The 22nd of March just happens to be what is known as “As Young as You Feel Day” and is the perfect excuse to start looking and feeling young again. There are too many reasons that you are feeling older than you should. People may say that age is just a number and in many cases that may be true. But how you look and feel can also factor into age more than it needs to. To truly live as young as you feel, you need to actually feel young. Hearing loss can have an emotional and physical impact on your perceived age, making you feel much older than you may actually be because it is often associated with the elderly. Without the help of our audiologists who will support you the entire way through your hearing evaluation and services, you may feel isolated, depressed, and helpless.
Why is hearing loss associated with older folks? Well for starters, hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. One in three people older than 60 and half of those people over age 85 have hearing loss. Unfortunately, as we grow older, our hearing ability does diminish. Presbycusis, a gradual and progressive hearing loss that starts in midlife and continues to increase as years go by, is associated with the aging process. A recent article in the NY Times also points out a discussion on the relationship between dementia and hearing loss. In fact, people with hearing loss tend to isolate themselves, and isolation is a risk factor for dementia whether you’re hearing or hearing-impaired.
Hearing problems can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice, to respond to warnings, and to hear doorbells and alarms. They can also make it hard to enjoy talking with friends and family – all things that people in their youth tend to do with ease. All of this can be frustrating, embarrassing, and even dangerous. With all of these effects, you may not feel as youthful and outgoing as you once did. To truly feel young again, improving your hearing will have positive emotional, social, and physical impacts. You will be able to relive your youth with more socializing and gatherings, be able to hear when you go out to dinner with a loved one, participate in more activities with the grandkids, and start making more memories with those around you which will last for years to come. Whether it be hearing aids, ear wax removal, or other hearing services, our hearing doctors will find the best solutions for your emotional and physical needs. Life is filled with sounds as you may recall, now is the time to feel young again and enjoy them to the fullest.
