Hearing News

This week, as I was getting the kids and myself ready for the day, I turned on the radio to catch a weather report. I was caught by complete surprise when the reporter began a segment on untreated hearing loss and the faster pace of cognitive decline in older adults. The piece was titled “Want to Keep Your Brain Sharp? Take Care of Your Ears.” The 3-minute segment talks about the ability to improve your hearing through hearing aids, AND the fact that doing this helps in the reduction of memory loss and diminished cognition. As an audiologist, I have seen first-hand the impact of regained hearing through amplification in my own dad. He was reluctant to wear aids and resisted the process for a while. As I noticed him slowing down on the activities he once enjoyed, it seemed like a good idea to revisit the need for improved hearing. For several years now, dad is a proud patient. He is a full participant of conversations, arguing with me about everything from politics to staying connected in conversations with my two boys during a game of Monopoly. I think about how far he has come, and I know that without these devices, and the care to support his hearing needs, things would be quite different for him, and my mom, and the rest of our family.

This segment mentions a 16-year longevity study on thousands of older adults in the United States that discusses that stimulating your ears actually stimulates your brain, and that giving your brain that stimulation, you stay connected to your world. When people have untreated hearing loss, memory loss can set in faster.

I think it’s a fascinating segment that is worth a listen. And an added benefit, you will hear better!

SOURCE: NPR