As your loved ones age, you expect things like the need for bifocals or stories about when they were your age or gray hair. Hearing loss is another change that we associate with aging. This happens for numerous reasons: Some medications or medical treatments like 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 natural changes to the inner ear.
But just because an older friend or relative’s hearing loss isn’t a surprise doesn’t mean it’s something you can disregard. This is particularly true because you could simply begin to talk louder to compensate for the gradual hearing loss your loved one is developing. So you should take hearing impairment seriously and speak with your loved one and here are four reasons why.
1. Hearing Problems Can Create Needless Risk
In a small house, smoke and fire alarms usually don’t have the flashing lights and other visual aspects that they have in a larger building. Individuals who suffer from hearing loss can lose other less extreme day-to-day cues as well: Receiving a phone call, a delivery person ringing the doorbell, or (and yes, we’re back in likely really dangerous territory here) car horns. A decreased ability to respond 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 revealed that age-related hearing loss had a statistically substantial connection with mental decline and dementia. The process is debated, but the most common theory is that when people have a hard time hearing, they retreat socially, lowering their overall level of engagement and failing to “exercise” their brains. Having said that, some researchers contend that when we suffer from hearing impairment, our brains work so much harder to absorb and comprehend sounds that other cognitive tasks get fewer resources.
3. The High Price of Hearing Loss
Here’s a strong counter-argument to the concept that getting treatment for hearing loss is too costly: Neglected hearing loss can impact your finances for many reasons. For instance, research from 2016 that examined health care expenses for a sample of 55- to 64-year-old adults found that people with neglected hearing loss spent, on average, 33% more on doctor’s bills. Why? People who suffer with hearing loss may have a hard time with communication causing them to avoid preventative care appointments and thereby missing major health issues which then results in a larger medical bill in the future. One of the study’s writers proposed that this was exactly the scenario. Hearing loss is also linked to mental decline and numerous health issues, as other individuals have noted. Another point to consider: For individuals who haven’t retired, hearing loss is connected to reduced work productivity, potentially having an immediate effect on your paycheck.
4. Hearing Impairment is Linked to Depression
Trouble hearing can have emotional and mental health consequences, too. The stress and anxiety of not being able to hear others distinctly will often cause detachment and solitude. This isolation is linked to unfavorable physical and mental outcomes particularly in the elderly. The good news: Managing hearing loss can potentially help decrease depression, partly because being able to hear makes social engagement less anxious. A study from the National Council on Aging revealed that individuals with hearing difficulty who have hearing aids report fewer symptoms associated with anxiety and depression and more frequently take part in social pursuits.
How You Can Help
Communicate! Keep the conversation about hearing impairment going with your loved one. This can help you determine the degree of hearing loss by supplying a second pair of ears and it also furthers mental engagement. People over the age of 70 who suffer with hearing loss tend to under-report it, though the reasons why are currently debated. Secondly, encourage your friend or relative to have a consultation with us. Having your hearing examined regularly can help you grasp how your hearing is changing and can establish a baseline of your current hearing loss.