Cochlear calls for action in Washington D.C. ahead of World Hearing Day
According to the
Echoing
Most people know their basic medical information as they age including height, weight, vision and even blood pressure, but one that is left off all too often is hearing, which can have consequences. The Hearing Number hopes to help medical professionals and patients act sooner. Untreated hearing loss can impact a person's brain health, balance, speech and overall quality of life.2
The sentiment of the importance of understanding how hearing effects healthy aging was highlighted by the moderator of the event, Dr.
"If left unaddressed, hearing loss poses significant challenges to overall health and can be progressive, leading to greater hearing loss over time. Research has shown untreated hearing loss is connected to increased social isolation and loneliness, balance issues and risk for falls, and there's emerging evidence associating untreated hearing loss with diminished brain health and mental sharpness as well,"
Someone who knows all too well the impact of hearing loss and is passionate about educating others on the help he received is
"I could feel myself slowly isolating more and more after I lost my hearing. It got to the point where I wouldn't go out to dinner with my family because it was just too hard and I was often questioning if I would ever reach my full potential," Burns said.
"After I took action and received my first cochlear implant in 1993, my life absolutely changed for the better. It helped me get back to fully engaging all aspects of my life from work to family, to basic tasks. The biggest impact that I can reflect on now is that it gave me my independence back, which I will never take for granted," he said.
Burns' story of isolation due to hearing loss is all too common, more than 37 million (15%) Americans have hearing loss.3
"There are too many people out there suffering that don't know there are treatments available to bring them back into the hearing world. Assembling this group today is one step to bringing awareness and action to this issue. We hope the introduction of the Hearing Number will better equip the public with the necessary tools to assess their hearing and seek treatment when needed,"
"Our goal and what we challenge those here today to do is implement a standard of care and peer support, ensuring equitable access to treatment and care for every child and adult with hearing loss to improve their quality of life."
About the Event
The event opened with remarks from Cochlear Americas President
About
People have always been Cochlear's inspiration, ever since Professor
Cochlear has a global workforce of around 4,800 people, with a passion for progress, who strive to meet the needs of people living with hearing loss. The company continually innovates to anticipate future needs, investing more than AUD$2.7 billion to date in research and development to push the boundaries of technology and help more people hear.
References
- Hearing Loss and Older Adults [Internet].
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders ; c2017 [cited19 Sept 2019 ]. Available from: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-older-adults.Osia Reliability Report Flyer,Cochlear Limited . 2023; D1841762. - Brody, J. E. (2018,
December 31 ). Hearing Loss Threatens Mind, Life and Limb. Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/31/well/live/hearing-loss-threatens-mind-life-and-limb.html - https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing#:~:text=One%20in%20eight%20people%20in,based%20on%20standard%20hearing%20examinations.&text=About%202%20percent%20of%20adults,54%20have%20disabling%20hearing%20loss.
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SOURCE Cochlear Americas