Hearing Loss May Signal Increased Dementia Risk
Simply put, dementia is “Loss of Memory” which can include the following:
- Difficulty recognizing or identifying familiar objects (agnosia)
- Loss of language skills (aphasia)
- Difficulty performing familiar motor activities (apraxia) and impacts daily life
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. About half a million Canadians are currently living with Alzheimer’s & related dementias & that will rise to over 1.1 million within a generation.
The February 2011 issue of Archives of Neurology states “Older adults with hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia.” Dr. Frank Lin’s research shows a link between hearing difficulities & dementia. Hearing aids do improve the quality of life. Hearing loss can be addressed with digital hearing aids. Hearing aids are not a luxury, they are a necessity. You get glasses when you can’t see so get hearing aids when you can’t hear.
Unfortunately, hearing loss is a condition that is highly prevented in older adults and it’s often remains untreated. Statistics Canada states “Hearing loss is the 4th most prevalent disability in Canada after mobility, pain & agility.” There are 1,038,140 adults who have hearing loss in Canada. That is 4.4% of the population in Canada. 40% of people over 65 years old report a significant hearing loss. Fewer than 1 in 5 of those use hearing aids.
People are living much longer than ever. The fastest growing segment of the population is the centenarian, a person who is 100 years old or older. Dementia may be over diagnosed in people with hearing loss, or those with dementia many be over diagnosed with hearing loss. Therefore, it is a good idea to see your Audiologist & get your hearing tested.
In conclusion, hearing loss could be an early warning sign of dementia & something as simple as fitting a person with hearing aids might delay the onset of the debilitating effects of dementia.