Let’s talk: why are we afraid of hearing aids?

The decision to wear a hearing aid seems obvious on the surface. As we enter our 60s and beyond, our hearing abilities can naturally decline.

A hearing aid can help against the worst side effects of this decline. It can prevent social isolation and deterioration of the brain; even dementia.

Why, then, is it so difficult to make that commitment?

Perhaps simple human nature is to blame. No matter how motivated you are as an individual, human beings, as a whole, tend to resist change.

This is entirely natural. The brain is hard-wired to crave short-term convenience; to take the path of least resistance.

When it comes to health problems, it’s easier to assume a problem will go away than to trouble a doctor over something minor. This is particularly harmful with hearing loss: a problem that can emerge so slowly and subtly that it could take years before it becomes “bad enough”.

Likewise, if fixing that problem will need a change to lifestyle – i.e. electronic assistance – it takes time to adapt. No matter how drastically the change can improve things in the long run, this natural instinct makes the first step surprisingly difficult.

Take that first step today. Follow the below link for a free,
no-obligation hearing assessment:

Others may be holding back due to the “hearing aid effect”: the idea that a device will somehow make the wearer seem older or less trustworthy.

On the contrary, hearing technology allows those with hearing loss to remain socially active, communicate more easily and maintain mental clarity; all hallmarks of the young and young at heart.

Many of us still think of the hearing aid as something incredibly bulky and conspicuous. In reality, the technology has come a long way in recent years. Today’s hearing aids are incredibly subtle; some are practically invisible.

On top of this, one very promising study show that hearing aids no longer affect our judgement of others as they once did. Hearing aid stigma is rapidly fading, and is well on its way to vanishing entirely.

If you’re uncertain about whether a hearing aid is right for you, or unsure if you need hearing assistance, there’s an easy way to get started. Organise a free hearing test below to ensure you’re on the right path.

Book and attend a free hearing assessment before Christmas
and receive a free hamper!

Do you use a hearing device? Would you consider wearing one in the event of hearing loss? And if not: what’s holding you back?

This Let’s Talk conversation piece is sponsored by Connect Hearing. It was written as we feel it delivers important insights into a subject important to the Starts at 60 community. For more information, please visit the Connect Hearing website.