Audition Technology
Live Well
Full Quality of Life check
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​You are not alone
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Maintain fitness for duty and everyday life
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Check well-being at work
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Feel and function well
​You are not alone
1 in 9 in the US has hearing loss in both ears
1 in 8 in the US working population has hearing difficulties
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It is seen across all sections of the population
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It is more common with aging
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All industries have hearing risks
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22 million exposed to hazardous noise at work
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13 million exposed to ototoxic chemicals
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Hearing loss and tinnitus are common
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But 50% of those with hearing loss, don't have noisy jobs
It is the THIRD MOST COMMON chronic physical health condition after high blood pressure and arthritis
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Hearing loss progression is not recognized
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Some stop or lower hearing aid use after purchasing them
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Some have hearing problems even with hearing aids
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Hearing loss can cause lower participation in society and lower quality of life
Hearing care is often neglected
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Not part of primary care
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Not affordable
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Not aware of personal and everyday risks
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Not understanding full benefits of hearing aids
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Not knowing the importance of preserving remaining hearing
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Not knowing the effect on overall health and quality of life
CONGRATULATIONS for making the decision to be in charge of your Mild-Moderate Hearing Loss​
This step will directly benefit your full health
​Maintain fitness for duty and everyday life
Take care of hearing, eyes, brain, muscle health to protect from falls
Auditory alerts
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Wear hearing aids throughout the work day - except in high noise areas
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At first, give your brain time to learn and adjust to the ‘new’ sounds, then, daily use during waking hours
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Improve situational awareness
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Be alert to sounds around you - hear alarms, warnings
Odds of fall are lowered by up to 65% by wearing hearing aids everyday
Protect remaining natural hearing
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From loud sounds: Remove hearing aids, wear hearing protection
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From ototoxins (chemicals, medicines) that can harm hearing- particularly when combined with loud noise
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From harmful habits, quit smoking, vaping
Vision
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Go for a comprehensive dilated eye exam, eye diseases
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Wear eyeglasses or contacts (as needed) along with hearing aids
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Protect your eyes with sunglasses, protective eyewear, take breaks from screen time
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Prevent infections
Brain
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Wear hearing aids daily to lower brain burden to process lost sounds
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Protect your head - wear helmets during activities that can hurt your head
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Know signs of concussion - get prompt help
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Check and treat hypertension to maintain normal blood supply to brain, prevent clots that can cause stroke
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Be cautious about medications that can cause drowsiness - replace or manage dosing during the day
Lower body strength and footwear
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Improve lower body strength with strength and balance exercises
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Get food and supplements to support bone and overall heart health
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Wear proper footwear - oil-resistant, non-skid soles, comfortable fit and well-maintained
Get enough sleep and be well-rested
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Manage tinnitus during night with low background noise
Take responsibility for the safety of working with hearing aids
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Actively participate in promoting safety needs for those with hearing loss
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Educate others on best practices to support those wearing hearing aids
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Collaborate with the workplace on simple adjustments, specific to supporting workers with hearing aids
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Strengthen safety knowledge related to wearing hearing aids and preventing injuries, falls​
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Be a role model by wearing hearing aids throughout the day (except in loud noise environments)
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Promote self-care and mental well-being for yourself and co-workers with hearing aids
Identify and support others who may have hearing problems
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Slurred speech, talking loudly in a normal environment, asking to repeat what you said
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Only respond to conversation when they are looking at you speaking
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Does not notice loud sounds
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Share personal experiences to help others manage their condition​
Check well-being at work
You can check your overall well-being at work with questions taken from the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ)
Start with a baseline - when you first start using hearing aids. Then check quarterly or as often as you wish to note changes. Make decisions about your well-being at work.​​​​​​​​
Work experience
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Reasonable adjustments to help you work better
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Job satisfaction
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Wage satisfaction
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Benefits satisfaction
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Job advancement
Emergency support
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Available visual, tactile alerts
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Additional safety with heights
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Buddy system
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Other measures used by company
Physical fitness at work
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Lower number of days with fatigue, poor sleep
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Lower number of slips, trips
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Managing dosing of other medicines that can impact balance, alertness
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Exercising for lower body to prevent falls
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Checking vision and wearing eyeglasses/contacts as needed
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Wearing non-skid footwear
Cognitive fitness at work
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Concentrating
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Remembering
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Making decisions
Work communications
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Training
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Meeting
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Supervisor
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Co-workers
Hearing fitness at work
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Wearing hearing aids
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Removing hearing aids in high noise areas
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Wearing hearing protection
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Checking ototoxins (chemicals) and managing exposure
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Checking ototoxins (medicines) and managing dosing
Mental fitness at work
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Engaging with coworkers
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Participating in company initiatives and events
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Speaking openly about your experiences
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Having some flexibility to balance work and caregiving responsibilities
​Take 3 actions in 30 days
Check how the actions are helping you
Share with others in your workplace
​Feel and function well
PROMIS Global health check
PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System®) is a set of questions on physical, mental, and social health - that tracks how you are feeling and functioning over time. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health and is publicly available. Use your responses as a guide to make decisions about your lifestyle, discuss with your carepartner and decide if you need to see a doctor. You can print the worksheet to track your responses.
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You can check monthly, quarterly or annually.
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We do not collect your responses - so note them in your personal diary and compare as you continue with your checks​
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In general, would you say your health is....
In general, would you say your quality of life is....
In general, how would you rate your physical health?
In general, how would you rate your mental health, including your mood and your ability to think?
In general, how would you rate your satisfaction with your social activities and relationships?
In general, how well do you carry out your usual social activities and roles like home, work, community activities, parent, child, spouse, employee, friend responsibilities?
To what extent are you able to carry out everyday physical activities such as walking, climbing, stairs, carrying groceries, or moving a chair?
In the past 7 days - How often have you been bothered by emotional problems such as feeling anxious, depressed or irritable?
In the past 7 days - How would you rate your fatigue on average?