March 3, 2023, is World Hearing Day. This year, the theme is Changing Mindsets, in order to improve access for those with hearing loss. Join me in sharing about the importance of hearing loss and help to change the narrative around hearing devices.
As a support group leader for people with an Acoustic Neuroma diagnosis, I really struggle with hearing folks say they could never wear a hearing aid because they would feel too self conscious. I find it a travesty that people won’t even consider an assistance device because of the social stigma around it. I believe if you want and could use an assistance device, you should be able to have one. I don’t think anyone should ever be made to feel uncomfortable for taking steps to lessen their disability or hardship. I wish people felt as comfortable with the idea of hearing aids as most people do wearing glasses.
That’s why I made this previous post to work on Changing the Narrative Around Hearing Aids. https://luckybraintumor.com/2023/06/29/changing-the-narrative-around-hearing-aids/
Of course, that is not the only challenge. In the US, affording hearing aids can be a real challenge. Aids are expensive, and most insurance companies cover little to none of the cost. It is literally insane to me that insurance companies call hearing aids cosmetic. I have yet to meet someone who wears aids for fashion, and as I just mentioned above, many won’t wear them because of optics. I firmly believe that insurance companies NEED to start covering hearing aids. My hearing aid helps me be safe, run a business, and raise my children. Insurance companies should help people get this technology to assist people with being active members of their communities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports:
- Globally, over 80% of ear and hearing care needs remain unmet.
- Unaddressed hearing loss poses an annual cost of nearly US$1 trillion globally.
- Deeply ingrained societal misperceptions and stigmatizing mindsets are key factors that limit efforts for preventing and addressing hearing loss.
- Changing mindsets related to ear and hearing care is crucial to improving access and mitigating the cost of unaddressed hearing loss.
Some people think that hearing loss isn’t a big deal. For some, that may be true. However, for many of us, it is very impactful in so many arenas of life. Hearing loss can severely impact quality of life, socializing, work, safety, and even life expectancy. But there has never been a time with more options to help those with hearing loss. We have so much amazing technology coming out regularly: captioning devices, over the counter hearing aids, smart watches, bone conduction devices, etc. So, let’s take advantage of these amazing technologies. Let’s be proud to wear our hearing devices in public. Let’s be vocal in the importance of insurance paying for aids. Let’s show everyone that the hearing loss community matters.
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hearing-day/2024
Changing Mindsets about Hearing Loss
The "Lucky" Brain Tumor 
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