Hearing Loss-Fact Sheet

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Hearing Loss Fact Sheet
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Hearing Loss???

• Untreated hearing loss not only affects your
  ability to hear sound, but also your ability to
  understand speech and participate in a normal
  conversation which ultimately impacts your
  social, emotional and physical well-being. Recent
  studies have linked untreated hearing loss to
  other health problems, such as overall cognitive
  decline, an increased risk of dementia, and
  poorer balance and physical function.

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Hearing is Important!

• Our hearing is integral to keeping us connected
  with the world around us, and to those we love
• Experiencing hearing loss can have a dramatic
  impact on our quality of life and overall
  well-being

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Who Suffers From Hearing Loss

• Hearing loss is one of the most common
  disabilities that adults experience as they age
• 35-40 million Americans have hearing loss (65
  have mild loss 30 moderate 5 profound)
• More than 60 of older adults have some degree of
  hearing loss
• Baby Boomers (ages 45-65) are developing hearing
  loss at a faster rate and younger age than
  previous generations

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Some Signs that You May Have Hearing Loss

• A difficulty hearing and understanding people in
  noisy environments like a restaurant, a car, a
  shopping mall, a sporting event, or outside in a
  park.
• You feel like people are mumbling all the time
  and you often ask family, friends, or colleagues
  to repeat themselves.
• You have trouble hearing people if they arent
  facing you directly.
• You get distracted easily or have a short
  attention span.
• You always turn up the volume on the television,
  radio, or your personal listening device.
• You have trouble following conversations.
• You have difficulty hearing callers on your cell
  phone.
• You have a constant ringing, buzzing, or hissing
  sound in your ears.

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The Common Causes of Hearing Loss

• Long term exposure to excessive loud noise.
• Ear infections, head trauma, or ear disease.
• Harm to the inner ear and ear drum from contact
  with a foreign object, like a cotton swab.
• An illness or even certain prescription drugs,
  antibiotics or over-the-counter pain medication.
• Decreasing hearing simply due to normal aging.

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Why Hearing Loss is Often Unaddressed?

• Hearing loss is generally a slow and insidious
  process
• Because deterioration occurs over a long period
  of time, people become accustomed to
  accommodating for the loss and may not realize
  its impact on their life
• Hearing loss sufferers usually wait an average of
  5-7 years before seeing a specialist for help
  (during this time deterioration typically
  continues)

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Consequences of Untreated Hearing Loss

• A recent study by Johns Hopkins and the National
  Institute on Aging found a correlation between
  untreated hearing loss and a loss of cognitive
  function, noting a higher risk of developing
  forms of dementia, such as Alzheimers (i.e.
  auditory stimulation is critical to maintaining
  healthy brain function)
• Untreated hearing loss can affect a persons
  ability to understand speech, as well as
  negatively impact their social, emotional and
  physical well-being
• Many hearing loss sufferers self-isolate by
  withdrawing from family, friends and colleagues
  as their frustration grows
• Incidents of serious depression are higher in
  those with untreated hearing loss

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Hearing Loss Prevention

• While hearing loss may be inevitable as a result
  of age, increased noise exposure or illness,
  there are steps that everyone can take in their
  daily lives to help prevent hearing loss and/or
  arrest continued decline.
• Limiting exposure to loud sound sources or
  actively using hearing protection can help
  prevent damage from taking place, or can prevent
  any losses from becoming worse.

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Risk Factors Affecting Hearing Loss
Prevalence of Hearing Loss (Lin et al, 2011) Prevalence of Hearing Loss (Lin et al, 2011)
Ages 60-69 26.8
Ages 70-79 55.1
Ages 80 79.1
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Risk Factors Affecting Hearing Loss
Factors (Disease) Imapct
Diabetes 30 higher rate of hearing loss in pre-diabetic patients
Smoking almost twice as likely to have hearing loss
Dementia Alzheimer's Disease complicates treatment and diagnosis, numerous comorbidities
Sleep Apnea decreased blood oxygen inside inner ear
History of High Intensity Sound or Noise Exposure causes cell death/damage
Medication or Chemotherapy Ototoxic Side Effects
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Benefits of Amplification

• Enhancement of Relationships with Loved Ones
• Reduced tension and conflicts over
  miscommunication
• Happier and more fulfilling relationships
• Improvement of Mood
• Decreases mental effort needed to understand
  speech
• Prevents social isolation and subsequent
  depression
• Slowing of Cognitive Decline
• Helps to remain socially active and mentally
  engaged
• Reduces the impact of dementia or Alzheimer's on
  communication
• Enables Aging-in-Place
• Prevents hearing loss from slowing down an active
  persons lifestyle
• Eases Medical Care Administration Patient
  Compliance
• Improves patients ability to understand and
  participate in their medical care which reduces
  additional telephone and family follow-ups

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Find Us Here on Web...
https//www.facebook.com/zoundsnyc
www.zoundsnyc.com
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Contact Zounds Hearing
[phone]
20 East 68th Street at Madison Avenue, Suite
210 New York, NY 10065
info_at_zoundsnyc.com