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Ring in the Holiday Season with a Hearing Test for You and a Loved One, the Better Hearing Institute Urges

Posted by ecwadmin on November 20, 2014 in General.

Washington, DC, November 17, 2014—Addressing hearing loss isn’t just about what you hear—it’s about how you feel and function, says the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), which is encouraging people of all ages to get their hearing tested this holiday season. Studies show that when people address hearing loss, it can have a positive effect on their home life, self-confidence, relationships, mood, overall health, job performance, and even income. It safeguards quality of life by helping people maintain an active, healthy lifestyle and stay socially and cognitively engaged.

BHI is offering a free, quick, and confidential online hearing check that families and friends can take together this holiday season, at www.BetterHearing.org, to determine if they need a comprehensive hearing test by a hearing healthcare professional.

Learning the status of your hearing health and addressing hearing loss are important to quality of life at every age, says BHI. Gen Xers and youthful-minded baby boomers, in fact, are developing hearing loss in greater numbers. And as older Americans are putting off retirement and staying in the workforce longer, the ability to hear your best is becoming all the more important.

Luckily, the vast majority of people with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids. And today’s state-of-the art hearing aids are better than ever. The latest technologies make it easier to hear people and sounds from all directions. And today’s hearing aids are designed to filter out noise, like at crowded restaurants. Many styles sit discreetly and comfortably inside the ear canal and out of sight, making them virtually invisible. Some are even waterproof or rechargeable. Perhaps best of all, they’re wireless, helping people of all ages stay connected to their smartphones, home entertainment systems, and other prized electronics—but most importantly, to life.

So go ahead. Ring in this holiday season with a hearing test. Whether its conversation and laughter around the dinner table you enjoy most, or watching a movie or football game together on the television, let the latest hearing aid technologies help you hear your best and stay connected with family and friends in the new year.

For more information on hearing loss and to take the BHI Hearing Check, visit www.BetterHearing.org. Follow BHI on Twitter @better_hearing, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/betterhearinginstitute.
5 Ways Addressing Hearing Loss Can Make for Happier Holidays and a More Promising New Year

Addressing hearing loss really can add to quality of life—during the holidays and year round. Here’s what getting a hearing test and using professionally fitted hearing aids, if recommended by a hearing care professional, may do for you:

  1. Strengthen ties with family and friends. Healthy relationships rest largely on good communication. In one BHI study, more than half the respondents said using hearing aids improved their relationships at home, their social lives, and their ability to join in groups. Many even saw improvements in their romance.
  2. Raise your spirits. People with untreated hearing loss often feel angry, frustrated, anxious, isolated, and depressed. But research shows that when they use hearing aids, many become more socially engaged, feel a greater sense of safety and independence, and see a general improvement in their overall quality of life.
  3. Lead you to feel better about yourself. An important perk of using hearing aids can be enhanced emotional well-being. Research shows that when people with hearing loss use hearing aids, many feel more in control of their lives and less self-critical. One BHI study found that the majority of people with mild and severe hearing loss felt better about themselves and life overall as a result of using hearing aids.
  4. Keep your mind sharp. Studies out of Johns Hopkins linked hearing loss with accelerated cognitive decline in older adults and found that seniors with hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop dementia over time. BHI studies found that many people with hearing loss report improvements in their cognitive skills with the use of hearing aids.
  5. Unleash your earning potential. Hearing your best at work helps you do your best. One study found that using hearing aids reduced the risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent for those with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77 percent for those with severe to moderate hearing loss. And people with hearing loss who use hearing aids are more likely to be employed than their peers who don’t.

For more information on hearing loss, visit www.BetterHearing.org.

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