Older Brits aren't sharing their mental and physical health issues like heart disease, hearing loss and arthritis with loved ones.
And even more worryingly, one in ten say that they've kept the information to themselves for more than a year.
The main reason they're keeping schtum is so that they don't worry their families, with nearly a third saying feel "too embarrassed" to talk about their condition.
"As we get older it is natural for our health to become more fragile, and it’s a lucky few who make it into old age without acquiring something to worry about," said Maarten Barmentlo of Signia, who commissioned the study.
“What is important to remember is a problem shared is a problem halved, and sometimes carrying the worries of a health issue can do more harm than good."
One big issue the study found was hearing loss.
One in three said they'd feel too self-conscious about wearing a hearing aid, despite the fact that half of Brits over 50 worry about their hearing becoming worse as they age and 43 per cent agreeing that wearing an aid would improve their quality of life.
A third of those who admitted to worrying about their hearing said that they often pretend to have heard what has been said, and a quarter admitted to making up a response and hoping it's the right one.
So why aren't they just biting the bullet and getting fitted with a hearing aid?
Well, according to those surveyed by OnePoll.com, nearly 40 per cent believe there's still a stigma attached to wearing one, which may be putting them off talking to their doctor about being fitted for one.
According to Action on Hearing Loss, there are around 11 million people in the UK living with some kind of hearing loss – that's around one in six of us.
More than 40 per cent of people over 50 have some kind of hearing loss, and that rises to 71 per cent in people over 70.
Maarten said: “After decades of listening and living a louder life, it’s not unreasonable to expect our ears to have lost some of their lustre, and Brits shouldn’t feel deterred from wearing a hearing aid if they feel they need it.
“Hearing aids have long been associated as being out of date and not at the cutting edge of today’s cool technology and we wanted to change that perception.
“At Signia (a hearing aid company), we are aware of the stigma which many people feel is attached to wearing a hearing aid."
He said that Signia's aim was to help consumers overcome stigma and anxieties attached to failing health through cutting-edge design, so that "people can feel comfortable and be positive about their self-image".
“(The new Styletto range) has implemented the best possible technology to ensure that not only does the product deliver incredible sound, but is also a very user-friendly device.”
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