Baby Boomers’ Hearing Loss Declining
Can it be possible that the onset of hearing loss in baby boomers is declining? One study looks to prove that people born between the years of 1946 and 1964 are experiencing fewer signs of hearing loss than their parents. Rates of hearing losses usually jump from 18 percent for ages 45 to 64 to 30 percent for ages 65 to 74, and 47 percent for those 75 and older.
Most baby boomers will experience sensorineural hearing loss, which occurs when the hair cells of the inner ear are damaged or die prematurely. Being a result of the aging process, this cannot be reversed. Other boomers suffer from conductive hearing loss, which is a mechanical problem in middle or outer ear.
Unfortunately, insurance plans don't pay for hearing aids, which can cost from $1,000 to $7,000. Still, boomers are more proactive about their hearing loss than the older generation, and look to do what it takes to help their well-being. As expensive as hearing aids can be, they are the most common method in fighting hearing loss.