Hearing And Quality Of Life In Older Adults

As we get older, our bodies no longer work the way they used to. We are prone to a variety of problems, and one of the most common is hearing loss. As many as a third of all adults between the ages of 65 and 74 people experience hearing loss. And as our age continues to rise, so does this prevalence. At least half of all those over 75 have hearing loss. Hearing impairment means that life can become more difficult.

We will have trouble communicating with others and understanding what’s going on. It may take us a while to realize what someone has said, so we may seem slow, but this is not the case. Unfortunately, hearing loss can lead to a range of problems, such as depression and loneliness. Hearing loss can even lower life expectancy. Below we have taken a look at how hearing loss can affect the quality of life in older adults.

The Link Between Hearing Loss and Your Health

Hearing is an essential sense. Perhaps we are unaware of just how much we rely on it until it begins to get worse. When our hearing begins to fade, there is a clear correlation between its decline and the decline of our general health. For example, people who do not have their hearing tested and live with an unresolved hearing impairment, they have a lower left expectancy.

If this hearing loss is running concurrently with a loss of vision, it will severely affect how these people can live out their lives in the usual way. They simply cannot do it with two enormously important senses fading at the same time without treatment. There is also a link between having a stroke and someone suddenly getting sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing loss has also been associated with heart disease, as well.

The theory is that when blood vessels have narrowed, your body is working way above its optimum level, which causes high blood pressure. This can have a knock-on effect on your hearing, as the blood vessels in the ear canal are being impacted, and blood flow is reduced.

Hearing loss can even cause the brain to shrink. If you have hearing loss, it is essential that you seek treatment services. The results of leaving it can affect your life in so many negative ways. Hearing loss is linked with a large array of mental and physical health issues, such as stroke, heart disease, brain shrinkage, cognitive decline, and even reduced lifespan. So, it is unwise to let your hearing loss fester.

Low-Frequency Hearing Loss

It is important to realize that hearing loss can actually be a warning sign of other potentially worse illnesses. And this means that you may be able to resolve the hearing loss by treating the other condition. For example, if you have low-frequency hearing loss, it could be a sign that you have a cerebrovascular disease or cardiovascular disease.

Depression

Unfortunately, people with untreated hearing loss are far more likely to experience depression. Sometimes people will isolate themselves due to hearing loss, as well as lose the ability to communicate, among other things, which can cause depression.

Cognitive Decline

Losing the ability to hear is associated with cognitive decline and can even lead to conditions such as dementia. Dementia is twice as common in those with hearing loss, and people with moderate hearing loss are up to three times more likely to get dementia. This rises to five times more likely with severe hearing loss. Alzheimer’s disease is another mental disease that is associated with hearing loss.

How to Manage Hearing Loss

The good thing is in this day and age; we can treat a range of hearing loss problems, often times with hearing aids. Heating aids are pretty much the best solution to hearing loss. If you are experiencing hearing problems, you should see an audiologist as soon as possible. There are such a wide range of styles and sizes, as well as specialist features to suit every person and every lifestyle as well as every budget. Some hearing aids are pretty much invisible too.

You can connect hearing aids to your smartphone and even play calls and music through them. You can even block out background sounds if you are having a meal at a restaurant. In some cases, it is even better than ordinary hearing. Other ways to treat hearing loss include changing your diet, as sometimes anemia caused by an iron deficiency could be causing the hearing loss.

As mentioned above, another condition may be causing the hearing loss. So, speak to an audiologist as soon as you notice your hearing begins to fade, it could even save your life, as in the case of heart disease. If you need assistance regarding your or a loved one’s hearing loss, reach out to Adirondack Audiology by calling (888) 347-5899.