A 2020 New York Times article headlined “Can Hearing Aids Help Prevent Dementia?” covers a lot of things we’ve known — and have been sharing with you — for years. Like that hearing loss is very common, that it’s a risk factor for things like cognitive decline, social isolation and dementia, and that too few people take it seriously. As you'd expect from the headline, the article focuses primarily on this link between hearing ...
Maybe it’s been this way for a while and we just didn't notice, but loneliness is getting a lot of attention from healthcare professionals lately. One obvious reason is COVID-19, which has forced people to socially distance or isolate themselves, and has severely limited in-person interactions, especially for older adults. Another reason is the increasing evidence of its negative effects on our health — like social isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality ...
It’s February, which, thanks to Valentine’s Day, is a good month to discuss matters of the heart. Plenty will be written and said about the heart’s connection to love. We’ll leave that topic to the relationship experts. Instead, we want to discuss the heart’s connection to hearing and hearing loss — a subject much more in our comfort zone. And studies show there is a connection. Turns out hearing health and ...
Today’s hearing fact probably isn’t something that comes to mind when you think about hearing loss. But — if you do think about it — makes a lot of sense. It’s also potentially much more consequential than, say, missing a punchline in your favorite sitcom or your name being called when your Starbucks mocha is ready. According to Reuters and the National Institute on Aging, untreated hearing loss can result in trouble understanding a ...
Do you ever feel like the people you’re talking to are mumbling or speaking too quickly? Are you having to ask others to repeat themselves frequently? Or maybe you’re struggling to follow a conversation when there is background noise? If so, these could be indicators that you have a hearing loss. It’s not uncommon for friends and family members to notice we have hearing loss before we do. Most likely, it’s ...
If you are an older adult or have a parent, grandparent, or friend who is not as sturdy on their feet as they once were, you’ve probably thought about or talked about falling. Falls are some of the most frequent injuries suffered by older adults. They can be the scariest, too. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Falls are the second leading ...
In places where it gets cold, it can be tough on a lot of things: automobiles, fingers and toes, and our psyche. But it doesn’t need to be hard on hearing aids, so long as you keep in mind a few things to do — and not do — when wearing hearing aids in cold weather. Five do’s Be careful when removing hats and scarves to avoid pulling off and losing your hearing aids. Keep ...
If the human body came with Care & Maintenance instructions, today’s recommendation from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) would certainly be on them. It’d be right in there to have your teeth cleaned and checked annually; visit your general practitioner for physicals and blood work; get vaccinated from diseases; exercise; eat fruits and vegetables; drink plenty of water and, of course, “do not dry clean.” The recommendation makes sense. Our hearing is tightly tied ...
Observed every November since President Clinton signed a proclamation in 1997, National Family Caregivers Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the millions of people in the U.S. who compassionately and humbly care for parents, siblings, neighbors, and community members. Grandparents, and older friends and relatives—particularly—need and benefit from the help caregivers provide, whether it’s assistance with meals, medicine, transportation or simply providing companionship. The caregiver’s role is challenging ...
You know that when a cause has an entire month dedicated to it, it must be important. For years, October has been National Protect Your Hearing Month. Why? Because hearing isn’t just important — hearing is essential! Hearing plays a huge role in our physical health, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. The sound of laughter, music, the great outdoors, or simply conversations with friends and family fill each day and become vital parts ...