Hearing health affects a man’s lifestyle, and if he wants to stay active, feel younger, and remain socially and professionally engaged, he should address any hearing loss he may be experiencing. This is the overriding message that the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is delivering to men around the country in support of National Men’s Health Week, which leads up to and includes Father’s Day. This year, National Men’s Health Week runs from June 10 through June 16.

Studies show that men who address their hearing loss most often improve their quality of life because it helps them maintain a more engaged, active lifestyle at both work and home. Fortunately, the vast majority of people with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids. In fact, eight out of ten hearing aid users say they are satisfied with the changes that have occurred in their lives specifically due to their hearing aids.

For decades, research has shown an association between unaddressed hearing loss and a whole range of physical, mental, and emotional conditions—from depression, anxiety, and strained relationships to cognitive decline, difficulty learning new tasks, and even falling. A national BHI study, in fact, uncovered income loss as an under-recognized consequence of leaving hearing loss unaddressed. People with untreated hearing loss, the study found, lose as much as $30,000 in income annually, depending on their degree of hearing loss. But the use of hearing aids was found to reduce the risk of income loss dramatically—by 90 to 100 percent for those with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77 percent for those with moderate to severe hearing loss.

The study also found that people with severe hearing loss who do use hearing aids are twice as likely to be employed as their peers who do not use them.

This week, as a public service, we invite all men who have concerns about their hearing (fathers or not) to schedule a free hearing evaluation.