Hearing loss is measured far beyond decibels. Hearing loss is linked to feelings of anxiety, depression, frustration, social isolation, and fatigue. For these reasons I consider hearing aids a saving grace.
I can testify to all of those feelings and experiences. And I can tell you, hearing aids help! For me, hearing aids are a saving grace.
The Impact of Hearing Loss
There have been numerous studies done on the impact of hearing loss as we grow older. The results are startling. Studies have shown that hearing loss can increase the risk of developing dementia. To me, that makes sense in light of what Helen Keller observed about deafness “… it means the loss of the most vital stimulus – the sound of the voice that brings language sets thoughts astir and keeps us in the intellectual company of man.”
In 1999, the National Council on Aging conducted a study and prepared a report titled “The Consequences of Untreated Hearing Loss in Older Persons.” The goal of the study was to assess the impact on one’s quality of life comparing those wearing hearing aids and those not.
Results Not Wearing Hearing Aids
The report indicated that elderly people in the study who did not wear hearing aids experienced many adverse mental and emotional consequences like sadness, depression, anxiety, isolation, insecurity, and paranoia. These results were the same regardless of gender, age, and income.
Results Wearing Hearing Aids
The results were quite different for those elderly folks who did wear hearing aids. There is a significant improvement in the overall quality of life. Not only for the one with the hearing loss but the lives of those with whom they live. Over half reported better relationships with family and friends. They could interact better with their grandchildren. They experienced increased confidence and a sense of independence.
My experience
Without my precious hearing aid, I am lost. When I do not wear my hearing aid, it impacts my speech comprehension. People around me have to repeat themselves several times before I can understand what they are saying. Close friends tell me that when I am not wearing my hearing aid, my speech is not as clear. Without my hearing aid, I have to work ten times harder to hear. Without my hearing aid, I can enjoy quiet, but I am not connected with the world around me.
A Testimonial
I am a visitor and occasional contributor to an excellent website called “Hearing Like Me,” which is a community for those impacted by hearing loss. One of the Ambassadors of the site that goes by the name “Streamer” shared a great deal of his own experience with hearing loss. With his permission, I am sharing what he has to say about his discovery of the benefit of hearing aids. This man was not diagnosed with a loss until in the fourth grade.
“One day I asked my sister to try on her hearing aids, could not believe what I was missing, and went in for a much-needed hearing test about a week later. At the time, the audiologist told me I must have lost my hearing after I had learned to talk or I would speak like a deaf person, and I must have the ability to determine what people are saying even though I only hear pieces of the words because my word recognition scores were very – and are very – good.
After getting hearing aids, I soon realized I probably should have gotten them about ten years earlier because my life became much easier with them than without them. People always said I talked too loud and at the end of the day my tongue would actually be sore from talking too loud. Once I got hearing aids, people would comment that I didn’t speak as loudly as I once did and wanted to know what happened and once I told them that I was now wearing hearing aids, they couldn’t believe it could make that much of a difference. Another benefit was not having to ask people to repeat what they had said as often, and I’m sure it made other people’s lives easier as well.
Another unforeseen benefit to wearing hearing aids has been a significant reduction in my Tinnitus. Most of the time during the day, for all intent and purposes, it is basically gone while I am wearing my hearing aids and at the end of the day when I remove my HA’s it is diminished in its intensity and gradually comes back during the night as I sleep.”
Hearing Aids – a Saving Grace
In conclusion, having and wearing hearing aids for me is a no-brainer. On on average, a person with hearing loss does not seek professional help for 7-10 years. If you or someone you know appears to have a hearing loss, help them seek help with hearing aids.
