Hearing Care is Health Care™ takes on a heartfelt significance this February when Oticon, Inc. launches the company’s annual “At the Heart of It … We Put People First” campaign. During February and March, Oticon will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Opn™ hearing devices to the American Heart Association to fund heart health education and life-saving research.

The national “At the Heart of It” campaign is designed to underscore the important role of hearing health in overall good health and motivate people to schedule regular hearing check-ups. By tapping into consumer focus on American Heart Month, the campaign will bring hearing and hearing loss into discussions of heart healthy behaviors.

“Through campaigns like ‘At the Heart of It’ we aim to build awareness of hearing health as an important component of a healthy lifestyle,” says Oticon Vice President of Marketing Sheena Oliver. ”Our goal is to create opportunities to insert hearing care and hearing loss into health-related conversations – whether they are on heart health, cognition or other health issues that spark consumer interest. By forging a link between hearing health and healthy living, we encourage a new way of thinking about hearing and hearing loss that can be life-changing, especially for people who have been reluctant to seek professional help for their hearing loss.”

There is no doubt that lifestyle behaviors that affect the heart also impact hearing. The Better Hearing Institute reports that a higher level of physical activity is associated with both heart health and a lower risk of hearing loss. The negative impact of smoking on the heart is long established and recent research shows that smokers are also more likely to suffer hearing loss. The omega-3 fatty acids that benefit cardiovascular health have also been linked to a lower risk of hearing loss.

Getting the Word Out on Heart and Hearing Health

Oticon will partner with hearing care professionals in practices ranging from small private practices to large multi-specialty clinics to ensure that the powerful heart health and hearing care message reaches people in communities nationwide.

Oticon has developed a variety of marketing communications materials to support hearing care professionals in getting the hearing and heart message out to their communities. Materials include heart healthy tip sheets and newspaper releases.

Oticon employees will also participate in heart healthy activities during February including a special Heart Health Expo at Oticon headquarters. On February 17, representatives from the American Heart Association and a local medical center will offer workshops on heart health and conduct a series of blood pressure and other health screenings.