woman along in apartment drinking coffee

Living with untreated hearing loss affects far more than your ability to hear. Learn about the far-reaching consequences of leaving your hearing difficulties untreated, and take action today by booking a free hearing test.

Book a free hearing test

  • senior man looking confused
    1. Your mental sharpness can suffer

    When you have difficulty hearing what’s going on around you, your mental sharpness can suffer. This is because of a reduc-tion of stimulation to the brain, impairing its ability to process sound and recognize speech. How’s your hearing? Take our online hearing test to get an indication of how well you hear.

  • man looking out of window
    2. Your risk of cognitive decline may increase

    Living with even a mild case of hearing loss can double your risk of having cognitive decline. The more severe the case, the greater the risk. A moderate case of hearing loss, for example, triples your risk. With a severe case of hearing loss, you’re up to five times more likely to develop cognitive decline. Want to learn more about the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline?

    Cognitive decline and hearing loss

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    3. Your memory can be impaired

    Do you find it hard to remember what you’ve just heard? It can be difficult to comprehend and remember what’s being said when it’s a struggle to hear it in the first place. This is be-cause the extra cognitive effort required reduces the effort available for processing speech.


    Here is how you can treat hearing loss 

  • woman confused trying to have a conversation with a man
    4. Conversations are not as fun

    As your hearing worsens, it becomes difficult to follow normal conversations. You may need to ask people to repeat them-selves frequently or sit closer to people so you can read their lips or watch their facial expressions to understand conversations. You may even nod and pretend to understand what is being said when you don’t. Have your conversations become more strained?


    Hearing loss affects your loved ones 

     


  • 5. Your social life may suffer

    You may find it harder to maintain your social life as your hearing worsens. Certain settings, such as social gatherings or dinner parties may be particularly difficult to hear in. As a result, you may find yourself withdrawing from certain or all social events. In fact, research shows that seniors with untreated hearing loss are 20-24% less likely to participate in social activities.


    Hearing loss impacts your social behaviour with others 

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    6. You may feel anxious

    As your hearing worsens, you may find it difficult to decipher and locate sounds around you. This may lead you to feel more insecure about your surroundings. Have you been feeling less secure lately?


    Living with hearing loss

  • man having difficulty hearing on the telephone
    7. Straining to hear can be exhausting

    When it’s difficult to hear, communication can be exhausting. This is because you must dig deeper into your cognitive re-serves to understand. This can be particularly taxing at social events or in restaurants, when your brain may have to decipher between multiple conversations or a lot of background noise.


    You are not you anymore

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    8. Hearing loss may impact your income

    According to a study by The Better Hearing Institute, untreated hearing difficulties can impact your earning potential. The study shows that hearing loss can account for up to $30,000 in lost income annually.


    Hearing loss affects your work environment
  • 8 consequences of untreated hearing loss infographic

The 52 benefits of better hearing

Untreated hearing loss can impact your quality of life.  Learn 52 reasons to do something about it. Take the first step today by booking a free hearing test at a location near you.

Complete the form to download your own copy of 52 Benefits of Better Hearing.

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The journey to better hearing might be easier than you think

Sources:

  • Deal JA, Betz J, Yaffe K, et al, for the Health ABC Study Group. Hearing impairment and incident dementia and cognitive decline in older adults: the Health ABC Study J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2016; published online April 12. DOI:10.1093/gerona/glw069. 66
  • Gallacher J, Ilubaera V, Ben-Shlomo Y, et al. Auditory threshold, phonologic demand, and incident dementia. Neurology 2012; 79: 1583–90
  • Pichora-Fuller MK. (2008a) quoted in Convention News, “Celebrating 20 Years, AAA is Hear to Stay” from: Advance for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. By Jason Mosheim, speech-languagepathology-audiology.advance.web.com/editorial.