For the cost of hearing aids, are they really worth it. People who have hearing loss are commonly concerned with the cost. Even so, when you invest in a house you never learn the price and think, “well, being homeless is less costly”! The real value of hearing aids is about much more than the price tag.
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 consequence of not using them?” If you choose not to buy hearing aids, there will be a monetary cost, as it turns out. You should factor these costs into your decision also. Take into account some good reasons why purchasing hearing aids will save you money in the long run.
You Will Find Yourself Spending More if You Decide on Cheaper Hearing Aids
While shopping the hearing aids market, you will probably encounter cheaper devices which seem to be less costly. 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 over the counter hearing aids, you get what you pay for. When you purchase these devices, you’re in reality buying an amplification device like earbuds, not an actual hearing aid. They just amplify all of the sound around you, including noises you don’t want amplified.
Personalized programming is the best feature of a high-quality hearing aid, that you don’t have if you buy a low-cost hearing device. You can get an excellent sound by having a quality hearing aid programmed to target your distinct hearing needs.
The batteries in store bought hearing aids are also low quality. Shelling out large amounts of extra cash on batteries will get expensive. If you wear the amplification device regularly, you may possibly wind up switching the battery up to a couple of times every day. You’ll have to carry extra batteries around because they will usually die when you need them most. Do you actually save money if you have to exchange dead batteries all of the time?
Higher quality hearing aids last much longer because they have more efficient electronics. Many designs don’t even need to have their batteries replaced at all because they are rechargeable.
Issues With Your Career
You could end up earning less if you choose not to use hearing aids or to wear cheap ones. A 2013 study published in The Hearing Journal says that individuals that have hearing loss don’t make as much money – up to 25 percent less, and are more likely to be without a job.
Why? Communication is crucial in every field and with the many factors involved, that one is dominant. You have to be capable of hearing what your supervisor says so that you can give good results. And in order to help customers or clients, you need strong listening skills. If you have to spend the entire conversation trying to figure out what words people are saying, you’re most likely missing the entire content. Simply put, if you cannot take part in discussions, it’s really difficult to succeed at work.
You will also endure a physical toll from trying to here on the job. You will find yourself physically exhausted from the energy spent trying to make out what people are saying and stressed about whether you heard them correctly. Here are some outcomes of stress:
- Your overall quality of life
- Health of your relationships
- Your ability to sleep
- Immune health
All of these have the chance of impacting your work performance and decreasing your income as a consequence.
Needing to go to the Emergency Room more frequently
There are safety problems that come with loss of hearing. Without quality hearing aids, it will be hazardous for you to cross the street or drive a vehicle. If you’re unable to hear something, how can you avoid it? And you chance missing a public warning alert system including a smoke alarm or severe storm warning alarm.
For jobs like a manufacturing facility or a construction site, you have to be capable of hearing in order for you and your coworkers to stay safe. So your safety, and your career options, will be limited if you don’t wear the quality hearing aids you require.
Financial safety is a factor here, also. Did the cashier say that you owe 25 dollars or 85? What did the sales representative say regarding the features of the tv you’re looking at and do you really need them? Perhaps the less expensive model would be all you would require, but it is difficult to know if you’re unable to hear the person talk about the difference.
Brain Health
One of the most critical problems that come with hearing loss is the greater chance of dementia. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that Alzheimer’s disease costs individuals more than 56,000 dollars every year. Dementia accounts for 11 billion dollars in Medicare expense annually.
Hearing loss is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and various other kinds of dementia. Somebody who has ignored their hearing loss for a long time raises their risk of brain impairment by five fold. The chance of getting dementia increases by three times with moderate hearing loss and doubles with even slight hearing loss. Hearing aids return the danger to a normal level.
There’s no doubt that a hearing aid will set you back a bit. If you look at the costs you will encounter by choosing not to invest in hearing aids or getting cheaper ones, the choice is obvious. Consult a hearing care specialist to learn more about hearing aids.