause you to withdraw from your relationships.
- Cognitive health — With possible reasons including strain on the brain and diminished social engagement, untreated hearing loss has been linked to depression and dementia.
- Safety — Your ability to hear important alerts like fire alarms or tornado sirens may become impaired. And due to less awareness of your surroundings, your risk of falling may also increase.
Maintaining hearing health can make aging easier
So, even if you’re unsure—or doubt—you’re developing hearing loss, it’s still a good idea to start monitoring your hearing health well before you reach the 85-year mark. Experts recommend getting your hearing evaluated by a licensed hearing care professional every three years once you’re 50. To get started, simply type your zip code in here to view a list of providers near you.
If it turns out you have hearing loss and hearing aids are recommended, remember, you’re in great hands. Today’s advanced hearing technology easily adapts to your life and can help you hear better anywhere, monitor your hearing and physical activities, control your hearing aids from your smartphone, and much more. (Learn more about Genesis AI hearing aids here.)
And it’s only going to get better as you age.
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