{"id":1167,"date":"2022-09-19T17:41:15","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T22:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hearingfocused.com\/?p=1167"},"modified":"2022-09-19T17:42:23","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T22:42:23","slug":"is-the-hearing-aid-stigma-dead-yet%ef%bf%bc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearingfocused.com\/is-the-hearing-aid-stigma-dead-yet%ef%bf%bc\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Hearing Aid Stigma Dead Yet?\ufffc"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hearing loss affects one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 and one in two people over age 75, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.1<\/sup> But it\u2019s a misconception that hearing loss only affects older people; one in five teenagers experiences some degree of hearing loss, reports the Hearing Loss Association of America.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is significant, as left untreated, hearing loss can lead to social isolation, anxiety, depression, falls, and even dementia. But despite this, only 20% of people who could benefit from hearing aids actually wear them.3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One reason for not getting hearing aids we hear a lot at Hearing Focused is that \u201chearing aids will make me look old.\u201d But consider this: What makes you look older? Wearing a hearing aid or constantly having to ask people to repeat themselves and giving inappropriate responses because you misheard?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s surprising that there is so much stigma around wearing hearing aids, given that we don\u2019t give eyeglasses the same treatment, even though both are used to treat a sensory loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, hearing aids aren\u2019t the clunky devices your parents and grandparents once wore. They are designed with aesthetics in mind, and most models are small and sleek. Some models could be mistaken for a pair of wireless earbuds, and others are so tiny and sit so deep within the ear canal that they are nearly invisible!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s hearing aids, despite their size, are essentially tiny computers that boast amazing features such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n