Are hearing aids really worth the money? The cost is commonly a worry for individuals who deal with hearing loss. You wouldn’t choose homelessness over investing in a new house. The real value of hearing aids is about much more than the price.
When shopping for a big-ticket item like this you really have to ask yourself, “what do I get out of wearing hearing aids, and what’s the cost of not having them?” If you decide not to buy hearing aids, there will be a monetary cost, as it turns out. You should factor these expenses into your choice also. Bear in mind a few good reasons why getting hearing aids will save you money over time.
You Will Find Yourself Spending More if You Decide on Inexpensive Hearing Aids
You will most likely find, when you’re shopping for hearing aids, that you can find cheaper hearing aids that will appear to save you money. If you shop for hearing aids on the internet, you will most likely find some that cost less than a nice dinner.
With regards to cheaper hearing aids, you get what you pay for. When you buy these devices, you’re actually purchasing an amplification device like earbuds, not an actual hearing aid. All of the sounds around, including ones you don’t want to hear, are amplified.
A quality hearing aid is custom programable which isn’t a feature that cheaper devices provide. If your hearing aids can be programmed to target your distinct hearing needs, you will have a much higher quality experience.
The batteries in store bought hearing aids are also cheap. Shelling out large amounts of extra money on batteries will be expensive. If you wear the amplification device every day, you might possibly wind up switching the battery up to a couple of times per day. The battery is very likely to fail when you need it most, also, so prepare to carry lots of spares around with you wherever you go. If you’re constantly buying dead batteries, are you actually saving money in the long run?
Higher quality hearing aids last much longer because they are made with more efficient electronics. Some even have rechargeable batteries, doing away with the need for repeated replacements.
Issues With Your Career
It’s possible that you will earn less if you choose not to use hearing aids or to wear cheap ones. Research conducted in 2013 and published in The Hearing Journal says that adults that have hearing loss make less money – as much as 25 percent less, and are more likely to be without a job.
And why? Communication is crucial in every job and among the many factors involved, that one is dominant. You have to be able to hear what your supervisor says so that you can give good results. And in order to help customers or clients, you need good listening skills. You’ll most likely end up missing out on the whole content of the discussion if you are always struggling to hear what people are saying. The bottom line is that it’s nearly impossible to succeed if you can’t be a part of the conversation.
You will also experience a physical toll from struggling to here on the job. You will find yourself physically worn down from the energy used trying to understand what people are saying and stressed out about whether you heard them right. Here are some effects of stress:
- Health of your relationships
- The quality of your sleep
- Your immune system
- Your overall quality of life
All of these have the chance of affecting your work efficiency and lowering your income as a result.
Needing to go to the Emergency Room more often
There are safety issues that come with hearing loss. Without appropriate hearing aids, it will be dangerous for you to go across the street or drive a vehicle. If you’re unable to hear something, how can you steer clear of it? What about emergency warning systems like a twister alert or smoke alarm?
For jobs including a manufacturing facility or a construction site, you have to be capable of hearing so that you and your coworkers to stay safe. That means that not wearing hearing aids is not only a safety hazard but also something that can limit your career options.
You also need to take into consideration financial safety. Did the server say that you owe 25 dollars or 85? Do you really need all those new television functions that you failed to hear the salesperson discussing with you? Perhaps the less expensive style would be all you would require, but it is difficult to know if you’re unable to hear the person discuss the difference.
Brain Health
One of the most important issues that come with hearing loss is the increased chance of dementia. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that every year people spend as much as 56,000 dollars treating Alzheimers disease.11 billion dollars every year is spent in medicare costs to treat dementia.
The chance of getting dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is a risk factor linked to hearing loss. Somebody who has neglected their hearing loss for a long time increases their risk of brain impairment by five fold. A modest hearing loss carries three times the possibility of getting dementia, and even a minor hearing problem doubles your chances. Hearing aids reduce these dangers.
Of course, there is a cost to purchasing hearing aids. If you look at all the concerns that come with not getting one or buying a cheaper device, it’s undoubtedly a sound financial choice. Consult a hearing care specialist to learn more about hearing aids.