Felicia Boubin is a doctor of audiology with the Hillcrest Hearing & Balance Center. She notes that hearing loss exists in conjunction with heart disease, diabetes and smoking.
“Hearing can definitely affect one’s quality of life,” said Boubin, who has been fitting hearing aids for 40 years.
About 30 million people in the U.S., ages 12 years and older, have hearing loss. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that 55 percent of people 75 years or older have a hearing loss.
Difficulty hearing is typically worse in scenarios with a lot of background noise or when trying to multitask.
“A common complaint is that they can hear but not understand,” Boubin said. “This is why it is recommended that hearing should be tested at age 50 and every 2 to 3 years thereafter.”
Hearing loss often occurs gradually during a period of years, and it is typically family and friends who first notice changes in someone who is struggling to hear.
“One of the biggest reasons that a patient resists trying hearing aids is due to a lack of recognition that they are having a problem hearing,” Boubin said.
Dr. Ramesh Gandhi started wearing hearing aids about 10 years ago and said it has been life changing.
“I didn’t know for a long time that I wasn’t hearing things around me,” he said. “People would tell me something and I didn’t know. One time I drove to work and left the car running because I couldn’t hear the engine.”
Gandhi said a hearing test indicated that he had a mild condition, and the doctor told him it was a personal choice if he wanted a hearing aid.
“Then I went to Hillcrest and they gave me a trial pair of hearing aids, and once I put it on, I knew what I was missing,” he said. “It was a whole new world. This is something we just don’t know is happening to us. I’m a doctor and I missed it for so many years. For me it was a life changing experience.”
Gandhi said he feels better and notes that he probably would have retired years ago without the hearing aids. He encourages everyone to have a hearing screening.
“People don’t know I’m wearing a hearing aid unless I tell them,” Gandhi said. “Hearing loss gets minimized so much and I want to bring awareness. I would forget things and I believe I have better mind now. If you think you need hearing aids, then you 100 percent do need them.”
Boubin noted that hearing loss can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life. Breakdowns in communication can affect marriages, relationships and in the workplace.
Hearing aids are often considered something that is needed for “old people”, but style and technology have come a long way. Boubin notes that today’s hearing aids are sophisticated and can be programmed to automatically adjust in quiet or noisy situations.
“I always remind my patients that lack of hearing is more noticeable than any hearing aid they wear,” Boubin said. “Hearing loss is not a visible condition so when someone doesn’t hear others may attribute it rudeness, lack of intelligence or cognitive decline.”
Cost and social stigma are often a hindrance to people seeking help.
“It is important for patients to understand that there are different levels of hearing aid technology and services available at a range of price points,” Boubin said. “Audiologists and hearing instrument specialists have the expertise to provide education and guidance for patients to determine the best option based on needs, lifestyle and finances.”
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