Loneliness and social isolation have been getting their fair share of attention lately. For good reason. Covid has made both more prevalent. And both are increasingly linked to numerous physical and mental health issues, including:
- 50 percent increased risk of dementia
- 32 percent increased risk of stroke
- 29 percent increased risk of heart disease
- Higher rates of depression and anxiety
- Even earlier death
Truth be told, as social creatures, humans just aren’t wired to be reclusive. It’s why social networks are popular and solitary confinement is a punishment.
It’s also why, at Starkey, we’re in the business of better hearing. Because we know the role hearing plays in keeping people connected and helping them feel included. We see every day how hearing makes it easier to stay socially active and engaged.
Hearing loss, on the other hand, can be a “potent isolator.” That’s what Robert Jackler, MD, called it in the 2018 Stanford Medicine publication, Listening. And studies back him up, as many have linked hearing loss to higher degrees of social isolation and loneliness.
The good news is that hearing loss is one of the few causes of loneliness that is treatable.
More good news? No one is better at treating hearing loss than Starkey. The combination of our superior sounding and performing hearing technology and our network of experienced, caring hearing professionals provides your best odds that hearing loss won’t keep you isolated from the people and activities that make you happy