The impact of hearing loss on your loved ones
What your loved ones won’t tell you about the impact your hearing loss has on them.
Shocking research suggests that 47% of friends, family and loved ones admit they get annoyed when having to repeat themselves due to a loved one’s hearing loss.
The research, which took a look at the loved ones of the hard of hearing, also discovered that:
- 20% believed that those with hearing loss are “oblivious” to the irritation the hearing loss causes for others.
- 26% felt that their loved ones quality of life significantly diminished before they sought help.
- 1 in 5 people noticed that the hard of hearing person regularly withdrew from social situations.
The independent study – of 1764 participants – highlighted the powerful impact hearing loss has on loved ones as well as those experiencing the loss of hearing.
Further research, conducted by Hidden Hearing in 2012, asked 756 people with hearing loss about the psychological, emotional and social impact. The research showed:
- 41% felt they were missing out, and that their social life (21%), work life (33%) and home life (20%) were all negatively affected due to hearing loss.
- 1 in 4 said they felt “embarrassed” by the condition.
- Men are more likely to wait 5 years or more before reporting a problem.
The effect of an untreated hearing loss can have a colossal effect on those who experience it and the loved ones around them.
In 2015, 1 in 6 people in the UK are thought to be experiencing some form of hearing loss – that’s 11 million people. These figures are expected to rise to 1 in 5, or 15.6 million, by 2035.
Simple tips for overcoming hearing loss
Hearing loss can have an extraordinary effect on, not just your social, work and family life, but also on your health and mental wellbeing.
Supporting research – reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society – outlines that hearing loss accelerates the rate of cognitive decline (such as a decline in memory and/or thinking skills).
Professor Amieva’s research also suggested that hearing aids reduce the rate at which cognitive decline appears due to an untreated hearing loss.
So what is the best way to look after your health, brain and your ears?
The simplest way to regain clearer hearing is to use assistive listening devices, such a hearing aids.
Hearing aids have been around for many years and have been developed drastically in the last few decades. Their primary purpose is to help amplify the sounds around you, making them easier to hear with less effort.
Take your hearing test today and know that, this Christmas, you won’t miss the special moments with your loved ones.
Learn more about hearing loss with our selected partners, Hidden Hearing.
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