HEARING LOSS FACTS
Hearing Loss Facts HEARING LOSS FACTS:  “The Invisible Handicap” -- A Growing National Problem
• Thirty-six million American experience hearing loss (American Academy of Audiology)
• Those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal. (Better Hearing Institute)

 Studies have linked untreated hearing loss to: (Better Hearing Institute) - Irritability, negativism and anger - Fatigue, tension, stress and depression - Avoidance or withdrawal from social situations - Social rejection and loneliness - Reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety - Impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks - Reduced job performance and earning power - Diminished psychological and overall health  
• "Loss of hearing is a serious life issue, a medical condition that is associated with physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. Depression, anxiety, emotional instability, phobias, withdrawal, isolation, lessened health status and lessened self-esteem have all been linked to uncorrected hearing loss." (National Council on Aging: Untreated Hearing Loss Linked to Depression, Anxiety, Isolation in Seniors)    
• Among seniors, hearing loss is the most prevalent medical condition, following arthritis and hypertension. (University of California, San Francisco – Department of Neurological Surgery)  
• There is a strong relationship between age and reported hearing loss: 18 percent of American adults 45-64 years old, 30 percent of adults 65-74 years old, and 47 percent of adults 75 years old or older have a hearing impairment. (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)  
THE SOLUTION: HEARING AIDS   Better Hearing Institute:
• Almost all (95 percent) of Americans with hearing loss can be treated with hearing aids. Only five percent of hearing loss in adults can be treated by surgery. • Nine out of ten hearing aid users report improvements in their quality of life.
• The use of hearing aids is associated with reductions in anger, frustration, paranoia, anxiety and overall improvements in emotional stability.
 • Treatment of hearing loss will improve interpersonal relationships.
• Most people who use hearing aids have improved social lives.