All About Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a common health issue that develops in the later stages of life. It can be extremely frustrating for a person and their loved ones to go through. Due to its commonality in aging, it can easily be ignored or minimized. However, recent research shows that if untreated, hearing loss can be much more nefarious than expected. It has been linked to walking problems, instability, falls, and even the development of dementia. “In a study that tracked 639 adults for nearly 12 years, Johns Hopkins expert Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues found that mild hearing loss doubled the risk of dementia. Moderate loss tripled risk, and people with a severe hearing impairment were five times more likely to develop dementia” (The Johns Hopkins University, 2022).
Brain scans have shown that hearing loss contributes to a faster rate of atrophy in the brain. It contributes to social isolation and a feeling of detachment from the world around you. It can create a barrier between a person and their loved ones who find themselves unable to communicate clearly. Another issue that can result from untreated hearing loss is accidents. The effect that hearing loss has on balance can easily cause unintentional falls and missteps. Dr. Frank Lin from The John Hopkins University states, [Hearing loss] “makes your brain work harder just to process sound. This subconscious multitasking may interfere with some of the mental processing needed to walk safely.” A lack of stability and certainty in walking can result in harmful falls which further exacerbated a person’s health. It’s extremely important to protect the mobility of a person as they age.
Our community members deserve complete care during their later stages of life. We ensure that at Aiken Memory Care, by providing individual care to every resident. We do our very best to provide all available treatments, ensuring that the risk of untreated hearing loss is almost eliminated. Hearing loss will easily be detected in one of our routine checkups, which will lead to the reduction of further complications in brain atrophy, prevent the detachment hearing loss can cause, and ensure that loss of balance and instability is reduced. Protecting your loved ones and improving their overall health and happiness. Our community, Aiken Memory Care, prides itself on helping people age with dignity. We utilize all our resources to protect them, care for them, and prevent needless health complications.
At Aiken Memory Care, we firmly believe that love sustains what remains. If you’d like to learn more about how Aiken Memory Care can partner with your family, send us a message by clicking on the button below.
