Millions of Baby Boomers Need Hearing Help, but Fail to Attain It

Millions of Americans, particularly baby boomers, need some type of hearing assistance, yet they are reluctant to get it because of fears that they will end up aging faster like their parents once did. Many people still fear the stigma of hearing aids – supposedly meant for the elderly and are a sign of aging. Unfortunately, as a recent article from the Washington Post explains, too many people are failing to get the help they need. A recent study in the Journals of Gerontology reports that 63.1 percent of adults in the United States – nearly two out of every three – will cope with significant hearing loss by the time they’re 70. At age 85 and older, it’s four out of five. The nearly 23 million other people older than 50 who are having trouble hearing but have yet to seek help. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University report that about six out of seven of Americans over 50 who have hearing loss don’t wear hearing aids. So what are the baby boomers missing? Well, with the eldest of the boomers this year turning 67, they are among the millions who need help hearing. And whether playing music too loudly in their younger years has anything to do with their hearing loss now is not as much of an issue as how hearing loss affects one’s lifestyle and the cost of hearing aids. Many baby boomers show reluctance to hearing aids because they do not believe that their lifestyle would work with one. Little do they know that hearing aids have made major advances in recent years and the things they are missing in life today are not moments they can get back tomorrow. Hearing loss affects communication, hobbies, relationships, learning, and even safety. It can cause rifts between loved ones or friends and creates avoidable problems. Similarly, people can avoid asking others to repeat themselves, finding themselves avoiding noisy restaurants, having trouble in conversation, or continually turning up the volume on the television. How can our audiologists help? With services like aural rehabilitation, ear molds  or hearing aids, hearing loss can be dealt with positively and many times is greatly improved. The majority of people who suffer from hearing loss would benefit from a hearing aid. Likewise, our hearing aids come in many shapes, sizes and degrees to which they amplify sound. We will help select the right hearing aid that fits any type of lifestyle and to improve hearing and provide support in any way we can. The advancements in today’s technological world give baby boomers many more options than their parents had – just the right remedy for their fears and reluctance. Contact us today and learn how hearing aids can actually make you feel younger.