Hearing Loss and Dementia

Don’t ignore hearing loss

Most over sixty-fivers are definitely not sitting at home watching TV and occasionally enjoying visits from the family.

They are out pursuing hobbies, learning something new, meeting up with friends, travelling, playing sport and enjoying being a part of their local community.

Hearing loss shouldn’t hold over sixty-fivers back because there is such high quality hearing technology available now.

It’s important to ensure that hearing loss is assessed and addressed rather than ignored because social interaction is a vital part of keeping our brains sharp and functioning well.

Hearing loss is tiring

Prof McAlpine from the University College, London describes the experience of losing your hearing as being similar to visiting a foreign country where you speak only a little of the language.

You struggle to understand the conversations around you, and just trying to get by can be tiring and can leave you feeling exhausted.

This is exactly what happens to people who suffer hearing loss. As a result they may start to withdraw from many of the activities they used to enjoy, because certain scenarios might tire them out or might be embarrassing when they miss parts of the conversation as they struggle to keep up.

The link to Dementia

Recent studies by Dr Frank Lin and his team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, suggest that this could have a worrying knock-on effect as evidence is beginning to emerge that hearing loss contributes to the accelerated decline in cognitive and physical function of older adults.

Hearing loss and dementia are definitely linked. The nature of the connection is the subject of on-going investigation.

Studies show that being sociable and taking part in activities protects against dementia, possibly because it relieves stress, which is known to be harmful to the brain.

So taking yourself out of those daily interactions – because your hearing loss makes it difficult – may increase the risk of memory loss and cognitive problems.

Whatever the link between hearing loss and dementia, untreated hearing loss can have serious consequences.

Hearing keeps us connected to our world.

Every adult over the age of 55 should have regular hearing checks because hearing loss is treatable.

If you do have a hearing loss, the conversation you have with your Audiologist will ensure that the next step you take to improve your hearing – with hearing aids or a listening device – will probably improve your memory and your quality of life.

A hearing assessment is easy to arrange and most people are surprised by the clarity and comfort of current hearing devices. It’s possible to revitalise your listening experience with hearing aids that have been prescribed and programmed to suit your lifestyle by experienced, professional Audiologists.