Cutting Dementia Risk with Hearing Aids

Not long ago, a colleague heard an ad on television that began, “Life is harder when you live with your in-laws.” That seemed like an odd thing for a commercial to say, so she looked up and realized that the advertisement was for hearing aids; the voiceover had really been saying, “Life is harder when you live with hearing loss.” 

While our colleague was amused by the irony of having misheard an advertisement for hearing aids, the truth is that hearing loss can affect the quality of life in ways not previously understood. Now, new research on hearing aids and dementia shows that the use of hearing aids can help to reduce the risk of dementia in seniors. 

Hearing Aids and Dementia: What’s the Link? 

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health conducted a study of 2,413 people that found that individuals with mild hearing loss had roughly double the risk of developing dementia as those with normal hearing. People with moderate hearing loss had about three times the risk of developing dementia as those with normal hearing. 

However, individuals who used hearing aids had a reduced risk of dementia compared to those who didn’t. Among the over 850 study participants with moderate to severe hearing loss, hearing aid use was associated with a 32 percent lower prevalence of dementia. That is significant. 

What’s the connection between hearing aids and dementia? It may not seem obvious at first, but it makes sense once you consider the facts. When you can’t hear well, it becomes difficult to hold a conversation. Less conversation often means less interaction with others; seniors may withdraw from socializing and social skills begin to decline. Social isolation can increase loneliness and depression, which are risk factors for dementia. In addition, hearing loss can lead to a reduction in activity in the area of the brain that processes sound. As hearing loss worsens, a senior’s brain may stop trying to interpret incoming sounds. 

The good news is that recognizing early hearing loss and taking measures to correct it can make a real difference not only to dementia risk, but to quality of life. So why don’t more seniors get hearing aids? Many older people are resigned to hearing loss, thinking that it’s a normal part of aging (it’s not). Others attach a stigma to hearing aids, thinking that having one will make them look “old.” However, advances in technology means that most hearing aids are not the clunky beige attachments many people remember. Newer hearing aids are smaller, and many are stylish-looking or nearly invisible. 

Hearing Aids for Dementia Patients

According to Johns Hopkins researchers, people wait for an average of ten years from the first signs of hearing loss to “give in” and get hearing aids. In the meantime, their social lives and cognition may suffer. This doesn’t have to happen. 

As recently as a few years ago, seniors could only get hearing aids by prescription from a professional in hearing health. For individuals who were already reluctant to get a hearing aid, the effort and expense of traveling to a hearing health clinic may have seemed too great. Getting a professional exam and guidance is still the best option for many people. But recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration put in place regulations allowing the sale of hearing aids over the counter. This has lowered the barrier for many people to get the hearing help they need. 

Can Hearing Aids Reverse Dementia? 

Unfortunately, there is not a lot of research on the effect of hearing aid use on reversing dementia. What’s more, there is research that suggests that individuals with dementia may have greater difficulty using hearing aids, which may cause them to use the devices less frequently. That could lead to social isolation, depression, and potentially contribute to the worsening of their dementia. 

What are the best hearing aids for dementia patients? It will obviously vary with the individual needs of each patient, but the ease of use is obviously a factor. It doesn’t matter how sleek or effective a hearing aid is if the person who needs it can’t figure out how to use it and it remains in a drawer. 

The best time to use hearing aids to prevent dementia is before signs of dementia have appeared. In addition, even if hearing aids don’t prevent dementia in all cases, they do improve quality of life. So if you are noticing signs of hearing loss in yourself or a loved one, don’t hesitate to get hearing help. 

The first signs of hearing loss are also a good time to ask yourself what you would do if you or a loved one should develop dementia down the road. If you’re not sure you’re prepared, make an appointment with an experienced elder law attorney to get the help you need. 

To learn more about hearing aids and dementia, contact Estate Planning & Elder Law Services to schedule a consultation.