Have you had your hearing tested? Why is it important?
As we get older our hearing deteriorates and we begin to notice a change in our ability to hear. An age related hearing loss is the most common form of hearing loss in adults and mostly starts to affect people in their 60’s. It progresses gradually over subsequent years, leading to our brains slowly adjusting to ‘not hearing’ sounds especially soft sounds which are important in understanding speech. Because of this gradual decline we may not notice our inability to hear and at first think other people are mumbling or not speaking clearly. On most occasions it is generally family and friends who notice hearing problems before an individual notices it themselves. Typical signs of struggling with hearing are:
· Missing bits of conversation especially when there is background noise
· Asking people to repeat what they are saying
· Having the television or radio on louder than usual
When a person has a hearing loss sometimes social occasions can be stressful as it is difficult hearing conversations. This may lead to withdrawal from social gatherings as the sheer thought of trying to hear in these situations becomes tiring. Therefore a hearing loss that is left untreated (without hearing aids) starts to affect our quality of life. However, not only does a hearing loss affect our quality of life but it can also affect our cognitive functioning, that is our brain’s ability to process information such as hearing.
For anyone who has been diagnosed with a memory loss, their cognitive functioning is already at risk due to chemical and structural changes in the brain, so it is important to try and maintain as much cognitive functioning as possible. There is evidence to show that a hearing loss is also associated with a decline in cognitive functioning and it has also been reported that the severity of hearing loss and the degree and rate of increase in cognitive functioning are related. As a result of this evidence there is lots of research that supports the need for a hearing assessment for people with dementia. Hearing aids are vital in not only enabling us to hear better but also to maintain cognitive functioning to help keep our brains stimulated and active. If hearing aids make it possible for people to hear and respond to sounds, then that will boost their quality of life and consequently enhance their cognitive functioning. So identifying a hearing loss sooner rather than later in people with dementia and if needed, fitting hearing aids, may reduce the risk of developing further cognitive decline and maintain their quality of life for longer. Early intervention of diagnosing a hearing loss is the key to helping minimise the impact of dementia and anything we can do to boost the brain’s cognitive functioning will be beneficial in terms of overall quality of life.
Here’s a thought. A person with a memory loss may still respond to music and music stimulates the auditory and memory parts of the brain. So if hearing aids make this happen then we are stimulating and boosting their cognitive functioning helping the person to stay active and alert and happy!
So if you or any one you know has been diagnosed with a memory loss then have a think about getting your hearing tested.
Good hearing is vital as it stimulates parts of the brain and keeps it active!
How to get your hearing tested
Visit your GP and ask to be referred for a hearing test
Here at Trafford General Hospital we will:
· Examine your ears and make sure they are healthy
· Perform a full hearing test which will require you to wear headphones and to press a button when you hear a sound
· You will be asked some questions about your hearing and requested to fill in a short medical questionnaire
· After discussing your test results with you, your audiologist will advise whether or not hearing aids will help
· The hearing aids here at Trafford General are free NHS hearing aids which have the latest up to date technology!
· You are welcome to bring a friend or member of the family with you to all appointments
· We also offer a home visit service for people who cannot make it to the hospital
References
Boxtel van MPJ et al. (2000) ‘Mild hearing impairment can reduce verbal memory performance in a healthy adult population’. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology 22 (1): 147-154.
Gates GA et al. (2002) ‘Central auditory dysfunction may precede the onset of clinical dementia in people with probable Alzheimer’s disease’. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 50 (3): 482-488.
Lindenberger U and Ghisletta P (2009) ‘Cognitive and sensory declines in old age: gauging the evidence for a common cause’. Psychology and Aging 24 (1): 1-16.
Lin FR (2011) ‘Hearing loss and cognition among older adults in the United States’. The Journals of Gerontology 66 (10): 1131-6.
Lin FR et al. (2013) ‘Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults’. Internal Medicine 173 (4): 293-299.
Lin FR et al. (2013) ‘Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults’. Internal Medicine 173 (4): 293-299.
www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk
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