For those who need convincing that hearing aids are worth the investment, today’s hearing statistic is one data point among many that should help convince you they are.

A recent investigation on healthcare cost trends concluded that older adults with untreated hearing loss used healthcare services more — and subsequently spent more on healthcare — than peers without hearing loss over a 10-year period.

A New York Times article noted that this 10-year increase amounted to spending 46 percent more on healthcare, as it included factors such as increased hospital readmissions.

This is a rare data point that touches on the financial implications of untreated hearing loss. But there are countless ones that prove the many quality-of-life consequences of letting hearing loss go untreated, from decreased cognitive function, higher incidences of falls and depression, and increased risk of social isolation and dementia, just to name a few.

In fact, that same New York Times article referenced above pretty much spells it out in the article’s title, “Hearing Loss Threatens Mind, Life and Limb” — which, without even reading the article, should also help convince you that hearing aids are worth the investment.