SayWhatClub Weblog

The baby boomers are coming down with something.  More and more people from the psychedelic days of loud music are experiencing a different kind of humming in their heads (and it ain’t the music from their IPods either).  They’re straining their eyes to see your lips move but no words are jumping out at them (and they haven’t smoked those funny little cigarettes lately).   Hmmm! Could it be a Bush Conspiracy?  Could it be their Levi’s are too tight around the waist causing the brain to stop functioning?   or, could it be……..nah, or maybe, oh no! It can’t be.  All those years of warnings?  and now, hearing loss along with the receding hairlines.

Hearing loss is the most serious health issue for baby boomers.  More men than women will be affected. Here are some interesting findings from the AARP, Clarity and The Ear Foundation:

• “Almost one-fourth (23%) of these individuals said their hearing loss is affecting their success in the workplace, while 25% said hearing loss is affecting their earning potential. The areas of their work that are most affected are hearing and understanding phone calls and conversations with co-workers.
• 40% of the individuals who reported having a hearing loss said that it has affected their home life in many ways, such as having conversations with loved ones. 65% said they have trouble hearing the television. Watching TV with others and social gatherings are the areas that Boomers with hearing loss avoid most.
• More than half (57%) of those with a hearing loss said they often have difficulty hearing on a cell phone”

The worst news is that over 76 million baby boomers in the U.S. alone will experience some degree of hearing loss. Unfortunately, the study focused on baby boomers and the effect of hearing loss on family and income.  So what have all these studies done to help us all have more affordable access to hearing aids?

If one out of every three hearing aids land up in a bedside table never to be worn again, what does this say about hearing aids? or is it the person who has hearing loss’ whose fault it is? or maybe its the Audiologist?

Too many tales of poor fittings,  don’t like the sound, don’t like the feel, my ears itch, I don’t look good in them, they make me feel old and on and on and on.   There’s no doubt about it, you have to have patience for wearing hearing aids (if u can benefit from one) but the PRICE.  What I don’t understand is why people are not returning the hearing aids within the specified time frame?  Why aren’t they returning them?  This would give evidence to the manufacturers that something is not right.  Instead, by hanging onto them never to be worn, manufacturers believe what they want, which is, that hearing aids are doing the job and people are willing to pay the price. When the baby boomers are faced with some sort of acceptance of their hearing loss, we can expect the manufacturers to make some sexy looking hearing aids to attract them and with a price tag that will match. 

The baby boomers are coming, the baby boomers are going, hopefully the baby boomers will get rebellious like the good ole days and advocate for a better hearing aid with a price tag thats affordable for all of us.