Could hearing loss among older adults be more complex than meets the eye?
Being hard of hearing is a stereotypical trait of an older person, often seen as a minor inconvenience. However, there’s a lot more to hearing loss than meets the eye, and it can be a sign of a bigger health issue. Hearing loss among older adults is certainly more common, but understanding and treating it is another matter.
The Percentage of Hearing Loss among Older Adults
According to Annual Reviews, over 65% of people over 71 years old have hearing loss of some kind. The rate of hearing loss increases from 27% in the 60s to 55% in the 70s, and to over 90% in individuals over 85 years old. Hearing loss is gradual, so it naturally worsens with age.
Common Causes of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can come about through damage to any point of the ear system: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, the auditory nerve, and the brain. Sound waves travel through the ear and are then turned into electric signals that the brain processes and interprets.
While age-related hearing loss, which can happen from the deterioration of your hearing system, is common, hearing loss can also be linked to dementia and cognitive decline. Other traits that often pair with hearing loss among older adults include slowed gait and greater social isolation.
When the brain declines, it must work harder to interpret speech, which wears out cognitive function even more. Paired with difficulty hearing could be difficulty remembering things. Hearing loss and memory loss often go together in older adults with some level of cognitive decline.
Hearing loss can still come about due to any of the possible reasons, regardless of age. Ototoxic medicine, smoking, loud noise exposure, and specific hearing conditions like Meniere’s disease are common causes of hearing loss overall.
Prevalence of Hearing Treatment
Unfortunately, while the percentage of hearing loss among older adults is about 65% in the United States, the rate of those individuals getting proper hearing treatment is not so high. Most people of any age with any level of hearing loss ignore the signs and live life with subpar hearing, which can lead to balance issues, missed conversations, missed alarms, and a lower quality of life overall. It’s not too late to address your hearing health; if you are in central Maryland, contact Clarity Audiology!
Trust the Experts at Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions
Need help with your hearing? Clarity Hearing can help. Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions is an independently owned and operated clinic that focuses on quality of care and personalized, friendly service to the surrounding areas of Ellicott City, Catonsville, and Columbia. Our Doctors of Audiology are highly trained with advanced degrees and take the time to provide the personalized care and attention that you need and deserve. We provide advanced hearing aid options that are personally calibrated with cutting-edge digital technology to fit your hearing loss, your unique ear anatomy, and your individual listening needs.