Speak up dear! Hearing loss and dementia
It’s one of the cliché scenes in sitcoms, a grandparent sitting in front of a TV turned up incredibly loud, with adult children shouting conversations only for the senior to declare loudly: “No need to shout, there’s nothing wrong with my hearing!”
As we age, we’re more likely to suffer some degree of hearing loss as a natural part of the aging process (known as presbycusis). However, mid-life hearing loss affects 51% of Canadians aged between 50-59, with that figure rises to 94% of Canadians aged between 70-79. Interestingly, of those tested who were aged 40 to 79, over 63% of those affected were unaware they had any hearing loss at all.
Hearing loss – a major risk factor for dementia
Around 3 million Canadians have some degree of hearing loss that could be improved by using hearing aids, yet a staggering 80% of those affected do not wear hearing aids.
This widespread lack of use is concerning as there there is major evidence of an association between hearing loss and dementia. The results of a 2023 study published in “The Lancet” concluded that at-risk seniors could cut their rate of cognitive decline by almost half over three years if they simply wore hearing aids for their hearing loss. What’s more, 8.2% of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed if mid-life hearing loss was to be addressed with a hearing aid.
What is hearing loss?
Sensorineural hearing loss, the type most often detected, happens when the tiny hair cells in our inner ear are damaged. These tiny hair cells normally move sound through the ear. Their damage can be caused by exposure to loud noise, trauma, chemotherapy, and some diseases, including diabetes. Once damaged, these hair cells do not regrow, so hearing loss caused by hair cell damage is permanent.
Hearing loss, the brain and dementia
Hearing loss has been shown to increase risk factors for the development of dementia.
- People with hearing loss are more likely to struggle in social situations and withdraw as a result. Social isolation/loneliness and the resulting depression are both risk factors for developing dementia.
- Hearing loss may also increase our cognitive load. With hearing loss, the parts of our brains that interpret sound and speech have to work much harder. As a result, the brain may be allocating resources to these areas at the expense of our memory and thinking areas.
- Equally, if the brain is not receiving sufficient auditory input, then those parts of it might shrink (known as brain atrophy).
- In some cases, severe hearing loss may be misdiagnosed as dementia if people struggle to understand what is being said. Equally, diagnosing dementia might be harder if the people affected cannot hear well.
“Even low levels of hearing loss have been associated with increased dementia risk and a decrease in memory and thinking skills.”
Hearing aids and reducing the risk of dementia
A simple way to reduce your risk of dementia is to have your hearing tested, and if you require them to actually wear your hearing aids! According to the Alzheimers Society:
“The use of hearing aids has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia to the level of a person with normal hearing. … Hearing aid use was also associated with fewer memory problems and thinking problems independent of dementia. Tracking hearing aid use over a long period showed that it was associated with less decline in memory skills.”
Wearing your hearing aids will also increase your enjoyment of everyday life, help you communicate better with family, friends and the world in general – and involve much less shouting!
Hearing loss and balance
There is another consideration too; how we use our ears to keep our balance when walking. Hearing loss can mute these important audio signals, according to Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D. Lin, a professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health:
“Brain scans show us that hearing loss may contribute to a faster rate of atrophy in the brain … It also makes your brain work harder just to process sound. This subconscious multitasking may interfere with some of the mental processing needed to walk safely.”
Act on hearing loss now
If you think you have hearing loss, the time to act is now, according to the Alzheimer Society of Canada:
“Talk to your family doctor, especially if you have a family history of dementia. He or she can refer you to an audiologist who will conduct a hearing test, take your hearing health history, and discuss any other difficulties you may be having with listening and communication. Your audiologist may also be able to recommend specific hearing devices to help you hear, better.”
Help for seniors at home
Our caregivers know the importance for seniors who need to use hearing aids to actually wear them. However, inserting hearing aids and removing them can be difficult for seniors with limited mobility. As part of personal care, our experienced and friendly caregiver can help with inserting hearing aids, removing them and placing digital hearing aids on chargers if required.
For more details on our home care services for seniors in Calgary:
