When the time comes to get hearing aids, some people balk at the estimated cost. Indeed, hearing aids are a serious investment in your health and wellbeing, requiring you to put up some money up front. Although you might hesitate to pay for hearing aids, the good news is that your investment will bring back wide range of returns to you. Some of these benefits don’t come with a dollar amount, such as the improvement to your relationships and relief from the frustration you might have felt in social settings. In addition to these intangibles, you can also count on some benefits that amount to savings in dollars and cents. Let’s walk through some of the priceless returns on your investment, as well as some of the ways you are avoiding potential costs down the road.
Priceless Benefits of Hearing Aids
When you receive your hearing aids, some of the benefits are beyond any quantity of money. One of the most commonly reported benefits comes in the form of improved relationships. When you are able to communicate more easily, you can relieve some of the frustration that you and others might have felt in the past. In the worst cases, some people can take out their anger at the reality of hearing loss on those they love the most. Whether this conflict takes the form of an argument or a feeling of tension between you and family members, community members, or friends, the benefits of improved relationships are beyond any monetary price. Other priceless benefits include your enjoyment of sound in the natural world. When you are able to hear the birds on a forest hike or the full spectrum of ocean sound at the beach, you are reaping the benefits of hearing aids that can’t be quantified.
Tangible Returns on the Hearing Aid Investment
In addition to these priceless benefits, some benefits can amount to dollars and cents. Those who get treatment for hearing loss are less likely to face a wide range of health problems. Some physical conditions are more common among those who have hearing loss, and some of the savings in health care amount to a significant price. In addition, those who have untreated hearing loss are more likely to have problems with mental health. These mental health challenges can be costly, as well. Beyond these health concerns, those who have untreated hearing loss actually tend to have lower incomes at work. Though reports are not clear exactly how this relationship works, the numbers are striking. A 2011 study by the Better Hearing Institute reported that the loss in annual income for someone working with untreated hearing loss could be as much as $30,000. How does this cost to the annual income occur? Those who have communication problems at work tend to have worse performance in a wide range of jobs. Though you might know that communications-related jobs will be impacted by hearing loss, other jobs can suffer, as well. For instance, when instructions are given in any workplace environment, including jobs focused on manual work, hearing loss can lead to mistakes and even dangerous situations at work. When employers notice that workplace performance has suffered, it is possible that those with untreated hearing loss will be passed by for promotions and even sanctioned for poor performance. With these concrete economic costs in mind, it is important to recognize the ways that treatment can bring economic returns on your investment.
Understanding the Costs and Benefits of Treatment
The costs of hearing aids can come as a surprise, particularly for those who pay up front for the entire price of those devices. However, it won’t take long to experience the benefits of your aids that lead to serious savings. Your intangible benefits for healthy relationships and good mental health are only one way to think about these benefits. Your return on investment can easily surpass the cost of aids when you consider the many expenses and forgone income that you can prevent through treatment. If you have concerns about the cost of hearing aids and the potential benefits you can expect, don’t hesitate to contact us for a conversation about your financial options.