Did you hear? Better Hearing Month starts May 1st: It’s that time of year when we raise awareness of hearing loss—affecting 1 in 5 Americans and more than 1 in 20 globally—and the importance of treating it.
After all, hearing plays an essential role in our ability to communicate plus maintain our relationships, self-confidence, independence, brain health, and beyond.
The good news is that there are many things you can do, right now, to help change the course of your hearing journey or that of someone you care about.
Here are the top 7 ways you can participate in Better Hearing Month:
1. Think about why hearing is important to you
Particularly if you are undecided about getting your hearing tested or wearing hearing aids, take a moment to consider how better hearing could personally improve your life:
Would you like to feel more confident about participating in conversations? Or be less concerned about missing important information at work? Or perhaps you’ve been longing to hear your grandchildren better, so you don’t miss out during your time together.
Still unsure? Consider the significant, factual reasons for treating hearing loss uncovered by research:
Did you know hearing loss treatment is associated with a reduced risk of dementia, depression, and falls? Moreover, it has been linked to decreased odds of depression and anxiety and lower risks of mortality. The list goes on.
So, whatever your reason(s) for choosing better hearing—know that it’s always the right choice for your well-being and quality of life.
2. Start protecting your hearing
Protecting hearing from noise-induced hearing loss is something everyone can do—starting with everyday efforts like listening at lower volumes and avoiding loud, continuous noise when possible (for example, construction, heavy traffic, etc.).
But if noise is unavoidable—let’s say you bought tickets to a concert, like to hunt, or must use power tools—you can always safeguard your hearing by wearing hearing protection devices.
Explore SoundGear’s great selection here, ranging from Bluetooth® enabled devices that let you suppress loud sounds and enhance important sounds, to standard protection from noise.
And if you’re ever wondering, how loud is too loud? Check out the free, user-friendly SoundCheck Live app, which monitors sound levels around you in real time and tells you if they could be harmful to your hearing.
3. Schedule a clean-and-check for your hearing aids
Much like a routine car tune-up, taking your hearing aids in for a clean-and-check with your hearing care professional helps keep them in top condition—which, of course, helps you maintain your best hearing.
Clean-and-checks allow your provider to safely remove built-up earwax, oil, and debris from your devices, plus inspect for damage then suggest or make repairs. Not only can this improve the sound quality of your hearing aids but also lengthen their lifespan.
Don’t forget—daily cleaning is still a smart way to keep hearing aids working their best in-between clean-and-checks. Learn more here.
4. Support someone on their hearing loss journey
Whether your friend or loved one is in the early days of adapting to new hearing aids or still thinking about getting their hearing tested, one of the best things you can do is support them wherever they are on their journey.
This could be anything from streamlining group conversations (find more communication support tips here) to sharing your own experience with hearing loss—the benefits of treatment, the cutting-edge features of today’s hearing aids, and how easy and painless that first hearing test actually is.
And when they’re ready for the hearing evaluation, you even can help them feel more at ease by learning about hearing aids and hearing loss, here.
5. Download the My Starkey app
If you haven’t already, pair your Starkey hearing aids* with the My Starkey app to enjoy even greater connectivity, improved well-being, and easier everyday living.
Make instant adjustments for clearer speech and reduced noise—even in tough listening environments. Stream calls, TV, public announcements, and more, to your devices. Count steps, track engagement, improve balance, send fall alerts, and monitor your respiratory rate. And for added convenience, translate languages, stream reminders, find lost hearing aids, and more.
All from your smart device or Apple Watch®—view compatible devices here.
6. Check out the latest hearing technology
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your hearing aids or haven’t worn any yet, know this: Gone are the bulky, ill-fitting instruments of the past that merely amplified sound. Today’s hearing aids are sleek, customizable for individual ear canals, and some, virtually invisible to the eye—your ear, your choice.
They’ve also shot up the ranks as cool, wearable tech devices—particularly Starkey’s latest hearing aids. Besides hearing sound that’s clear and true-to-life, you can turn up sounds you want to hear and diminish sounds you don’t, even in the toughest listening environments.
You can use your devices to answer calls; stream entertainment and announcements; track your fitness; monitor your respiratory rate; and much more.
With Starkey, better hearing truly is better living. Discover more here.
7. Get your hearing tested
Even if you don’t think you have hearing loss, experts recommend having hearing screened every five years if you’re aged 50 to 64, and every three years after that.
Hearing tests are simple, pain-free, and worth it so you don’t have to miss out on anything—from the giggle of your favorite little one to the crunch of leaves beneath your feet, reminding you how great it is to be connected with your world.
Discover what a hearing test involves, here—and even more great reasons why you should get one, here.
As the first step toward maintaining your hearing and overall quality of life, simply make an appointment with a licensed hearing care professional. It’s easy—just type your zip code in here for a list of providers near you.
Here’s to making Better Hearing Month your time to change the course of your hearing journey or of someone you care about—starting now.