As your loved ones age, you expect things like the need for glasses or stories about when they were your age or gray hair. Another change generally associated with aging is hearing impairment. There are many reasons why this occurs: Some medications or medical treatments such as chemotherapy that cause structural harm to the ear, exposure to loud sounds (this could be from loud concerts in your youth or on the job noises), or even normal changes to the inner ear.
But just because an older friend or relative’s hearing impairment isn’t unexpected doesn’t mean it’s something you can disregard. This is especially true because you could simply start to talk louder to compensate for the progressive hearing loss your loved one is going through. So you should take hearing impairment seriously and speak with your loved one and here are four reasons why.
1. Hearing Troubles Can Produce Unnecessary Hazards
In a large building, smoke or fire alarms have a visual aspect (commonly a flashing light) in addition to being very loud, but the majority of residential alarms do not. Fire is a drastic illustration, but hearing loss can cause sufferers to miss other day-to-day cues: Getting a phone call, a delivery person ringing the doorbell, or (and yes, we’re back in likely very hazardous territory here) car horns. A diminished ability to react to auditory cues can lead to minor inconveniences or significant risks.
2. Hearing Impairment Has Been Linked to an Increased Danger of Cognitive Decline
A large meta-study found that age-related hearing loss had a statistically substantial connection with mental decline and dementia. What the relationship exactly is, is debated, but withdrawal from social activity which leads to a decreased level of involvement and less stimulation for the brain is a leading idea. Another prominent theory is that the brain has to work harder to try and fill in the missing auditory stimulus that’s lost with hearing loss, leaving less resources for mental function.
3. Hearing Loss Can be Expensive
Here’s a strong counter-argument to the concept that getting treatment for hearing loss is too costly: Untreated hearing loss can impact your finances for many reasons. For instance, research from 2016 that examined health care costs for a sample of 55- to 64-year-old adults revealed that people with untreated hearing loss spent, on average, 33% more on doctor’s bills. Why? One of the study’s authors proposed that individuals who suffer with hearing loss may avoid preventative care because of trouble communicating and thus end up with a large bill because a significant health problem wasn’t caught earlier. Others point out that hearing loss is related to other health problems such as cognitive decline. Another point to think about: For individuals who haven’t retired, hearing loss is associated with reduced work productivity, potentially having a direct impact on your paycheck.
4. There’s a Connection Between Depression And Hearing Loss
Difficulty hearing can have emotional and mental health repercussions, too. The inability to hear others distinctly can result in anxiety and stress and increase withdrawal and solitude. This isolation is related to unfavorable physical and mental outcomes particularly in the elderly. The good news: Dealing with hearing loss can potentially help decrease depression, partly because being able to hear makes social engagement less anxious. Research from the National Council on Aging found that individuals with hearing difficulty who have hearing aids report fewer symptoms associated with depression and anxiety and more frequently participate in social activities.
How to do Your Part
Talk! We mean yes, talk to your family member about hearing impairment, and keep the conversation flowing. This can help with cognitive engagement, and it can also help provide a second pair of ears (literally) assessing hearing. Although the reasons are debated, research has revealed that individuals over 70 under-report hearing loss. The next step is to encourage the person with hearing loss to make an appointment with us. Having your hearing checked on a regular basis can help you grasp how your hearing is changing and can establish a baseline of your current hearing loss.