Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities that are severe enough to impact day-to-day life. Dementia can be debilitating, costing you precious memories like picnics with loved ones at Atlanta Memorial Park. Fortunately, there are ways to protect your brain against dementia, and one of them is by wearing hearing aids.
The Link Between Hearing Loss & Dementia
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have established a strong link between hearing loss and dementia.
In a 2011 joint study with the National Institute on Aging, researchers examined data from 639 people who were part of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging, and also conducted biannual hearing tests from 1990 to 2008.
They found that people with mild hearing loss are twice as likely to develop dementia compared to people with normal hearing. People with moderate hearing loss have three times the risk, and people with severe hearing loss have five times the risk.
Another study, published in 2013, uncovered the rate at which cognitive decline develops in people with hearing loss compared to those without.
For this study, researchers tested the hearing of 2,000 volunteers over six years. The found that those with hearing loss experienced a 30-40% more rapid development of cognitive decline, resulting in significant impairment 3.2 years sooner than the group with normal hearing.
Hearing Aids Can Help Prevent Dementia
A more recent study from the University of Michigan, published in 2013, found that older adults who wear a hearing aid have a lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia, depression or anxiety, and are less likely to experience fall-related injuries, compared to people who don’t seek treatment.
According to lead study author Elham Mahmoudi, MBA, Ph.D., “Though hearing aids can’t be said to prevent these conditions, a delay in the onset of dementia, depression and anxiety, and the risk of serious falls, could be significant for the patient.”
For more information about the effects of hearing loss or to learn more about the benefits hearing aids can offer, call the experts at Advanced Hearing today.