Having to go to the ER cause you to miss work, and also personal pain. What if you could lessen your risk of accidents, falls, anxiety, depression, and even dementia while also eliminating trips to the ER.
Using your hearing aid can be the difference between living an engaged healthy life and taking many trips to the ER, according to some new research.
The Study
Participants between the ages of 65 and 85 participated in a University of Michigan study. Each had significant loss of hearing. But out of all of those who took part, only 45% of them used their hearing aids regularly.
This is on par with comparable studies which have revealed that only around 30% of individuals who have hearing aids actually use them.
12 fewer, of the 585 people who did use their hearing aid, had Er visits or unplanned hospitalizations.
This may not seem like a very big number. But statistically, this is significant.
And there’s more. They also found that those who wore their hearing aids spend, on average, one fewer day in the hospital. They were more likely to keep regular appointments with their doctors, which most likely decreased their time in ER.
How Can Hearing Aids Reduce The Need For ER Visits?
First for the obvious one. If an individual is keeping up with their health, they’re more likely to stay away from ER.
Also, individuals who use their hearing aids stay more socially active. When a person is socially connected they are normally more committed to keeping keep their appointments and also have more support from family and friends getting to the doctor.
For those driving themselves, it means that they can drive more safely with less stress about what they’re not hearing.
Additionally, a U.S. study found that people with hearing loss who don’t use their hearing aid are twice as likely to be depressed. Health problems linked to lack of self care is often an outcome of depression.
The third thing is, various studies have shown that using your hearing aid can lessen fall risk and dementia. The part of the brain that’s used for hearing will begin to decline from lack of use as hearing declines. The rest of the brain is eventually affected. As this occurs, people often experience dementia symptoms as well as the disorientation and lack of balance associated with falls.
Long hospital stays frequently accompany falls and falling is a leading cause of senior death.
Hearing aids minimize visits to the ER for these reasons amongst others.
Why do so Many Individuals Avoid Wearing Hearing Aids?
It’s difficult to come up with a valid excuse.
Some people don’t wear them because they think that hearing aids make them seem older than they are. 25% of individuals over 65 and 50% of people over 75 have hearing loss and yet this notion of looking old with hearing aids remains. Hearing loss is not uncommon. It happens to lots of people. Additionally, hearing loss is increasing even with 20-year-olds thanks to earbuds and the rise in noise pollution.
Ironically, constantly asking people to repeat what they said often makes a person seem much older than they are.
Some people reference the price of hearing aids. However, financing is possible for hearing aids and prices have come down in the last few years.
Finally, some don’t enjoy the hearing experience with their hearing aid. If this is a problem for you, your hearing specialist can help you understand what settings work best in different situations. Hearing aids sometimes need multiple fittings before they are just right.
Schedule an appointment with your hearing specialist so we can help you feel more comfortable wearing your hearing aids.
