September is Healthy Aging Month, an annual occurrence intended to focus national attention on the positive aspects of growing older and ways to maintain all aspects of good health as we age.
The message of Healthy Aging Month is that everyone can take charge of their overall well-being by taking steps to age with a healthy body and a healthy mind.1 This means being proactive with preventative care and actively maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Hearing and healthy aging have a unique connection. With hearing loss being the third most common chronic health condition in the United States among older adults, hearing health is a key priority for overall health as we age. In fact, nearly two-thirds of adults 70 years of age and older have hearing loss.2
Marketing For Healthy Aging Month
Marketing for Healthy Aging Month should focus on highlighting the many ways that better hearing can help a patient age better. This can be broken down into the ways healthy hearing can affect patients’ physical, mental, and emotional health.
Physical Health
Healthy hearing plays a key role in keeping us alert and independent as we age. The ability to detect and respond to audio cues that alert us of safety hazards and crucial information decreases with impaired hearing. With good hearing, there is less dependence on others that might hinder physical activities.
Another key relationship between hearing health and overall health is balance and fall risk. The risk of falling is three times greater in people with untreated hearing loss.3
In marketing for Healthy Aging Month, you can highlight different physical activities that are improved with good hearing, such as the sounds of birds chirping during a walk in the woods.
Mental Health
Marketing for Healthy Aging Month can be a valuable tool in educating patients on the hidden or non-physical risks of hearing loss that may not be as commonly known.
As people age, hearing loss can make it difficult to maintain social connections and mental well-being. Older adults are more likely to be socially isolated or to feel lonely. Several recent studies show that older adults who are socially isolated or feel lonely are at higher risk of heart disease, depression, and cognitive decline.1
Losing your ability to hear can also put you at greater risk for developing mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that older adults with deafness were 47% more likely to experience depression symptoms. For those who already have mental health issues, hearing loss can worsen the problem. 4
Brain scans show that hearing loss may also contribute to a faster rate of atrophy in the brain. These mental health factors may contribute to dementia.5
Emotional Health
Impaired hearing can cause avoidance of social situations and activities and lead to isolation. Hearing can bring people joy, and healthy hearing is tied to emotional health. People who use hearing aids are more likely to be optimistic and feel engaged in life. They are also more likely to have a strong social network, be involved, maintain connections, and remain socially active.
Use your marketing to point out all the examples of the moments of joy hearing can bring, from hearing a grandchild’s laughter to meeting up with friends for dinner. Emotional health marketing is a great opportunity to showcase the variety of situations and scenarios where better hearing can improve your patients’ lives.
