The Unseen Cause of Isolation Among Adults

Woman at the window looking out and feeling isolated from untreated hearing loss.

As we age, the probability increases that we will have to cope with hearing loss. Some degree of hearing loss is already affecting millions of individuals. Unfortunately, people suffering from hearing loss often wait seven years after the first symptoms appear before finding help.

Many older adult’s social life is negatively impacted by ignored hearing loss. Withdrawing from social situations because it’s hard to communicate and regularly asking people to repeat what they said are common warning signs.

Obviously, hearing is crucial. Our hearing strengthens us. Our hearing allows us to communicate with our loved ones, get out with our friends, and go to work. It also keeps us safe and connected with the outside world. Our hearing even helps us relax. Regrettably, we often take it for granted that we’ll always have strong hearing.

The majority of you will reach a point in your lives when your hearing starts to decline and it will have a physical and emotional impact on you. It has an effect on your overall quality of life. Hearing loss can even lead to feelings of separation.

This is why acknowledging early warning signs and getting assistance to find potential treatment solutions is critical. The good news is, most types of hearing loss are treatable. You need to schedule an assessment with a hearing professional if you find yourself disheartened about missing important conversations. Doing so will help you figure out if your type and level of hearing loss can be successfully treated with hearing aids.

For people who have age-related hearing loss, studies have shown that wearing hearing aids has lots of advantages, including improvements in the ability to hear in social situations and interacting with others. Hearing aids make it easier for older adults to carry on their normal activities and socially interact with friends, family members, and the other individuals with whom they communicate each day.

Mental health issues like memory loss, depression, failing mental cognition, and even the occurrence of Alzheimer’s have been associated with hearing loss in studies performed by Johns Hopkins University. These health concerns can be avoided by treating hearing loss.

Communication is a major part of personal relationships, especially with family and friends Hearing loss can result in miscommunication, frustration, and estrangement between friends and family members.

Hearing loss also creates safety concerns. Wearing hearing aids ensures that you will be able to respond to important sounds and alerts that appear in your everyday life, such as sirens, alarms, cell phones, oven timers, doorbells, car alarms, and horns, and other traffic sounds that identify on-coming vehicles.

If you make mistakes at work and miss details it can have a significant impact on your income but using hearing aids can help you conquer these difficulties.

It’s important that the person with hearing impairment take the first step and schedule a hearing exam, but family members can also be really helpful. If hearing impairment is a problem for you, it’s time to return to hearing all of those significant sounds in your life by getting a hearing test and committing to treatment (like wearing your hearing aid every day). Understanding that you aren’t alone can be very uplifting. With help from family members, hearing professionals, and hearing aids, you can avoid feelings of solitude and once again socialize with your valued family members and friends.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.