Things I Didn't Realise About Hearing Loss and the Toll It Takes On You
I like to share my experiences with health or aging, or anything really, in the hope that someone will benefit from it, and this week I want to share a little about my hearing loss experience because I’m pretty sure that there are a lot of people out there who would benefit from wearing hearing aids.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my ears had been upgraded, when I began wearing hearing aids. It’s been four weeks since I started wearing them, and I’m so glad I finally got there. When I say finally, I refer to the fact that about four years ago I underwent a barrage of tests including a hearing test after experiencing dizziness in the wake of surgery.
The test showed significant hearing loss, particularly in one ear, and it was suggested that I would benefit from wearing hearing aids. The cost was about $8000, for good quality aids that I could bluetooth to my phone. I was a bit horrified at the cost and asked how long they would last. I was told a few years, and pretty much immediately decided that I’d put it off as long as I could, as there were other things I’d rather be doing with $8000.
Every now and then I’d think about giving in and getting hearing aids, particularly because of the hassle it caused Peter, and customers when I had to ask them to repeat themselves sometimes two or three times. However, I’d think about the cost and that we’d need to spend that sort of money again in a few years and feel justified in putting it off again. I felt bad for Peter because we had to have the volume up really high on the telly, and I got around that by having sub-titles on everything we watched.
Another thing that put me off getting hearing aids was over-thinking. 🙂 I worried that they’d feel bulky behind my ears because of my glasses, and to be honest, I also worried about how they’d look. ☹ Neither of which are an issue, because they are so small and discreet.
Then a couple of months ago someone mentioned hearing aids that you could basically rent, for $90 a month, and that really got my attention. I looked up Resonate, which I’d actually walked past a couple of weeks previously and saw that this was indeed true.
I called them to make an appointment and discovered that as a Gold Card holder (old fart) I was able to get a free assessment that month, and so I made my appointment.
Theresa was lovely, and she did the initial hearing test that showed very significant hearing loss, quite a bit worse in my right ear. We made an appointment for me to see Ellen the Audiologist a couple of weeks later, but then I got covid (for the first time), after which I had blocked ears for several weeks, which meant we had to put off the 2nd appointment.
I finally got there, and Ellen (who is a hoot by the way) did further tests, confirming that my hearing loss was now quite severe at a certain pitch. She explained things that the person I saw four years ago probably mentioned, but I didn’t hear (excuse the pun), perhaps because I was too focused on the ‘cost’.
Some of the things I learned included…
The link between hearing loss and dementia in older people. This shocked me, and I’ve since read elsewhere that hearing loss in midlife is twice as likely, as any other single factor, to cause dementia. Here’s a link to hearing loss and dementia on Resonate’s website, and there’s a lot you can find elsewhere online as well.
Why ‘not’ treating hearing loss is such a big deal, including impacts such as physical, social, emotional, and mental health. As a business owner, I need to be on top of my game, and research has shown that early hearing treatment improves brain function, including memory, processing and attention span, not to mention reducing the risk of falls. The relationship between hearing loss and sleep and increased stress and anxiety levels during the day. Here’s a link to this topic on Resonates website…
The relationship between sleep and hearing
So, if you’ve been thinking about getting hearing aids and the cost has put you off (as it did me), contact the gorgeous team of Ellen and Theresa at Resonate Palmy North and check it all out.
• $90 a month (subject to NZ subsidy), no upfront costs, and you can cancel at any time
• The aids are worth $9000
• You get a free upgrade to the latest hearing aid technology every 3 years
• Price for life is guaranteed after two years, which means you’ll pay $90 per month for the rest of your life
• No hidden charges. Tuning and fitting consultations are part of the service
I’m a big believer in ‘signs’ and if you’re seeing this today, it’s your sign to do something about your hearing now. 😊
Namaste
Michelle
