It is a smart financial decision to get hearing aids. People with hearing loss are usually concerned with the price tag. Even so, when you buy a home you never see the cost and declare, “well being homeless is less expensive!” You must go beyond the cost to determine the real worth of hearing aids.
Before shopping for a big-ticket item like this you really need to ask yourself, “what do I get out of wearing hearing aids and what’s the cost of not having them?” If you require hearing aids it will wind up costing you more if you don’t invest in them. Your ultimate decision should really also take these costs into consideration. Over time hearing aids will save you money. Here’s why.
You Will Find Yourself Paying More for Choosing Cheap Hearing Aids
There certainly are low-cost hearing aids out there which appear less expensive. You could even pick up a hearing aid off of the internet costing even less than a dinner.
You can expect to get what you pay for in quality when you purchase over-the-counter hearing devices. What you are actually purchasing isn’t a hearing aid but, an amplification device a lot like earbuds or headphones. These devices crank up the sound of everything around you. That includes unwanted background noise.
With cheap hearing devices you don’t get the most important features, such as customized programming. You can achieve a high level of quality by getting a quality hearing aid keyed to focus on your exact hearing needs.
Most store bought hearing devices run on equally cheap batteries, too. Having to change out dead batteries regularly can get expensive. When you wear the amplification device every day, you could possibly end up replacing the battery once or twice a day. Plan on carrying a lot of spare batteries because the cheap ones frequently die when you actually need them most. When you add up the amount of money you shell out for the new batteries, do you actually save anything?
Because the electronics are superior, the batteries stay alive longer. Some also include rechargeable batteries, cutting out the need for regular replacements.
Work Associated Concerns
Deciding to not use hearing aids, or choosing cheaper ones can be costly at work. A 2013 study published in The Hearing Journal says that adults that have hearing loss make less money – as high as 25 percent less, and are more likely to be unemployed.
Why? There are several reasons for this, but the most common sense explanation is that conversation is necessary in pretty much every industry. You have to listen to what your employer says to be able to give good results. You should be capable of listening to clients to assist them. When you spend the conversation attempting to hear what words a person is saying, you’re likely missing the general message. Put simply, if you can’t take part in verbal interactions, it is not easy to be on point at work.
The struggle to hear at work will take a toll on you bodily, also. And if you find a way to make it through a day with inadequate hearing, the stress that comes with worrying about if you heard everything correctly and the energy needed to hear as much as possible will make you fatigued and stressed. Some impacts of stress:
- Your immune system
- Your ability to sleep
- Your relationships
- Your quality of life
All of these have the possibility to have an impact on your work performance and lower your earnings as a result.
Having to go to the ER more often
There is a safety concern that comes with hearing loss. Without proper hearing aids, it is risky for you to go across the road or drive a car or truck. How can you avoid another vehicle if you can’t hear it? How about environmental safety systems like a tornado warning or smoke detector?
For a number of jobs, hearing is a must for job-site safety like construction sites or manufacturing plants. That means that not using hearing aids is not just a safety risk but also something which can limit your career possibilities.
Financial security is a factor here, too. Did the cashier say that you owe 25 dollars or 65? What did the salesperson say regarding the features on the Television you are looking at and do you actually need them? Maybe the less expensive unit would be all you would need, but it’s hard to know if you can’t hear the clerk discuss the difference.
The Health of Your Brain
One of the most critical concerns which come with hearing loss is the increased risk of getting dementia. The New England Journal of Medicine says that Alzheimer’s disease costs people more than 56,000 dollars per year. Dementia makes up about 11 billion dollars in Medicare costs yearly.
Hearing loss is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. It is calculated that someone with extreme, untreated hearing loss multiplies their possibility of brain impairment by five fold. A moderate hearing loss carries three times the risk of dementia, and even a minor hearing issue doubles your chances. Hearing aids can bring the chances back to normal.
There is little doubt that a hearing aid is going to cost you a little more money. When you look at the many other costs associated with not having one or buying a cheaper device, it’s undoubtedly a prudent monetary investment. Make an appointment with a hearing specialist to learn more.